Majestic Mountains

The Dhauladhar Range as seen from Triund, Himachal Pradesh

Looking at this scene you can never imagine that there were hundreds of school students also camping at the same site. Thankfully the site was so big that we were in a different corner and not much affected.

But when we were walking back a lot of children were coming down too. The path is narrow and we walked in close company for quite some distance. There was no way I could not here what they were chatting about. The boys invariably discussed cricket and the girls makeup and hairstyles. I somehow was disappointed.

Sky Watch Friday- Another Sunset at Ilaka, Near Triund

Sunset at Ilaka, above Triund, Himachal Pradesh, India

See more fabulous skies at Skywatch Friday

Global Product, Local Delive

Supply of Coke, Maggi and the like to the tea Shop at Ilaka near Triund, Himachal Pradesh

PS. Those of you who wonder why so little content on this blog these days, the reason is very cute.

Friday Flowers- Iris from the Himalayas

Iris Flowers, clicked while trekking around Triund, Himachal Pradesh

Lazy Sunday Photo- Tea Shop at Ilaka above Triund

Tea Shop at Ilaka above Triund, Himachal Pradesh

Tea Shop at Triund- On a Misty Day

The Tea Shop at Triund

Whenever a weary tourist would climb up to the tea shop and ask ofr a room or a tent, the great Indian bargaining game would begin. The shop caretaker would quote a price and the tourist would say no, but they were told it is only this much at McLeod Ganj. One lady I remember got quite angry too. And when the caretaker would go away for a while, he would instruct us to tell any tourists who came inquiring that rooms were available.

Friday is for Flowers- Clustered Summer Gentian

Himalayan Flowers- Clustered Summer Gentian

I looked up the name at Flowers of Himalayas part of Flowers of India site.

Another Sunset at Triund

Sunset at Triund, Himachal Pradesh

More Conversations from the Rainbow Day

The Rainbow at Triund, Himachal Pradesh

After I had seen and clicked the rainbow at Triund (must I add till it had almost vanished), I went for a long walk through the meadows. I came back at dusk, slightly cold.

So the fire near the camp was the most inviting place. As soon as the sun goes down, the temperature suddenly drops. Near the fire there were four of us waiting for the dinner. There was a girl from Switzerland, a young lad from the US and the two of us. The boy from the US had been in India for the last 10 months (exiting after 180 days for a visa run to another nearby country like Sri Lanka or Nepal) and had been traveling extensively.

The amount of places he had been to in India, we have not managed to see even a fraction of it. I am, in fact, wondering that if I add all my holidays together taken till date, they may still not add up to a month. What a depressing thought!

So I asked him, "What made you choose India?" He replied, "I was attracted to the ashrams." I asked him hesitantly, "If you don't mind my asking so, did you discuss it with your family or you don't do such a thing?" He smiled, "My parents were really scared, they thought I may never come back." I was wondering if we may ask this one but then Sesha did, "We really don't hold very high opinion of Ashrams." He agreed, "Yes, many of them are a little more commercialized than I thought they would be. But there are a few serious places too. I anyway discovered that I was not really serious about it."

I then asked him, "So how have your journey across India been?" Without blinking he said, "India has taught me patience! I take a lot more things in my stride now"

What do You Sell to the Tourist?

I remember it was the rainbow day at Triund. We were chatting with a young local lad who was studying in Germany and had a tourism business based out of Germany too.

Rainbow at Triund, Above McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh

We were discussing random things, like the trek, the snow at the Indrahar Pass, the changing weather patterns, the shopkeeper at the Snowline and the tourists visiting India. Both of us expressed a deep desire that one day we want to exchange rupees for a lot of foreign currencies so that we could back pack around the world.

Soon the talk turned to the tourists visiting Triund and McLeod Ganj.

Souvenirs for Sale at McLedo Ganj on the Roadside, Himachal Pradesh

A little while back there was one young girl who gave a piece of her mind to the shopkeeper at our camp because she thought she was asked to pay more for a room. The local lad from Germany told me, "Ma'am yahan haans kar aap dhul bhi bech sakte ho" (Ma'am, in these regions if you know how to talk nicely you should even be able to sell the dust). He was not being derogatory, he said it as a matter of fact, no boasting nothing.

Triund Story now at Gonomad

Souvenirs for Sale at McLeod Ganj.

My entire trip account about trekking through Triund, Snowline and beyond is now up at Gonomad. Do let me know what you think about it.

On our other treks, we hardly met anyone but this one was different. I did a lot of talking with people from Germany, Israel, Switzerland (she was in India for the third time and was staying for more than 6 months) and the US (the boy was staying in India for a year and he had already completed 10 months) and of course the shop owners and the guides.

But there is one conversation that has still stayed with me. I was talking to the groom at Snowline thinking that there were just two of us around. When he walked away I realized there was a figure in a sleeping bag inside the chai shop behind me.

He said, "God, the way you talk, ...

More of the Same Rainbow

A Tourist Looking at my Rainbow at Triund, Himachal Pradesh

Our Itinerary for McLeoad Ganj, Triund and Lehs Cave Trip

Blue Mountain Flowers at Snowline, above Triund, Himachal Pradesh

Megha has asked for the itinerary of my recent trip to McLeod Ganj, Triund and beyond. We are not big at planning anything but here is what we did.

22/05/2009 (Friday morning)- Leave for Chandigarh by Shatabdi Express from New Delhi, we had some work in Chandigarh otherwise the straightforward way is to go to Pathankot/Chakkibank by train and take a bus for Dharamshala/McLeod Ganj from there.

22/05/2009 (Friday afternoon)- tried to take a bus to Dharamshala but we were told we missed it by a few minutes and the next one was around 6.00 pm. We did not want to wait that long and asked for advice. The bus conductors told us to go to Jwalaji and take a bus from there for Dharamshala. We reached Jwalaji by 8.00pm and decided to stay there for the night is a ghastly Rupees 400 hotel.

23/05/2009 (Saturday Morning) Got up, ate Aalo paratha (flat Indian bread stuffed with potatoes) took Avomine (both of us have bad motion sickness on hill roads) and sat in a bus for Kangra as there were no immediate buses available for Dharamshala. After Kangra, we immediately got the bus straight for McLeod Ganj.

23/05/2009 (Saturday afternoon) With two big rucksacks we finally reached McLeod Ganj. Sesha found an atrocious hotel and I agreed to stay there! Did nothing. Sesha found a trekking agency but we were told that Indrahar pass route was not yet open because of snow.

24/05/20089 (Sunday) Lazed around McLeod Ganj.

25/05/2009 (Monday morning) Started walking for Triund. Reached triund sat there, literally soaking in the Dhauladhar range.

26/05/2009 (Tuesday morning) Walked up to Snowline. Stayed there.

27/06/2009 (Wednesday morning) Walked up to Lehs cave and above. Got caught in hail while returning. And then had to put our tent down for the fear that it would get blown off in the stiff wind.

28/05/2009 (Thursday morning) Walked back to Triund, sat there, it was the rainbow day.

29/05/2009 (Friday morning) Unfortunately walked back to the civilization (Mcleod Ganj). Stayed at a marginally better hotel.

30/05/2009 (Saturday morning) Lazed around Mcleod Ganj.

30/05/2009 (Saturday afternoon) Took a bus back to Pathankot.

31/05/2009 (Sunday morning) Unfortunately we were back to reality, Delhi.

In the Larger Scheme of Things!

How Small My Tent Looks!

Sound of the Lambs!

Lambs at the Triund Campsite, Himachal Pradesh

You can see the Triund campsite (at least part of it) in this video. The Dhaula Dhar Range in the Himalayas is also visible and what a noise the lambs are making. Those were the days!

As the Dusk Falls

Another Image of the Sunset at Snowline above Triund, Himachal Pradesh

I like this sunset picture even better even though it is quite similar to the one posted two days before.

Sunset at Snowline at Triund, Himachal Pradesh

This picture was also taken on the same day as the one above but a little later. It was so cold that a few others who were out there to view/click the sunset were wearing gloves. When I went back to the Chai shop, there was soup waiting for me. But even that had gone cold.

A Wedding at 10000 Feet!

Wedding at 10,000 Feet!

There was a couple from Mumbai and their friends on this trek and the couple was getting married at a temple near the snowline called Kunalpathri! Now after 6 years of trekking this is the first time I heard of anyone getting married at this altitude in the Himalayas apart from the locals! By the evening I had the pleasure of chatting both with the bride and the groom. They decided to do so because they had first met on a trek in the mountains. They said they would have another wedding in Mumbai for family and relatives as not everyone was willing to trek. I wonder if this idea would slowly spread? This wedding was organized by the trekking agency from McLeod Ganj.

Photos from McLeod Ganj, Triund, Snowline and Lehs Cave

I finally managed to upload the pictures from Mcleod Ganj, Triund, Snowline (also know as Ilaka) and Lehs Cave.

Traveling to the mountains is always magical. I have a lot to write about and I will be mixing my UK and Himachal Pradesh posts.

Another Sunset at Snowline (above Triund) Himachal Pradesh

I got three days worth of fabulous sunsets but this one on the Day 3 of the trek was the best. And the note to self is that while shooting sunsets I should take more of the sky and less of the hills in the frame!

My Rainbow! At Triund, Himachal Pradesh

As I say, in each trek some rain must fall and we had quite a bit of it. But I would live with it every time if I get to click and see (in that order) a rainbow at the end of it.

And when I wish to write about this trip, I have to complete a report for the office (I am changing jobs too) which comes first.

But very soon, this trip account is waiting to get written.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Sunset at Snowline above Triund, Himachal Pradesh

Sunset at Snowline (also known as Ilaka), above 9000 feet, near Triund, Himachal Pradesh

I am back at Gurgaon, at last and I think I would have liked to have a few more days of hills! This is our tent (Sesha is in picture too) at sunset against part of the Dhauladhar Ranges. I have walked so much on uneven terrian that it feels strange to walk on the even floor! My feet are protesting and missing the uneven turf!