Wild Flower Hall Shimla

Himachal Pradesh is known as Deva Bhoomi the land of the gods. Himachal is situated in the western Himalayas. Himachal Pradesh is a mountainous state elevating about 350 meters (1,148 ft) to 6,000 meters (19,685 ft) above the sea level. Tribes such as the koilis, kinnars and kirats inhabited the region from pre-historic era. Himachal Pradesh was established as a state on April 15, 1948.

Himachal Hill Stations is the favored ...

Shimla is supposedly one of more relaxed parts of India - getting off the toy-train to a Delhi like scrum of taxi drivers, and crowded streets with car horns it was obvious this is "relaxed" for India.

Shimla clings to the side of the mountains, buildings flowing down the hillsides. The main historic street runs along a ridge, and is quite relaxed once you get there, though with some very strange buildings - old English colonial creations ...

... rail-tracks.

In Kalka we changed trains for a very different, but very pleasurable, rail experience. The "toy train" up to Shimla. This is something of a colonial relic, a narrow gauge railway that winds its way from the plains into the Himalayan foothills up to 2,150 metres above sea level. Crammed in tiny carriages for 6 hours, through spectacular scenery, an ancient ...

... not a driver make... by what can only have been a crazed kangaroo on acid. The fact that the windows had curtains and the seats went right back were just window dressing really as I abandoned all hope of traveling whilst getting some kip when the guttural roar of the engine bust into life, and the now familiar sound of every single fixture and fitting shaking itself apart filled the ...

... brought the band together has allowed them to groom a sound that mirrors the best of Modern Rock, at the same time combining elements of a wide spectrum of genres varying from Nu Metal to 80's Rock n' Roll. The band has become popular for its signature crunching guitar riffs and pop choruses which gives it a solid, melodic and powerful sound, inclusive of all the right ingredients that define today's modern rock music.' (check their MySpace for a taste ...

... Many, many, many cups of tea later (we knew one or two cafes that had good AC and we weren't about to give them up) we were back on the train - this time the sleeper. We had a fourman berth shared by myself, Iain and our frenchman. Separating us from the corridor was a thin curtain. I slept with my head at this end because although this way I was more disturbed by passing traffic, the cockroaches had ...

... and my day got even better. It is at least 15C cooler here than in Delhi, so it's perfect. I even had to put a jumper on for dinner. Getting dressed was done to a soundtrack of explosive and sustained sneezing coming from outside. I didn't know someone could sneeze that much for so long and not hurt themselves. We walked along the Ridge a little, then chose to eat at Himani's. We ordered naan and rice and 7 different veg dishes. Yummy! Another Holly ...

... reasons: alpine temperatures. Antoher thing that stood out about Shimla was how clean it was. Although not 100% effective, they have a ban on littering and spitting, with modest fines for offenders advertised throughout town. They also close the main street off to vehicles, so you get to walk without the sounds or risks of passing motorbikes or cars. The air was refreshingly cool, but ...

... though which should help! Some general observations: - Have realised I'm working in probably the most culturally traditional setting I could have found - just suited to me then ARGH! :oS One of the teachers was looking at my (long ankle-length and extremely conservative for me!) skirt and informed me that all the other volunteers before have worn trousers or salwar kameez - I politely replied 'oh' - what am I supposed to say to that? I'm not going to start dressing like ...

... be called, or Sanyassin's, or simply the Baba's, and they mostly wander around the country from pilgrimage place to place, often with nothing but their orange robes and a shoulder bag or tin for their food. "Bom Bolinat, sabkesat" is their famed refrain, meaning 'May Shiva (God) bless us all'. But not all of them are to be trusted; marijuana, or charas, opium poppy seeds and brown sugar, it is often the Baba's with the shiny eyes who deal the drugs around the Rishikesh ghats ...