When Travel Turns into Passion…

If you have missed the previous part, you can click the link below to find out what happened before

• Night 1 – 22nd April, 2010 | Delhi to Kufri, Fagu

Day 1 – 23rd April, 2010 | Galu, Kufri to Kalpa, Kinnaur Valley

I know that day two has already started but we need to sleep for few hours. Around 6.30 AM we went to sleep and after a knap of around 2 hours I was back awake. I knew, it would be very long and tough day as I had figured out the continuous drive would be impossible for sure. There would be lot of breaks in between and that too some long ones. One by one everyone started getting awake and by 10.30 AM all were on course of the breakfast demand. So, we ordered breakfast and the order kept coming. The guy was serving the breakfast in rooms that too on second floor, hence it was quite an exercise for him. The rooms at hotel were nice and cozy, and food was also good but I felt food was a bit over priced

Its Afternoon…

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We saw snow and we saw sun; we saw rain and we saw river; we saw slush and we saw gravel; we saw hell and we saw heaven. Well it was so much awaited and for almost an year that I have been struggling to find time for the trip to Spiti Valley. Then, finally after coming back from Goa (Delhi to Goa | Valentines Trip), I immediately decided that this time in April as the snow gets clear from the 350-km Hindustan-Tibet road, I would certainly hit it with my wheels. After rigorous planning, heavy travelogues reading and framing minutest details of My Spiti Itinerary.

Note:- Dedicating the complete series of this travelogue to my brother-in-law (Gaurav) on his Birthday (today) for his maiden trip to hills…

Finally on 22nd April, 2010 we left in hopes of seeing barren lands of mountains like never before. But, there is a twist on the butt of this struggle!! We had already imagined our stay in monasteries, contemplating oldest gompas, getting spiritual tips from the red crapped monks, seeing 500 odd year old sitting mummy, enjoying thupkas and momos with Leh berry leaves Tea, exploring the unexplored trails ahead Gette, Komik regions etc etc etc.

But, but, but to our surprise weather god’s had already scripted an altogether different itinerary for us forcing us to visit the land of devas (Devbhumi Kinnaur) along with the ever calm and serene Tirthan Valley (Delhi to Tirthan Valley, Himachal Pradesh | Travel Guide). It was yet another unsuccessful attempt to visit one of the top-notch places on my TODO list by reaching so close but yet so far. It would take another year to try and attempt visiting the Spiti Valley once again.

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Well today I would present the second in the series of Nostalgic Moments, with first one being Delhi to Nainitaal | Nostalgic Moments – 1. I hope you enjoyed the Nainitaal pictures and I am pretty sure that would surely welcome this one too. It was being first of the adventurous trip most of us had which was sponsored by our employer , for team building activity. Well the trip was awwsssoommeee and believe me that RAFTING was a special thing I ever did in my life.

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Well today I was going through my photo archives and cherishing those memories when devil used to be mama’s boy going out only to known places, planned trips, knowing little about the place, with known people, some big groups, with all do’s and don’ts etc etc . I wonder now that home I enjoyed those trips as well when diving into the unknown has a perfect state to fall in trance. But, I know time changes and I thought why not share those nostalgic memories with you as well by starting the photo log of first in the archive named “Nainitaal“

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Well guys it would be time that I have to head to see the raw nature, mountains without any sign of vegetation, villages with least people in them, a 520 odd year old sitting mummy, some driving trails leading to unknown and extinct places, lamas draped in their red stoles, the road leading to Tibet or China, the place which some freak like me call mini Ladakh, yes, I am heading to see Spiti Valley and Pin Valley. Here is the plan for the same,

Day 1 : Delhi – Kalka – Barog, Solan – Solan (303 KM)
Departure Time : 5 P.M.
Dinner : ZilMil, Karnal, NH-1
Stay : PWD Rest House at Solan

Day 2 : Solan – Shimla – SanglaKalpa (247262 KM)
Departure Time : 7 A.M.
Breakfast : Apple Cart Inn, Kiarighat
Lunch : HPTDC’s Café Sutlej just before Rampur
Dinner : Mount Kailash SanglaGolden Apple
Stay : Mount Kailash SanglaGolden Apple

Day 3 : Sangla – Nako (81) – Geyu (Mummy) – Kaza (184 KM)
Departure Time : 7 A.M.
Breakfast : Mount Kailash Sangla
Lunch : Sumdo / Tabo
Dinner : Circuit House
Stay : Circuit House

Day 4 : Kaza – Comic – Langza – Kibber – Gette – Tashigong – Till motorable Road Ends – Kibber
Departure Time : 7 A.M.
Breakfast : Circuit House, PWD
Lunch : Gette/Tashigong
Dinner : Norling Guest [if open else will go to Kaza back]
Stay : Norling Guest, ph = 01906-262242, 262308.

Day 5 : Kibber – Key – Pin Valley (30 KM) [Drive uptill Mud Village] – Dhankar Lake – Tabo (87 KM)
Departure Time : 7 A.M.
Breakfast : German Bakery, Kaza
Lunch : Dhankar
Dinner : Tabo Monastery
Stay : Tabo Monastery

Day 6 : Tabo – Nako (50 KM) – Nako Lake – Namgia/Khab/Kaurik – Sarahan (151 KM)
Departure Time : 7 A.M.
Breakfast : German Bakery Restaurant near Helipad behind Village
Lunch : Nako
Dinner : Tibetan Lady’s dhaba / Marketplace Halwai Shop/ Temple Complex
Stay : Srikhand, HPTDC / Bimkali Temple Complex

Day 7 : Sarahan – Delhi (570 KM)
Departure Time : 7 A.M.
Breakfast : HPTDC’s Café Sutlej just before Rampur
Lunch : The Apple Cart Inn, Kiarighat, Distt. Solan Tel. (01792) – 256148
Dinner : Oasis, NH-1

Petrol Pumps After Shimla:
• Theog
• Rampur
• Jeori
• Powari (Not to be missed)
• Rekong Peo
• Kaza (Not to be missed)

Soon I will hit the road and enter the place where I can smell the dragon…

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