Road Journeys тАУ Turbulent Pingleshwar Beach & Chowpati of Mandvi

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Our most awaited destination was Naliya, where we filled the tank and a routine air check, after almost 600 km. With lifted confidence, we roared on the four lane upto Kothara from where a single road on the right leads towards the less visited but very natural and unexploited Pingleshwar. Passing by a few villages on a narrow bumpy road for 15-20 km, we reached at the dead end. Rows of giant wind mills were standing erect with the large blades performing in tune of the wind. An ancient temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva is situated here. The shrine is brightly colorful and very well maintained but I understand very few tourists other than locals visit the temple often.

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Kausani and Ranikhet – Mighty Himalayan View

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Kausani: The absence of crowds was a welcome change in this place as well. No mall road to boast about but the available accommodation was good enough. The тАШwowтАЩ factor is the spectacular view of the mighty Himalayas – 300 kilometers of unhindered and unmatched majestic view. Peaks Nandadevi, Nandaghunti, Trishul etc. glistening in the morning sunshine, gives lovely viewing pleasure. On a clear morning as you open your bedside window, the sight of these snow-capped mountains which sometimes seem to be bending towards you, simply take your breath away.

Gandhiji spent a few days here in the Anashakti ashram тАУ which is right in the middle of the town and displays some photographs from his life тАУ and called this place тАШthe Switzerland of IndiaтАЩ. Hindi poet Sumitra Nandan Pant was born in this place.

Baijnath, 19 km downhill from Kausani, boasts of a 1000 year old temple complex situated on the banks of river Gomti. Children enjoyed feeding the fish here.

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рд╕рдкрдиреЛрдВ рдХрд╛ рд╢рд╣рд░ рд╢рд┐рдорд▓рд╛

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рдЙрдореНрдореАрдж рд╣реИ рдЗрд╕ рд╢реНрд░рдВрдЦрд▓рд╛ рдХреА рдкрд┐рдЫрд▓реА рдкреЛрд╕реНрдЯ рдЖрдк рдХреА рдЙрдореНрдореАрджреЛрдВ рдкрд░ рдЦрд░реА рдЙрддрд░реА рд╣реЛрдЧреА. рдЪрд▓рд┐рдпреЗ рдЕрдм рдЖрдЧреЗ рдмрдврддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ……. рдЬрдм рд╣рдо рд▓реЛрдЧ рдЗрд╕ рдЯреВрд░…

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Khecheopalri – The Holy Lake of West Sikkim

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Siliguri to Pelling in West Sikkim is 131 kms and takes approximately 3 hours for straight drive. Needless to mention that the drive is subjected to imponderables like traffic snarl, road repairs and broadening work, tea and meal breaks. As such it is safe to plan approx 4 hours for the drive. Pelling to Khecheopalri is 32 kms and takes about an hourтАШs drive along a graveled road. As usual the condition of road from Siliguri to the lake can best be described as тАЬthe good, the bad and the uglyтАЭ. Last year at a chance meeting a MLA from Jorthang told me that this West Sikkim road is being turned into a four lane highway, insallah.

Road from Siliguri to Sevoke is a smooth broad 2 lane highway (NH 31) that knifes through the neat sevoke Military Cantonment and Sevoke Forest. From Sevoke Bazaar to Coronation Bridge (3 kms) is another smooth, well carpeted road snaking along he mountain curves runing almost parallel to Teesta River. This road is adorned with good highway signs; however, unfortunately this stretch is marred by delays due to railway gate blockage and heavy traffic from/to North East, Dooars, Sikkim and Kalimpong. From Coronation Bridge to Teesta Bridge near Teesta bazar (37km) NH 31is forever in the making and subject to traffic jams & delays caused by repairs and expansion; as such, it can be dusty and slushy depending on the season.

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Ghumakkar Digest – June 2014

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I have talked about my love for winters quite a lot. And it is no secret that I hate summers. But this post isn’t about how bad summers are. No, sir! It is in fact about the little blessings of summers, and when I think about it, it wasn’t so difficult to come up with the list. I only had to ask myself “what is it about summers that I don’t detest?”, and the answers poured like a soothing monsoon upon the sun-dried earth.

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рдХрд╛рд▓рдХрд╛-рд╢рд┐рдорд▓рд╛ рдкрд░реНрд╡рддреАрдп рд░реЗрд▓ – рдПрдХ рдЕрджреНрднреБрдд рд╕реЮрд░

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рдШреБрдордХреНрдХреЬреА рдХреА рд╢реБрд░реБрдЖрдд рддреЛ рд╣рдордиреЗ рдзрд╛рд░реНрдорд┐рдХ рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛рдУрдВ рд╕реЗ рд╣реА рдХреА рдереА, рд▓реЗрдХрд┐рди рдЬрдм рд╕реЗ рдШреБрдордХреНрдХреЬ рддрдерд╛ рдЕрдиреНрдп рд╡реЗрдм рд╕рд╛рдИрдЯреЛрдВ рдкрд░ рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛ рд╡рд░реНрдгрди рдкрдврдиреЗ рдХрд╛…

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To 13800 ft and back on foot – Sar Pass – I

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The Sar Pass Trek itself is for 11 days with 3 days at base camp, 4 days climbing and 3 days descending and breaking on the last day. It costs around Rs. 3000/- per head including accommodation in tents at all base camps, Rucksack, Sleeping Bags and food for the entire 11 days (Vegetarian). Participation is very heavy averaging about 55-60 per group at the rate of one group per day for 30 days.

So, I duly made my bookings got the necessary permissions from the Office and patiently waited for D Day. In the mean time preparations were on in full swing тАУ medicines, winter wear, rain wear and most important – Shoes. I did so much research on shoes to wear тАУ Hi Tec, Action, Bata Hunters, Merrel, Woodlands тАУ There were so many brands and so many recommendations on so many websites. I finally zeroed in on Weinbrenner from Bata and I was not disappointed.

Kasol is located about 30 km from Bhunter which incidentally is the airport nearest to Kullu. Any of those numerous Volvo buses from Delhi to Manali will drop you at Bhunter. From there an hours ride to Kasol which is just 5 kms before Manikaran. The camp is located just outside of Kasol with the Parvati river flowing right beside it. The camp is made entirely of tents. There are bout 18-20 tents for the participants, Ladies on one side and gents on the other, A big lounge tent, Reception tent, Kitchen tent and the Camp Directors and other camp staffs tent. The only permanent buildings are the toilets. Each tent is large enough to accommodate 14 individuals тАУ bit of a crush actually but the company is really good.

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Ride to Kibber

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ad astra per aspera
which literally means, “a rough road leads to the stars” and this pretty much came true for us when we started our ride from recong peo to tabo. recong peo was a let down. i am being honest in my criticism…it was a disappointing place and the only thing that was worth remembering is the sight of the mighty kinnr kailash. I am feeling blessed to have seen it.
post recong peo, we were heading towards Tabo. en route we stoppd at nako and we were simpy bowled over by the place… the place was so quite and peacful…
we had a sumptuou tibetan meal followed by a hot cup of tea. here we also fulfilled one of our long pending wishes- tieing prayer flags on our bikes..so each one of us picked up a prayer flag and tied it to our bikes. the old lady at the shop told us to write our names in the flag. we also met this vry nice kid by the name of Ajay who ofered to take us on a guided tour of the nako lake and the monastery..

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рдШреБрдордХреНрдХрдбрд╝ рдХреА рджрд┐рд▓реНрд▓реА : рдЧреБрд░реБрджреНрд╡рд╛рд░рд╛ рд╢реНрд░реА рдмрдВрдЧрд▓рд╛ рд╕рд╛рд╣рд┐рдм

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рднрд╡рди рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рд╣рд░ рдЖрдХрд░ рдкрдВрдХреНрддрд┐ рдореЗрдВ рд╣рд▓реБрд╡рд╛ рдХрд╛ рдкреНрд░рд╢рд╛рджрд╛ рд▓рд┐рдпрд╛. рдкреНрд░рд╛рдВрдЧрдг рдореЗрдВ рдХреБрдЫ рджреЗрд░ рд╢рд╛рдВрддрдЪрд┐рддреНрдд рд╣реЛрдХрд░ рдмреИрдареЗ рд░рд╣рдиреЗ рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рдж рдкреНрд░рд╢рд╛рджрд╛ рдЧреНрд░рд╣рдг рдХрд┐рдпрд╛. рдЧреБрд░реБрджреНрд╡рд╛рд░реЛрдВ рдореЗрдВ рдорд┐рд▓рдиреЗ рд╡рд╛рд▓реЗ рдкреНрд░рд╢рд╛рдж рд░реВрдкреА рд╣рд▓реБрд╡реЗ рдХреА рд╡рд┐рд╢реЗрд╖рддрд╛ рд╣реИ рдХрд┐ рдпрд╣ рд╢реБрджреНрдз рджреЗрд╢реА рдШреА рд╕реЗ рдмрдирд╛ рд╣реЛрддрд╛ рд╣реИ рдФрд░ рдкреВрд░реА рддрд░рд╣ рд╕реЗ рдШреА рдореЗрдВ рддрд░ рд╣реЛрддрд╛ рд╣реИ. рд╣рд╛рде рдореЗрдВ рдкреНрд░рд╢рд╛рджрд╛ рд▓реЗрдХрд░ рдЦрд╛рдиреЗ рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рдж рд╣рд╛рдереЛрдВ рдореЗрдВ рджреЗрд╢реА рдШреА рдХреА рд╕реБрдЧрдВрдз рдФрд░ рдЪрд┐рдХрдирд╛рд╣рдЯ рдмрд╛рдиреА рд░рд╣рддреА рд╣реИ рдФрд░ рд╕реНрд╡рд╛рдж рдХреА рддреЛ рдмрд╛рдд рд╣реА рдХреНрдпрд╛┬а‘рдЧреБрд░реБ-рдкреНрд░рд╕рд╛рдж’┬ардЬреЛ рд╣реИ. рдмрдЪреНрдЪреЛрдВ рдиреЗ рднреА рдкреНрд░рд╢рд╛рджрд╛ рдЧреНрд░рд╣рдг рдХрд┐рдпрд╛ рдФрд░ рдореЗрд░реА рдмрдбрд╝реА рдмреЗрдЯреА рднреВрдорд┐рдХрд╛ рдХреЛ рдЗрддрдирд╛ рдкрд╕рдВрдж рдЖрдпрд╛ рдХрд┐ рдкреНрд░рд╢рд╛рджрд╛ рдХреА рд▓рд┐рдП рджреЛрдмрд╛рд░рд╛ рд╕реЗ рд▓рд╛рдЗрди рдореЗрдВ рд▓рдЧ рдЧрдпреА. рдкреНрд░рд╢рд╛рджрд╛ рд╡рд┐рддрд░рдг рдХрд░рдиреЗ рд╡рд╛рд▓реЗ рднрдЧрддрдЬреА рдиреЗ рд╕рд░ рдкрд░ рд░реБрдорд╛рд▓рд╛ рди рд╣реЛрдиреЗ рдХреА рдХрд╛рд░рдг рдереЛрдбрд╝рд╛ рдбрд╛рдВрдЯрддреЗ рд╣реБрдП рдкреНрд░рд╢рд╛рджрд╛ рджреЗрдиреЗ рд╕реЗ рдордирд╛ рдХрд░ рджрд┐рдпрд╛ рдФрд░ рд╣рдо рджреВрд░ рд╕реЗ рджреГрд╢реНрдп рджреЗрдЦрддреЗ рд░рд╣реЗ.

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Solo Travel, Himachal Tribal Circuit тАУ Lahaul Valley

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During this stretch, a car had a flat tyre in the middle of a stream. The traffic had halted and the passengers of our bus, helped in changing the wheel. We started crawling forward, for being blocked once again by the same car, which was ahead of us. This time the car got stuck in a stream having big boulders. Again the passengers and staff of the bus came to the rescue of the car. Stones were planted strategically in front of the car tyres to provide some friction and the car was literally lifted out of the stream by the passengers.
We descended to the valley at Batal and from there we moved in the valley, literally on the river bed up to Chatru, which was our mid-day meal stop. Trekkers going to Chandratal from Manali or Keylong can stay here overnight. Chatru was the smallest village I have seen in terms of population, with a population of just 20 people. In fact there are no houses here, just 3-4 eateries catering to needs of the entire spectrum of passengers.

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