Our journey started from Delhi on a cold winter morning. It was a family holiday trip with people of all ages meeting after so long. The trip was made after analyzing all the travel plans and dates,with the assurance to make it the best trip and a memorable one. But never did we imagine that it will turn out to be a road trip for few of us. :)
The first day of the trip was to the magnificant taj,the historic qutub minar and the magnificent town of Mathura where felt the gopikas dancing to the tunes of krishnas flute.
The beautiful TAJ
qutub minar.
When we were about to board the train to manali from simla a thought struck us,No matter your age or occupation, the feel of the fresh air and the long drive could be great stress buster.So we decided to leave the train and reach the destination by road.The road trip was not only destressing , it also helped us form some beautiful memories.To feel the true pulse of a country a road trip is a must. Speaking with the locals,knowing the importance of a place and having a hot tea filled with the love and affection of the locals was amazing.:) And the water rafting in kulu which is on the way to manali from simla was awesome.
On our way to kufri
shhhhh... sorry to have disturbed you!!!
Planning the road trip was the most trickiest part as we had only half an hour to plan, and thus we decided to rent a car till Manali. And then trek for a while till Rohtang top. And then stay for the night at the camping grounds
The beas river overflowing with ice cold water.
Shimla (The Queen of Hills) has been one of the most famous holiday destinations in India.Traces of colonial authority are still prevalent in this region, testifying a unique vintage feel.For all the shopping freaks, Shimla has the Mall road which is famous for all the wooden materials, handlooms, handicrafts etc. We also visited the Vice-Regal Lodge which is a very popular attraction of Shimla,Surrounded by pine trees and gardens It is built in the Scottish style the building has beautiful wooden interiors. Located on the Observatory Hill the building houses Indian Institute of Advanced Studies. A part of it which is a museum is worth a visit
Indian institute of advanced studies-Simla
Busy streets of Simla
The mall road-simla
the Rohtang pass was a full fledged, inescapable ‘destination’ for tourists from Manali. At a height of 4111 feet,Rohtang pass is 51 KM from Manali,and presents a striking view of the snow capped mountains and the valleys.Climbing the mountains made us hungry and Once we reached the Rohtang we feasted on the Maggie and the pakados that the road side shops offered for 50 buckes at 0 degree. Had a chance to try my hands on the adventure sports too like the paragliding. :)
snow filled Rohtang
At 0 degree
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Paragliding
Ice barrigades..:)
The next day our plan was to start from the camping area to Manali and head to Amritsar, and luck was that the car that we had rented had a flat Tyre and we were already running out of time. So we had no other option that to get lift from a lorry driver who was kind enough to drop us till, Manali bus stop. And we were relieved to get into a bus to our next destinatio,Amritsar via mandi and pathan kot. The bus was very crowded and the journey was for around 11 hrs. There was a halt in Mandi for refreshments and food.Well a long journey could make anyone tired and a halt in a place where u don't even find a bathroom is even tiring. Luckily we found a place in a hilltop and that was IIT Mandi and the attender was kind enough to let us inside the campus for few refreshment..:) :) Finally after reaching amritsar we visited the important tourist places there like the golden temple,Jallian Wala Bagh and the wagha border and headed back to delhi.
Tips for the road trip:
1.check the car that you are hiring.
2. Always plan a road trip with group of friends who have the same wavelength.
3.have a good navigation system
4.A good backpack with a good quantity of clothes ,a torch, and shoes.
5.carrying some snacks, ur ipod/mp3 layer loaded with good music,some chocolates is always preferable.
6.plan you route.
7.Camera,a Map,sunglasses,a swiss knife,plastic bags
8.A first Aid kit(especially when you are trekking)
To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.”- Bill Bryson
