HighlandPark Manali

... too afraid of the police. Also one need a company to enjoy this, and I don't have any at the moment. &#8232;The way to Kullu wasn't short, but even on the bus there was a lot of interesting things. I also made a decision to fight back the gazing terror. Frankly there was no much of it, but I used it to convince myself that it's ok to take people's photos as en face as I'd like! The terror will be answered with a terror, where is my 50mm lens!? <br>

Today we woke up really early, and this was killer for me and tom, who stayed up till 1 watching friends (the one with the thanksgiving, the one where ross moves in :D) and other random. no grannies gone wild, sadly. breakfast = hot milk and stale cereals, yoghurt (HOT STUFF!) and, just to be original, and just so the cook can show his real flair, curry.<br>We had our first walk today, though it wasn't that massive. We first walked ...

... and he's not allowed to ride with 3 people. So we get off and he drives up to the cops who of course stop him and take away all his documents; license, registration etc. He said that he can pick them up later in Manikaran, the little town where the hot springs were. No Problem. We head up to Tosh which is much higher in the mountains than where we started sitting at about 2500 meters. The paved road turns to dirt and rocks, at some points we just walked ...

... downstairs, if I'm not mistaken it is the heat of something less than solid ready to make an appearance. I nip to the loo, no problem, sit down and (luckily) am horrified to see a small set of taps near the floor with an ominous looking jug next to them before any waste is jettisoned. Panic - not ready to experience this element of Indian culture yet. So go back to the table to work on a plan, remember, my brain has just teased my bowels into believing a movement was imminent ...

... at the front and risked falling about 200metres and if I went to slow I would get stuck in the mud and ice. My hands were so cold at the horrible stage just before they go numb, which was painful but I couldn't stop. I tried to avoid puddles after one I went n was nearly a metre deep but by the time I realized it was too late and I had to floor it to get out and create a kind of bow wave to stop the water getting sucked into the engine. I made it ...

... along slippery mud horse paths with steep switchback turns or on loose rock slopes sometimes through shallow streams where each step could be a twisted angle or perhaps the beginning of a long fall down the slope. Adi and Nir found their bodies were not up for it and their knees stopped co-operating about an hour from camp...the guide had to help them down some of the steeper parts. Jesse and I held up a bit better but between a

... with a healthy dose of dehydration is a potent combo. Moral of the story? Don't eat the "Death Masala!" I should be better enough in a day or two to hit the road again, I hope. More time, and more money. This is one of those trips, I guess. At least medicine is affordable here, unlike in my home country where it is seen as a profit business. Got out the door for about 2200 rupes, about 50 bucks. Not bad for my life. Try that in America. I'm going to bed now.

... the side of the road as the sun was, by this time, sinking below the horizon. But we only stood about freezing for 10 minutes or so before a cheerful trucker picket us up. The bad news was that there were only 2 seats up front. It's good to be a parent. Somehow Nate and I were appointed to the front seat. The other 2 guys, Lloyd and Gary made do in the back. The road didn't get any better and the shock absorption on the empty truck was not ...

After the colonial town, we got the bus to Manali which is on the fringe of the Himalayas. The first thing you notice is that it's really cold, the second is the stunning scenery - the town is surrounded by snow capped peaks. We stayed in a great guesthouse in the middle of an apple orchard, which had lovely views and was really peaceful. We took a day trip to a nearby town of Naggar and ...

... not a problem. I stayed in another slightly smelly place called the "yellow" house, near the clogged circle that is the main junction point for Mcleodganj, the main Tibetan area, and the place most people of the western persuasion visit. An unlikely name, Mcleodganj, part Scottish highlander, *******ized with hindi. At the least apt for one of such highland warrior descent, and these are high lands here as well, with some terraced plots being farmed in the areas ...