04-May-2015 – DAY 2 Our morning itinerary was dedicated to Kufri, Jakhoo and Chail. Kufri is a small hill station in Shimla around 15 kms from the city. At 7000 ft, Kufri is a winter destination and renowned for its snow experience. It was once part of the kingdom of Nepal and was later ceded to …
Continue reading Travel Log – The Call of the Mountains: Day 2
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 …
Continue reading Travel Log – The Call of the Mountains: Day 1
02-May-2015 – DAY 0 After a wonderful Kashmir vacation in 2012, I decided to continue my exploration of the mountains, this time through a circuitous route of Shimla and its surroundings. Mountains always beckon during summer. This is a legacy that the British Empire has left behind. Being the Summer Capital of the British in …
Continue reading Travel Log – The Call of the Mountains: Day 0
21/ 22/ 23-May-2012 DAY 7 & 8 & 9 After a hot shower, I was ready to face the cold winds. It was 4.30 AM and hot tea was waiting for us. By the time we left Pahalgam it was 5.30 AM. Katra is a good 280 KMs away. We stopped around 8.30 AM for …
Continue reading Travel Log – Paradise Regained : Day 7, 8 & 9
20-May-2012 DAY 6 The morning was chill but pleasant. After breakfast, we hired local jeeps to reach Chandanwari and Aru Valley. Each is at a distance of 12-16 KMS from Pahalgam. The road to Chandanwari is rough and is not well developed. But the local boys knew how to maneuver and do maximum speed in …
19-May-2012 DAY 5 I got up late and had a leisurely breakfast. Just wanted to laze around and do nothing. That was just a wish. We had to pack our stuff and push our luggage to the tour manager. We were going to Pahalgam. But wait, we had not done our Shikara ride yet? That …
18-May-2012 DAY 4 I got up early to explore the houseboat. The houseboat aptly named Shangrila had 8 bedrooms on the first level and a huge bedroom on the second level. The boat itself is made of Cedar wood and has elegantly carved interiors. With built in bathrooms in each bedroom and plush corridor, a …
17-May-2012 – DAY 3 After an early breakfast we proceeded to our first stopover – Hazratbal Durga, an ancient mosque with a rich history. It is going through a facelift as some modernization efforts have been undertaken. Women were not allowed inside. An army personnel stationed outside was gently telling the male visitors to cover …
16-May-2012 – DAY 2 The entire tour group comprised a total of 80 people. To ensure that the group stuck to the timings and to make the overall process efficient half the group was put up in a different hotel. Cooks from Sachin Travels were available at all the locations we visited and dished out …
15-May-2012 – DAY 1 Our trip to “Paradise on Earth” began with an adventurous note. I had booked our onward journey to Delhi from Pune through Air India. I was warned about Air India, but I threw caution to the winds! The delays, the strikes reported in the newspapers always happen to others right? It …
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