Trekking in Paradise

December 2017, Outlook Money magazine

A Year In Travel

Part 1

As another great year draws to an end, I could not help but look back at all of the new places that I have been to and the experiences garnered from a year in travel in 2017.

My favourite month of the year, also my birthday month – January, took me to Vibrant Vietnam. While exploring the length and breadth of this gorgeous country, I had many unique experiences. I paddled a hand woven bamboo boat in Halong Bay. It took some practice before it went in the right direction, luckily, the rest of my fellow passengers were rather supportive. Away from the floating village, I paddled us through a cave towards a huge water body land locked on all sides. There was a moment when we thought the boat was going to capsize!

Later on this trip, I cycled through rice fields and villages in Hoi An. A great experience overall, it was a bit of a pain as well. In my derrière to be precise! After cycling for 14 odd kilometers, I was ready to call it a day. But since it was my last night there, I dragged my sore self onto the lantern lit streets filled with merriment and awe, and revelled in the festivities.

A short distance from Ho Chi Minh city, I visited Cu Chi tunnels, an intricate network used by the Vietnamese as a hiding place during the Vietnam war. This is where I experienced the unimaginable - firing a few bullets from an AK47!  Out of a group of 40 people, me along with a couple of fellow Indians opted for this experience as it was expensive. My left arm hurt for a few days thereafter due to the sheer weight and impact of the firing but it was well worth it.

I further travelled down to Cambodia and got to witness the much talked about sunrise at Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world. While walking with my torch towards the main entrance of the famous temple under a carpet of stars, I could feel the magic and magnificence of this UNESCO heritage site. There were thousands of tourists waiting to capture the sunrise. My friend and I tried to find the perfect spot and waited patiently to capture it on our lenses. I have cropped out all the crowds in this shot.

As luck would have it, I got some beautiful shots of Angkor Wat after sunset when there was not even one person in sight. I went back to Angkor Wat in the afternoon to explore it at leisure. I got blessed by one of the monks in the temple complex and visited Bakan, the temple’s central sanctuary, for which people generally queue up for hours.

Visiting Angkor Wat was a dream come true, although looking back, it stills feels like a dream.

Snorkeling in the Gilis

At Gili Trawangan

I was really keen on seeing turtles hatch their young ones on a pristine beach, tucked away on one of the many Indonesian islands. It is a wonderful sight to behold and a memory to cherish forever, is what the many blogs and travel websites on the subject told me. Due to lack of time, this seemed difficult.

I chose to spend some time on the neighbouring Gili Islands instead. It was a great decision. On our snorkeling trip at IDR 100.000 or $7.50 per person there, I actually swam with an adult sea turtle!  The Gili Islands are known to be one of the best sites for diving and snorkeling in Indonesia. 

The tour was three hours long, taking us to each of the three Gili islands to experience snorkeling including the famous Turtle Point, off Gili Meno. It was my first ever snorkeling trip. Putting on the snorkel mask and breathing through it took a bit of practice; it felt suffocating at first. After selecting our snorkel mask and fins, we waited for further instructions on the beach along with the rest of the group. We were about 30 people, adults and kids, waiting to be seated onto a glass bottom boat.

Turtle Conservation Hatchery, Gili

I assumed that a life jacket would be provided on the boat. It is only when I jumped off the deck of the boat into the salty, deep blue waters did I realize that I needed one. I swam back to the boat only to learn that they were not carrying extra life jackets. Luckily, there was a spare one which the tour operator strapped onto me. It felt much better with a life jacket on; I swam a little, floated for some time, gazing at the multi-coloured varieties of fish and corals. We spotted clown fish (Nemo), butterfly fish, anemone fish, flying fish, bat fish amongst many others. The water was very clear and we could see the sea bed with ease. I tried to put my foot on a few of the corals while swimming in shallow waters. I felt calm and at ease, swimming in the Bali sea.

We got back onto the boat, took off our snorkeling equipment and sun bathed on the upper deck till the next stop. At Turtle Point, we excitedly jumped into the cold waters, hoping to catch a glimpse of this wondrous creature. Five minutes later, we spotted a turtle sleeping on the sea bed. There were schools of fish swimming around everywhere. Suddenly, we spotted an adult sea turtle swimming about four feet below us.  We followed him, swimming as fast as he was, in order to keep up. He seemed to be enjoying the attention and swam with us for at least five minutes, popping his head out of the water for a breather every now and then. It was the most magical experience ever. 

I am glad to have not opted for a go pro camera to capture the underwater activity as my attention would have been diverted by it. Some experiences are best captured as memories. This was certainly one of them. 

Eat. Pray. Ubud

We got into Ubud late evening. After checking into our garden home stay – D’Ubud House Homestay in the heart of town, we freshened up and grabbed some dinner at Ibu Rai restaurant. The atmosphere in the restaurant was relaxing; I ordered Ikan Babur Bambu Bali which was fresh, along with grilled fish cooked in mild Indonesian flavours. For dessert, I had tiramisu and wiped my plate clean. 

We were pretty tired and went off to sleep soon after. I had booked us on a very early morning trek to Mount Batur, Bali’s second highest volcano. I woke up with a start around 2.30 am; the alarm had not gone off. I ran out of the room towards the reception and then the road, but the minivan that was to pick us up was nowhere in sight. Thankfully, it pulled in two minutes later. The trek was challenging as the climb was very steep, full of loose volcanic rocks. Putu, our guide was of immense help along the way, motivating us and pulling me up at difficult stretches. We made it in time for the sunrise. It was a spectacular sight; the sun rose through the floating clouds and Batur lake at its bottom.

Sunrise at Mount Batur

We passed through sleepy villages, vegetable and fruit orchards as well as coffee plantations on our way back to Ubud. It was a very scenic drive, I tried to keep my eyes open while the others in the bus slept. Soon enough, the driver stopped at one of the coffee plantations where we sampled a variety of coffee. The world famous Kopi Luwak was available at Rp. 50000 a cup but we decided to avoid it.

Ubud Palace

The rest of our only day in Ubud was spent sightseeing. We went to the Palace for a quick tour, Ubud market for souvenir shopping, tried the famous Babi Guling at Ibuoka and finally to Elephant Cave, a 9^th century sanctuary full of bathing pools, fountains and rock wall carvings. I found the last sight to be the best one. We also got some good bargains on souvenirs and paintings in the market right outside this historical Hindu site.

Babi Guling

At Elephant Cave

After a hectic day, we decided to unwind with a relaxing massage before heading to Kuta, our final destination. The Balinese massage at Sari Spa at our home stay was the best way to end an exciting day.

Vibrant Vietnam in Outlook Money magazine

September 2017 issue

Bandung - Of Floating Markets & Hot Springs

Navigating our way through Gambir railway station, Jakarta was a breeze. We took a print out of our tickets at the electronic kiosks there, showed our tickets at the entrance and walked towards the platform where our train was waiting. We were off to Bandung, known as Paris of Java; also a popular weekend getaway for Jakartans. Set amidst volcanoes and picturesque tea plantations, the city offers a cooler climate. It is also a popular shopping destination because of its many factory outlets.

We reached our hotel Gino Feruci Kebon Jati Bandung fairly early. As the check in time was 2 pm, we decided to leave our baggage at the reception and set out to explore the city. Bandung is a bustling city with a few pockets that are clean and well preserved. It certainly does not look or feel like Paris anymore, as it may have back in the day. We booked a car for the day; the driver had a limited English vocabulary so we communicated in monosyllables, mostly.

Lembang Floating Market

He drove us to Lembang, a neighbouring town known for its hot springs, orchards and tea plantations. Our first stop was the floating market, recommended by our driver. Although we were hesitant to first go in, we were glad that he took us there. It was the best attraction we went to, all day. There were ducks, rabbits to play with, a school of red fish amidst nicely landscaped gardens, a variety of street food to choose from as well as some adventure activities. I was quite surprised to see a lot of Iguanas up for sale there. Some of them were up to 5 ft in length which really freaked me out!

Pet Iguanas for sale!

De Ranch

Our next stop was De Ranch, a good attraction for those interested in horse riding. We didn’t spend much time there. As I had read good reviews about the Maribaya waterfall and hot springs, we decided to go there next. We paid around 40.000 IDR each as the entry fee. The waterfall itself was quite a disappointment and I would recommend avoiding this sight altogether. As we had gone all the way, we decided to take a dip in the VIP hot springs at 125.000 IDR each. Besides access to the private hot springs, we were also given some spicy chicken and rice along with white tea as part of the package. 

Maribaya Waterfall

On our way back to Bandung, our driver Mus asked us if we would like to go to Farmhouse. It was a delightful attraction with a variety of birds, sheep that you could feed as well as my favourites - rabbits. I fed various rabbits there, the brown ones were the cutest. As I wanted to hold one of them, one of the helpers took me to the area where the baby rabbits had been kept. I fed them carrots and posed for a few photographs, this was one of the best experiences on the trip. Strangely enough, I had expressed an interest to hold one of these adorable, furry creatures just five minutes before Mus recommended this attraction! Outside Farmhouse, the road was full of shops selling rabbits. They seemed well behaved as they were not in cages, in spite of constant oncoming traffic.

At Braga Permai, Bandung

At night, we headed to Braga Street and had dinner at Braga Permai, a boulangerie and patisserie since 1918. Their pepperoni pizza coupled with the lively band made for a nice evening. As we were not ready to call it a night just yet, we went to Romepoet next. A college band was performing English numbers, I even sang one along with them! North Sea Bar was our last stop, it reminded me of the pubs in England. 

The next day, we went shopping to Cihampelas Walk. It is a great place to relax, shop and bum around. Unfortunately, we couldn't spend a lot of time there as we had to catch our flight to Bali. And that was another adventure!

Skyscrapers Galore in Jakarta

Selamat Datang Monument, Central Jakarta

We arrived in Jakarta after a 9-hour-long flight from New Delhi over the weekend. After getting our visas on arrival, we walked over to the immigration counter. Upon enquiring about the purpose and duration of our trip, the immigration officer informed us that we did not require a visa for up to 30 days. Unfortunately, we could not get a refund on the $35 visa fee per person that had already been paid. With a reluctant smile, we bid him goodbye. I felt stupid for not having conducted enough research on the visas. Note to self for the next time!

Inside the museum

The unexpected free entry at the National Museum that we visited later that afternoon offered some form of respite. The new Museum building is a synthesis of colonial style coupled with modern architectural design offering an extensive collection of relics from the past; giving visitors an insight into the country’s history, people, and their lives. There was another exhibition about human evolution which was interesting. On our way out, I posed with an abstract piece of art outside the building. The National Memorial stood tall from across the road, inside a massive park. I took some pictures from outside as we were too tired to walk all the way inside. In fact, we were lucky to catch a glimpse of this lovely monument draped in the national flag colours, while on our way to the railway station early next morning.

National Memorial Monument

This was all the sightseeing that we had the energy for, on day one. As I like to visit rooftop restaurants for a fantastic city view in large cities, we decided to visit one of them. While Skye lounge located on the 56^th floor of BCA Tower seemed to be the most recommended one on travel websites, we opted for another popular rooftop garden bar - Lucy in the Sky instead. It was a great choice without the panoramic skyline views that I had been hoping for, as it was located on the second floor of the Fairgrounds complex in South Jakarta. We sat there for hours gazing at the gigantic skyscrapers around us, through the glass ceiling. At night, they fairy lights lit up the ceiling. The candles on tables added a magical feel. Their Loosey Goosey burger was by far the best burger I had in Indonesia. The California Motherfucker cocktail as part of their Hippie Sundown menu is amazing.

Loosey Goosey burger with curly fries

Lucy in the Sky at night

On our way back to the hotel, I took a few pictures of the multi coloured high rise buildings around. Each building was lit up in a different hue, giving them their own unique personality.

We went to sleep fairly early as we had a 5 am train the next morning

.

The land of Volcanoes and Bollywood fans

Batur lake at sunrise

Indonesia welcomed us with open arms. So much so, that they even have a visa exemption for Indians. We only realized that after paying the $35 visa fee. Grabbing a blue bird taxi from outside the airport was fairly easy. We passed by sky scrapers of all shapes and sizes as we hit central Jakarta, each of which had a minimum of 50 storeys. I tried to grab some shut eye on the way to the hotel; it took longer than expected as the driver lost his way and even got fined as he inadvertently broke a traffic rule.

After a quick change and a long wait for our taxi (thanks to Jakarta’s notorious traffic), we headed to the National Museum. They were giving free entry to everyone on account of some festivities; I seem to be getting my luck back, I thought. Spread over four levels, the museum gives a detailed account of human evolution, history of the islands and their formation, their people and way of life. All in all, it was a good starting point for our ten day tour of the archipelago nation.

Mount Agung at sunset

I had my first glimpse of Indonesia’s famed volcanoes while waiting for the sunset at Gili Trawangan, a small island off the coast of Bali. Mount Agung, Bali’s highest peak stood prominently in the backdrop as I watched the sun set into the Bali sea. It was an incredible sight, one I went back for the next day as well. While in Bali, we went on a sunrise trek to another volcano, Mount Batur, 1717 mtrs above sea level. It was supposed to be a fairly easy trek according to various travel websites and blogs. It wasn’t. Our guide, Putu was of great help during the last, extremely steep stretch up to the crater. The misty view of the mountains, lake Batur and the rising sun from the top was worth all the effort.

On the trip, I also realized that the Indonesians love Bollywood. Whenever we got talking to any local and informed them that we were Indian, they replied with an excited ‘Shahrukh Khan’! EVERY local that we met loved him. At first, it was funny but then it happened everywhere - from Jakarta to Bandung and the Gilis to Bali. As the first Hindi movie that they ever saw was a Shahrukh Khan one, he is their favourite Indian movie star.

Throughout the trip, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s song Despacito that I had been tripping on even before my trip had begun followed me everywhere there. Once while we were waiting at a traffic light in Bandung in Java, a young Indonesian boy appeared out of nowhere with a guitar and started singing this for me. It was one of the most surreal moments. Of course, I sang along with him.

A Weekend in Kasauli

Pine Forest

My brother and I had woken up uncharacteristically early to set out on a walk to Gilbert Trail, a hiking trail in the Kasauli Cantonment area. It was a lovely summer morning; fresh mountain air and the rising sun greeted us after a pleasant night’s rest. There were only a handful of walkers up at that time. After a short walk up from the Kasauli club where we were staying, we walked up a steep cemented path towards Gilbert House, a British era house belonging to Major General Gilbert from the 1800s. 

Greenery everywhere

We could hear the call of partridges and a couple of crows flying around us. As we reached the first lookout point, we came across another Punjabi. He was new to the area and asked us how far the trail went. In all these years that we have been visiting Kasauli, we had never actually ventured beyond this point on the trail. As we were now planning to go further, he joined us as well.

Dew drops lined up perfectly

Wild Marijuana

There was a lot of wild growth, tiny flowers and marijuana growing freely. It was interesting to see a few green leaf life plants which had dew drops neatly outlining their rim. We came to a point where there had been a landslide due to which a part of the path was missing. By holding onto a few plants, we managed to make our way ahead. At this point, our Punjabi friend decided to turn back. We kept walking and reached the Monkey Point Hill.

Rugged terrain

Close up of Monkey Point

It was the first time that I got to see a close up view of the famous tourist sight. This side of the hill had a distinct look, with rocks forming lines at the top of the summit. After taking a few pictures, we kept moving ahead. We saw a deer in the forest below; a couple of dogs walking with a local spotted it too and darted down the hillside towards it.

The path was now descending towards a village and further towards the plains. We decided to turn back and sat down at one of the lookout points, taking in the various sights and sounds of the forest. It was a calming experience, the best way to start a new day.

Island Country: Sri Lanka

Clear blue skies

I just returned from a work trip to the beautiful and largely untouched nation of Sri Lanka. In my free time, I got a chance to explore Colombo, its vibrant capital which I feel is perfect for a weekend getaway from India.

The best way to explore the city and take in its many sights and sounds is by foot. I couldn’t get enough of the greenery, blue skies and cleanliness all around. As a result of its colonial past, the architecture is very impressive. There are many British style townhouses, clock towers, the town-hall, museum and many other sites. The red brick colonial era Victoria memorial hospital was particularly striking. I felt like I was back in Europe.

As soon as we had checked into the hotel, lunch plans were made. A large group of us went to a popular Sri Lankan restaurant - Upali's located close to the Municipal Corporation building. The food was amazing. We ordered an Upali's combo for starters which was served with a tasty, sweet yet spicy green chutney. For main course, we dug into delicious crab curry (or Yapane Kakuluwo) and Fresh lagoon prawns curry (or Isso Beduma). The curry was bursting with flavours, a medley of fresh spices.

Outside National Museum

A few of us then went to explore the National Museum, the largest museum in Sri Lanka, founded by the then governor Sir William Henry Gregory in 1877. The building was beautiful. As we had reached an hour before closing time, we rushed through some of the well curated galleries. It was an educational experience; some of the art, coins and jewellery from the ancient times was fascinating.

As everyone wanted to shop for souvenirs and cotton clothing that the country is famous for, I decided to explore the city a bit more and headed to Galle Face beach instead. There were children flying kites of all shapes of sizes, couples enjoying the ocean breeze, hordes of vendors selling sea street food, a few joggers and the usual tourists like me. I grabbed a beer at a halal restaurant and waited for the sun to dip into the ocean. It was a spectacular sight!

Sunset at Galle Face Beach

As soon as the sun had set, the restaurant owner shouted that it was time to break fast for the people observing Roza during Ramadan. A waiter sprung into action and served a big, deep fried fish to a Muslim couple seated on the next table. What caught my attention was a small plastic bucket and mug kept on the tables, to be used for washing hands. This was the first time that I had come across this custom.

After finishing my beer and enjoying the fantastic ocean view with the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, I decided to buy some souvenirs at Paradise Road. Unfortunately, it was shut by the time I got there as it was past seven which is when most of the shops there close. My enterprising tuk tuk driver took me to Laksala, a government emporium from where I bought some souvenirs. The other places known for shopping are Odel and Barefoot.

Once back at the hotel, a bunch of us decided to head out to Dutch Hospital, a buzzing nightlife and shopping precinct. We had a great time at Tap house, a brewery which had a live band performing there. Later, we headed to The Sky Lounge at The Kingsbury hotel for some delicious dessert and a fantastic view of the Colombo skyline and ocean.

A visit to a Cambodian Silk Farm

 I visited a silk farm on the outskirts of Siem Reap in Puok District, a half-hour drive from the city centre. I was on a free tour arranged by Artisans Angkor, an establishment that creates job opportunities for young people living in rural areas, while promoting traditional Khmer craftsmanship and industry. Although our tour guide was down with high fever that morning, he made a fair attempt to engage and joke with all of us.   

Mulberry farm

The tour was highly informative; we were given a detailed understanding of the silk manufacturing process. We saw how mulberry leaves are grown, larva feeding on the leaves till they weave a cocoon around themselves which can be up to 1 km in length! The cocoons are then sunned so that they soften and the silk fibre can be easily obtained, during this process most of the silkworms die. This was particularly discomforting to learn about.

Silkworms feeding on mulberry leaves

Life cycle of a silkworm

The next step is reeling, where the filament from the cocoon is unwound. There were a couple of women seated next to a large round container with boiling water, delicately executing this task.  We then got to see and feel the raw silk that had been obtained thus far. It takes between 2000 to 3000 cocoons to make one pound of silk! Upon learning this fact, I realized that silk production or sericulture is an extremely time consuming and delicate process requiring absolute precision, without which you would need to redo any part of the line process again. I also thought back to all those times that I had bought a silk scarf while having negotiated hard for a good rate. Of course, I had no insight into how complicated the process can be.

Raw silk in different dyes

We then learnt about how raw silk is made into fine silk, and then dyed into different colours using natural dyes. It was interesting to see women there using their lower legs to fine tune a design in the silk scarves. In the end, we saw lots of women, most of them pregnant, weaving beautiful silk scarves of different colours and designs in handlooms. A wrong move while the fine strands pass through the loom meant redoing the entire process again. Just for context, it takes 4 – 5 days to complete one silk sari. India being the world’s second largest producer of silk has a lot of variety.

Colourful, well designed silk scarf

After seeing the entire process, I made a small mental note to myself that the next time I go silk shopping, I will not negotiate hard. 

Quad Biking in Rural Cambodia

On the way

While researching my trip to Cambodia, Quad biking appeared as a top attraction. Without wasting any time, I booked a 21 kms long easy tour via Quad Biking Cambodia priced at $37, a month in advance, as the slots are generally limited.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, one that I highly recommend to anyone visiting Siem Reap. 

I was picked up from my hostel in a quad bike half an hour before my tour was to begin. We zipped through the streets on a lazy Sunday afternoon, as other tourists watched in amazement. The actual tour takes places on the out skirts of the city, about ten minutes away. I was first taught the basics of riding a quad bike, familiarized with its various functions and given safety training. After a test ride with a trainer, I was deemed fit to ride on my own.  After signing a liability waiver form and making payment, off we went!

Wooden houses on stilts amidst paddy fields

I had the quad bike to myself and was following the guide on a bike in front of me. We rode on all kinds of terrain; from dirt tracks to paved roads to going cross country through barren, bumpy fields. As we passed through villages, grazing cows and hens, dried up lotus fields, paddy fields, ponds, canals and lots of smiling Cambodians outside their wooden houses; I got a glimpse into their simple, rural lifestyle.

A family of ducks in a canal

The highlight of the tour was our stop at the breeding pool for red fish. Amidst paddy fields, there was a pond that housed 200 of these orangish-red, wide eyed, hungry fish. It was an incredible sight. My guide asked me to go to the end of a wooden boardwalk and play with the red fish as he took some amazing pictures. I resisted putting my hand in as they would pick at it, much like the live fish massages in town, of which I am not a fan.

Red Fish

As the sun began to set, we rode back cross country through the fields and various dirt tracks. As I was now used to the vehicle, I decided to accelerate, which led to a bumpy, yet fun ride back to base. All in all, it was a memorable and adventurous afternoon, one that I will relish for a long time to come.

Sail Away in Goa

Goa is a great holiday destination irrespective of the time of year. From shack hopping to relaxing at the beach or pool side to partying the night away, you can do it all. When I was in Goa recently, I discovered another fun experience worth trying - sailing. There is an Aquasail club at Grand Hyatt hotel in Bambolim, located 7 kms away from Panjim, which is where I was staying. It’s a beautiful property sprawled over 28 acres of land, having its own casino, sail club, an adventure hub, a swimming pool and some amazing restaurants and bars.

Me and my friend decided to go sailing in the evening. Priced at Rs. 2500 per person, there is a discount for people staying at the hotel, lowering the price significantly. We got a couple of sail boat options to choose from and off we went. The waters were rough that evening so getting into the boat was tricky. Once in, and on our way, we rode along with the waves, the wind pushing us in the direction that we had wanted to go in; getting splashed in the process. As the sun was beginning to set, its warm glow on my face felt nice. I even got a chance to steer the sail boat which was fun.

As are our half hour slot was coming to an end, we noticed dolphins swimming in the distance. We sailed closer to them and saw them jump in joy, this was an amazing moment, a rare one we were told.

We came back relaxed and refreshed, energized for the night ahead.

Of Butterflies & Snowy Peaks

The orange and black butterfly brought back memories from my childhood, flying right above Gobind Sagar reservoir waters, visibly enjoying the new day that had just begun. We were on our way to Kasol, running very late, primarily due to the traffic jam in Delhi and partly due to a few slow moving members of the group. We had stopped for breakfast somewhere close to Bilaspur, with still a long way to go.

Our group captain set the tone for the day by playing some nice numbers on the Volvo’s music system once everyone was back onboard. We were passing through small towns and villages, with open fields on both sides; the mountains beckoning in the distance. The drive to Kasol/ Manali is one of my favourites, with the mighty Beas river flowing alongside.

At Alpine Guest House Cafe

We finally reached our hotel – HHH around lunch time, although we were very tempted to lie down on the soft and luxurious bed; we resisted. My friend, Sukhmani and I decided to head out to one of the many cafes in order to make the most of our free day. The next day, we were to trek up to Kheerganga, a perfect long weekend summer getaway. Alpine Guest House café was our first stop, it had a beautiful view of the snow clad mountains as well as the roaring Parvati river. A hot glass of coffee and paneer pizza provided us with the much needed energy. We went to a German bakery later to have those delicious chocolate balls. Later, we shared the leftover chocolate balls with a beautiful husky who sprang out of nowhere. He did not leave us with much of a choice.

Jim Morrison café, another well known café was unfortunately shut for renovation. We found another great café right behind our hotel called River side cafe. It was a nice, quiet find; by the river as the name suggests.  Their mint tea coupled with the sound of the flowing river was refreshing.

Fresh mint tea

For dinner, we went to an Israeli café on the main road, right opposite Alpine Café’s entrance. Although service was understandably slow, their hummus with lamb and freshly baked pita bread was worth the wait. 

Breathtaking view en route

The next morning, we made our way to Bershani in a taxi, our starting point for the Kheerganga trek. It was a beautiful 45 minute drive past Manikaran and a few other villages en route; the river Parvati flowing alongside as we steadily climbed towards the snow capped mountains. We bought walking sticks for our 14 kms long trek, at Rs. 20 apiece, got a group photograph and off we went. These walking sticks were a good decision, as we later realized. It helped us keep our balance at various rocky, marshy areas.

Our first stop, Nakthan village took us about an hour to reach, the way up here was fairly easy with a few steep areas in between. As we were carrying rucksacks and the sun was out in all its glory, we took frequent water and rest breaks. There were a fair number of trekkers, majority of them carrying day packs. As we kept walking and climbing higher ground, we were getting closer and closer to the snow clad mountain tops. Passing through apple orchards, streamlets and waterfalls along the way made for some amazing photographs and memories. We took a long-ish break at Rudranag which has a couple of dhabas and one of the larger waterfalls; many people took a dip in the icy cold waters there. I lay on the ground, resting my back and taking in the scenery.

Breathing in the deodars

The real trek started post Rudra Nag. It was a steep incline pretty much all the way from there. We were now surrounded by deodar forests, providing us with the much needed shade. As we kept trekking our way up, we could feel the strain in our lower backs. Sukhmani and I made several rest stops, sometimes just to take in the sound of the birds, the river flowing down below, to observe the butterflies flying past us or to simply breathe in the fresh mountain air.

         

Made it!

Campsites at Kheerganga

After a couple of hours, I was absolutely thrilled upon seeing the ‘Welcome to Kheerganga’ sign. After taking a victory picture with it, I dragged myself up the last steep stretch towards our campsite. We were lucky to get a roomy tent for two, the mixed vegetable and rice gave us the much needed energy. After a short nap, we made our way to the famous hot springs. One dip and I could feel the pain and tiredness in my body disappear. Definitely recommended after the arduous trek up!

Reflection of the setting sun

As the sun began to set, we watched it light up the snowy peaks with its warm, orange glow. Once back at our tent, we layered ourselves up with all the woolens we had as it was starting to get cold. It was night sky full of stars; I had not seen so many stars in a very long time. We lay down on the cold ground, star gazing, trying to spot different constellations.

Soon enough, the bon fire had been lit and we could hear everyone singing and dancing around it. As we joined in the merry making, it was a night full of stories, music and laughter under a blanket of stars, a perfect ending to a perfect day.