13 August: It was 4 something, when I woke up. Praj was ready to leave hence I freshened up fast and we went to Stanzin’s office across the road. We called Stanzin but Dorje- our driver to Nubra came outside. He said he would drop us to the bus station. We were wondering what to do and in couple of minutes, Stanzin also appeared. He told Dorje to go back to sleep and started the car. In couple of minutes we were at the bus station.
The bus was jam packed. And to our surprise most of them were foreigners. The attendant checked our ticket and took charge of our luggage and we gotten on our way.
I had decided to sleep all the way as it was the same old way we had travelled while coming to Leh from Manali; And as it is Avomin, my motion sickness tablet had done its job of putting me to sleep well.
Although I was a bit sleepy, I could feel that the road was bumpy. The bus kept taking its halts for loo and food. I was just tired… bored may be of travelling all this time and all I wanted was to reach Manali and get to the civilization…
The nature in this part of Himalayas is dry yet pretty. We could see hardened snow melting at places and the beautiful glaciers. But somewhere back of my mind, this was not keeping me interested. Other worries had started crawling back. For last 12 / 13 days, I had managed to live a carefree life but now the responsibilities of Mortal world were waiting to kill me…
Today’s journey was long; we were to cover something like 300 odd kilometers in a day. So after periodic halts at Upshi, Tanglang La, Pang, Sarchu and Baralacha La, at about 7 in the evening, we reached Keylong. We got the same tent we had got last time. This time we shared it with 2 Italian ladies.
Over the dinner, we discussed their further travel plan and the cuisines of India and Italy. The bland aloo gravy was also too spicy for one of them and she dipped roti in tea and fed herself.
Post dinner, I was too tired for anything and simply went to sleep. That night, I slept like a baby. When I woke up at about 5:30 next morning, for couple of minutes I was trying to figure out where I was. I had a feeling that I had slept in my mom’s bedroom at home and should get up and go down to check my dog.
14 August: After I regained myself, I was told that the breakfast and tea is not yet ready and we would be leaving late by half an hour. I was happy. I wanted to get back home but didn’t want to board that bus.
Now Manali was only 140 kms away. I dragged myself into the bus when it left at about 7 AM.
After nominal halts at Tandi, Sissu, Khoksar, Gramphu we reached Rohtang La. The attendant told us about Maharshi Vyas temple, when other people were busy peeing and taking photos, we ran to the Temple, as he agreed to pick us on the way.
After Rohatang La, it was Marhi. This is beautiful town on the edges of the mountain has a PWD rest house along with several guest houses. The weather was pleasant. Now Manali was only 35 kms from here. It was a relief.
As we were getting back to the civilization, one of my friends informed me over Facebook that Manali – Mandi road is closed to landslide. I was anxious and tried my level best to keep calm.
We reached Manali at about 1:30 PM and checked into a stupid hotel. The things that happened here needed to be reported to the concerned authorities. This was the worst experience of the trip and I was terribly upset with the management’s behavior. In all these many years, anywhere that I have travelled so far, this was one such experience that left me aghast.
I and Praj also had worst Masala Dosa of our life here. And ultimately we walked to the bus station across the road at about 5 PM and got into the bus for Delhi. The attendant checked our ticked and took charge of our luggage. The bus left on time. After travelling for about 20 kms, Praj said, “I doubt if we are in right bus, this bus was supposedly to be an A/C Semi Sleeper.” Me, who was already concerned about going home as early as possible couldn’t say anything.
As we reached the petrol pump at Pandoh, we were informed that we would have to move another bus waiting here and the people in that bus were to get into the ordinary bus that we were travelling. The people from that bus were apprehensive to the extent that there was a big façade and they were ready to burn the bus. The thing was they had already travelled in the bus from Delhi and due to the land slide they were stuck on the way and the route which usually takes about 12 hours had taken for more than 24 hours and a day of their long weekend was already spoilt. The quarrel went to extreme level and the local police was involved. Finally, we took a step back and let that bus leave for Manali and we waited for the other bus which had left Manali an hour later after our bus. So finally at about 9 PM we were on our way and were very hungry. When asked, the attendant said we would stop at a nearby Dhaba.
At about 10:30, we reached the Dhaba. I knew this place since our bus from Delhi to Manali also had stopped here. We had dinner, and the attendant informed there were more landslides and the further road was closed and we will have to wait until the road reopens. God!!!
This wasn’t even the last thing I ever wanted. We chatted, we co-travelers. Divya is a cute young girl from Delhi. She had been trekking to Hampta Pass; there was a Sirdarji uncle, who used to be an avid mountaineer until recently. His strength was commendable. Then there was a group from Italy, who had been cycling to Leh. They had a pretty interesting story to share.
Finally at about 1 AM, we requested the attendant to put on the AC in the bus so everyone could sleep comfortably. I woke up couple of times in night, nightmares perhaps…
15 August: After 6, I couldn’t sleep anymore and went back to the Hotel and helped myself with a Sandwich and a cup of coffee.
Today, Our 67th Independence Day. There was live telecast of our Prime Minister was walking towards the flag mast. I heard the national anthem and tears started rolling down. I couldn’t watch further. I had hoped to be in Delhi – the capital on this day.
The view from the Hotel on both sides was pretty. This Dhaba is situated at corner of the road about 5 kilometers from village of Pandoh and 12 kilometers from Mandi. On the front of the road, at the curve of the road there was a beautiful waterfall and behind the waters of Biyas river were ever rising in scenic surroundings.
The Italians were nervous since they had a flight to catch at 9 PM. Delhi was still far away. They requested the hotel owner to arrange for an alternate mode for themselves and at about 10:30 they left by a minibus with their cycles.
The patience of the people from the bus was on its brim and they had started to get aggressive. They even tried to block the road and then again the local police arrived. At about 11:30 another bus arrived from Manali and we left for Delhi.
Couple of days earlier, the town of Mandi was flooded. The site was terrible; there were vehicles which were partially buried in mud or at places in cracks of roads. There were rocks as big as a house on the roads. The traffic was slow yet moving. We stopped at another place for lunch.
Couple of hours later, I wanted to sleep but my body itched for some exercise. I became restless since I was tied to some or other bus since 13 August 5 AM. I requested the attendant to allow me to walk for a while. He said, take a stroll along side the bus. The road was full of diesel smoke. But walking for few minutes made me a bit relaxed. They changed the driver at a point and the journey continued.
We stopped near Chandigarh for dinner roughly at 9 PM. Delhi was still far far away… All I knew was I was now fed up! Post dinner, we called Praj’s brother and requested him to book flight tickets from Delhi to Pune. He instantly booked and emailed. So now the only challenge was to reach Delhi and get to the airport in time.
16 August: We reached Himachal House in Delhi at 2:30 and took a shared taxi to the Airport. I was nervous about travelling in Delhi, but guy from Bangalore who also had flight at 6 shared our taxi.
At the airport, we had chocolate milk to keep us strong enough to reach Pune and then home.
Thankfully, at 5:05 the flight took off right on time and we landed in Pune at right time. We took an auto and came home.
So the journey to the paradise had a way back home through hell!!
The bus was jam packed. And to our surprise most of them were foreigners. The attendant checked our ticket and took charge of our luggage and we gotten on our way.
I had decided to sleep all the way as it was the same old way we had travelled while coming to Leh from Manali; And as it is Avomin, my motion sickness tablet had done its job of putting me to sleep well.
Although I was a bit sleepy, I could feel that the road was bumpy. The bus kept taking its halts for loo and food. I was just tired… bored may be of travelling all this time and all I wanted was to reach Manali and get to the civilization…
The nature in this part of Himalayas is dry yet pretty. We could see hardened snow melting at places and the beautiful glaciers. But somewhere back of my mind, this was not keeping me interested. Other worries had started crawling back. For last 12 / 13 days, I had managed to live a carefree life but now the responsibilities of Mortal world were waiting to kill me…
Today’s journey was long; we were to cover something like 300 odd kilometers in a day. So after periodic halts at Upshi, Tanglang La, Pang, Sarchu and Baralacha La, at about 7 in the evening, we reached Keylong. We got the same tent we had got last time. This time we shared it with 2 Italian ladies.
Over the dinner, we discussed their further travel plan and the cuisines of India and Italy. The bland aloo gravy was also too spicy for one of them and she dipped roti in tea and fed herself.
Post dinner, I was too tired for anything and simply went to sleep. That night, I slept like a baby. When I woke up at about 5:30 next morning, for couple of minutes I was trying to figure out where I was. I had a feeling that I had slept in my mom’s bedroom at home and should get up and go down to check my dog.
14 August: After I regained myself, I was told that the breakfast and tea is not yet ready and we would be leaving late by half an hour. I was happy. I wanted to get back home but didn’t want to board that bus.
Now Manali was only 140 kms away. I dragged myself into the bus when it left at about 7 AM.
After nominal halts at Tandi, Sissu, Khoksar, Gramphu we reached Rohtang La. The attendant told us about Maharshi Vyas temple, when other people were busy peeing and taking photos, we ran to the Temple, as he agreed to pick us on the way.After Rohatang La, it was Marhi. This is beautiful town on the edges of the mountain has a PWD rest house along with several guest houses. The weather was pleasant. Now Manali was only 35 kms from here. It was a relief.
As we were getting back to the civilization, one of my friends informed me over Facebook that Manali – Mandi road is closed to landslide. I was anxious and tried my level best to keep calm.
We reached Manali at about 1:30 PM and checked into a stupid hotel. The things that happened here needed to be reported to the concerned authorities. This was the worst experience of the trip and I was terribly upset with the management’s behavior. In all these many years, anywhere that I have travelled so far, this was one such experience that left me aghast.I and Praj also had worst Masala Dosa of our life here. And ultimately we walked to the bus station across the road at about 5 PM and got into the bus for Delhi. The attendant checked our ticked and took charge of our luggage. The bus left on time. After travelling for about 20 kms, Praj said, “I doubt if we are in right bus, this bus was supposedly to be an A/C Semi Sleeper.” Me, who was already concerned about going home as early as possible couldn’t say anything.
As we reached the petrol pump at Pandoh, we were informed that we would have to move another bus waiting here and the people in that bus were to get into the ordinary bus that we were travelling. The people from that bus were apprehensive to the extent that there was a big façade and they were ready to burn the bus. The thing was they had already travelled in the bus from Delhi and due to the land slide they were stuck on the way and the route which usually takes about 12 hours had taken for more than 24 hours and a day of their long weekend was already spoilt. The quarrel went to extreme level and the local police was involved. Finally, we took a step back and let that bus leave for Manali and we waited for the other bus which had left Manali an hour later after our bus. So finally at about 9 PM we were on our way and were very hungry. When asked, the attendant said we would stop at a nearby Dhaba.
At about 10:30, we reached the Dhaba. I knew this place since our bus from Delhi to Manali also had stopped here. We had dinner, and the attendant informed there were more landslides and the further road was closed and we will have to wait until the road reopens. God!!!
This wasn’t even the last thing I ever wanted. We chatted, we co-travelers. Divya is a cute young girl from Delhi. She had been trekking to Hampta Pass; there was a Sirdarji uncle, who used to be an avid mountaineer until recently. His strength was commendable. Then there was a group from Italy, who had been cycling to Leh. They had a pretty interesting story to share.
Finally at about 1 AM, we requested the attendant to put on the AC in the bus so everyone could sleep comfortably. I woke up couple of times in night, nightmares perhaps…
15 August: After 6, I couldn’t sleep anymore and went back to the Hotel and helped myself with a Sandwich and a cup of coffee.
Today, Our 67th Independence Day. There was live telecast of our Prime Minister was walking towards the flag mast. I heard the national anthem and tears started rolling down. I couldn’t watch further. I had hoped to be in Delhi – the capital on this day.
The view from the Hotel on both sides was pretty. This Dhaba is situated at corner of the road about 5 kilometers from village of Pandoh and 12 kilometers from Mandi. On the front of the road, at the curve of the road there was a beautiful waterfall and behind the waters of Biyas river were ever rising in scenic surroundings.
The Italians were nervous since they had a flight to catch at 9 PM. Delhi was still far away. They requested the hotel owner to arrange for an alternate mode for themselves and at about 10:30 they left by a minibus with their cycles.
The patience of the people from the bus was on its brim and they had started to get aggressive. They even tried to block the road and then again the local police arrived. At about 11:30 another bus arrived from Manali and we left for Delhi.
Couple of days earlier, the town of Mandi was flooded. The site was terrible; there were vehicles which were partially buried in mud or at places in cracks of roads. There were rocks as big as a house on the roads. The traffic was slow yet moving. We stopped at another place for lunch.
Couple of hours later, I wanted to sleep but my body itched for some exercise. I became restless since I was tied to some or other bus since 13 August 5 AM. I requested the attendant to allow me to walk for a while. He said, take a stroll along side the bus. The road was full of diesel smoke. But walking for few minutes made me a bit relaxed. They changed the driver at a point and the journey continued.
 |
| River Biyas at Village Sambhala - The scene behind the Dhaba |
16 August: We reached Himachal House in Delhi at 2:30 and took a shared taxi to the Airport. I was nervous about travelling in Delhi, but guy from Bangalore who also had flight at 6 shared our taxi.
At the airport, we had chocolate milk to keep us strong enough to reach Pune and then home.
Thankfully, at 5:05 the flight took off right on time and we landed in Pune at right time. We took an auto and came home.
So the journey to the paradise had a way back home through hell!!
 |
| That moment when we landed in Pune. |