03-May-2015 – DAY 1

We finished an early breakfast of hot Parathas and waited for the driver to turn up, little realising that I had to wake him first! After few reminders, he finally turned up at quarter to eight. I had booked an Indica but soon found out that it is going to be an “economy” travel. The driver was a morose fellow. He has stacked the trunk with his belongings and would not allow our luggage to be loaded in the trunk and insisted that it should be tied to the roof rails come rain or shine! So much for the hospitality! Exactly after driving 5Kms he asked me an innocuous question. Are you from Delhi? When I replied in the negative, he added that as per his personal rulebook he does not allow Delhi residents to board his vehicle. This seemed a bit stiff and I probed him further. He said he had been beaten up few times by Delhiites and hence he was checking. Next he demanded Rs. 5000/- from me. I informed him that I have already paid the travel company and he should discuss this with his employer. He refused to budge. After several calls to Himalayan Holidayers, I finally shelled out the money.  Not a good start to a fun outing. India has a huge opportunity to improve professionalism in the travel industry.

After an excellent lunch at Mirchi Restaurant at Ambala Delhi Road, we continued our onward journey.

En route to Shimla,we glimpsed at places of historical and mythological importance Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal and Kurushetra.  Except for the name, the epic battleground now has been besieged with co-operative housing societies and concrete commercial buildings! So much for our history!

With the help of GPS, we reached Aachman Regency hotel around 8 PM. The hotel is right on the main road and oversees a valley. Some of the rooms in the hotel have bunk beds. If you have small kids you may want to choose these rooms.

Snow capped peaks, adventure sports and holy temples awaited us.

Situated in the lower ranges of the Himalayan Mountains, Shimla is surrounded by pine deodar, oak and rhododendron forests. Towards the north of Shimla one can enjoy the snow-covered high-ranges, while the valleys exhibits whispering streams and swaying fields. The town itself hosts splendid colonial edifices, quaint cottages and charming walks.