A Journey to Mussoorie

I  cannot express in words the amount of peace mountains give to me. Mussoorie is my ultimate favorite place to visit whenever I feel lethargic or down.  Also, sudden plans are unexpected and the best and the irony is they always turn out to be amazing.
                               

This February 2019 I and my family decided to visit Mussoorie by car. It was a road trip.  My Dad was driving all the way to Mussoorie and we started our journey from Chandighar. Mussoorie is about 200.8 km from Chandighar. It took us about 6 hours to reach Mcleodganj and all the adventure in these four hours was worth it. We put on the music with snacks and drinks in the car. Singing your favorite songs in the car with your family is so enjoyable. 

                                                       

We reached Mussoorie and decided to roam the mall road had some pictures and danced on the road this journey was totally amazing. Further, we visited the various shops for shopping. after that, we visited the room.

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Adventurous trek to Kheer-Ganga in Himachal!

Kheerganga is located deep in Parvati Valley (Kullu Valley) in Manali, Himachal Pradesh at an altitude of approx 3000 km. Kheerganga's panoramic skies and vast greenery are a treat to a trekker's eyes and especially tired legs. It is a holy place with hot water spring, a small temple of Lord shiva and a bathing tank. It is a delight to take a bath in hot water spring when everything is covered by snow. 

I am a resident of Punjab and I started my journey with 10 of my friends. We went to Chandigarh by bus from Ludhiana. Then, we took a Volvo bus for Manali from Chandigarh and the fare cost us about 600  bucks each. Our destination was Kasol and we had to stop at the village Bhuntar to reach Kasol by another bus. 

We spent a day in Kasol and visited nearby areas.
Manikaran is a holy place from 2km to Kasol. We went to Manikaran the next morning and it was a peaceful place. The temple was surrounded by hot water springs. 

We started our journey to Kheerganga trek after visiting the holy place. We took a bus from Manikaran to Barshaini, which is the starting point of the trek. It is a 13km trek on the mountains surrounded by vast greenery and scenic beauty. We got tired a bit but the urge to reach the destination kept us going.

It took us about 12 hours to reach the top. There is a camping destination and we hired a camp for 6 of us at the price of 1000 bucks. The view was worth all the hustle. We lit a bonfire there and made Maggi as well :P 

The weather was amazingly cold and we fully enjoyed the mountains. It was my first trekking experience and I enjoyed it a lot. The next morning we visited the lord shiva temple and took a bath in the hot water spring. We headed back to Barshaini after that. 
 The beauty of the trek was the journey and the scenic beauty of the mountains. 

Rohtang Pass - The Beauty

This is the story of my friend who visited the Rohtang I have asked him about his journey after listening that I wrote it in my blog.

50 km to the north of Manali into the Eastern Pir Panjal lies Rohtang Pass, nature’s perfect spectacle. It connects two beautiful valleys of Himachal Pradesh – Manali and Lahaul & Spiti. The name Rohtang means ‘ground of corpses’ and it was assigned to this pass because of the number of people who lost their lives while trying to cross it in the past. Yet it is thronged by countless travelers during the span of 6 months when it is accessible and is open to the public.

Adventurers and biking enthusiasts reach Rohtang pass from Manali braving slippery roads, their dangerous curves, and sometimes extremely rough weather. The reward for this effort is being greeted by snow-capped mountains, breathing in the fresh mountain air, and experiencing the thrill of a challenging journey.

As the route of Rohtang pass from Manali is accessible only for a span of 3 months (July-September), They also decided to visit Rohtang Pass with their friends in August 2017. They started this journey by bus from Chandigarh to Manali and then took a cab to Rohtang Pass. On the way, they came across some incidents of landslide and were amused by the promptness of Indian Army on cleaning the debris.

Finally, they reached Rohtang. You must carry warm clothes along but just in case you are not, there are a lot of shops that provide amply and boots for around 500 both. The snow point also known as zero-point is the most chilling and picturesque point.

Tourists can enjoy various kinds of adventure activities at Snow Point such as sled ride, mountain biking, snow scooter, ski ride, tire drop, and skiing. Equipment is available on rent. Enjoy making igloos with snow. There are no accommodation options here. The nearest stay is in Manali. As far as food is concerned, you can either carry your own food or can enjoy the food at roadside eateries and dhabas. On the way, there are clothes selling sticks, snow clothes, etc.

New York Tops my Bucket List.

New York- The city that never sleeps! 

It has been depicted in the movies, books and songs have been written about it. Many believe that New York is the place where one can live the life of dreams, as it offers so many opportunities. New York has a special way of entangling you.

What is New York City? It is the most populous city in the United States, also called the melting pot due to so many different people living here and so many languages spoken (800!). Is it just like in the movies? Some aspects certainly are! New Yorkers really do drink that much coffee, it’s estimated that they consume seven times more coffee than any average American!

What I like the most about New York is the feeling of freedom they have there. You can wear anything and no one will even stare at you or say something unkind. I certainly like to visit, and this city offers so many options for entertainment as no other!

I want to see all of the mandatory tourist places! Time’s Square, the Central Park (squirrels are there!), Financial District,  Rockefeller Center( many options for dining). Apart from Central Park, a good green place to visit is the High Line park, build on old rails. Grand Central Terminal has been seen in numerous movies and news segments about New York. And not just Manhattan! I want to go to the Brooklyn Bridge, see the sunset with the Statue of Liberty and the Financial District right next to it. Visit Chinatown and irrespective of whether want to go to Coney Island and Brighton Beach! These places did suffer from the hurricane Sandy but have been rebuilt even grander than before. 

New York is beautiful all year round. Everyone will find something to like in this city and it never gets boring here. Comfortable shoes, a small camera and enjoy exploring this wonderful city!

Explore Punjab

Punjab, the Land Of  Five Rivers, is bestowed with the beauty of nature as well as a rich culture that the country carries its pride in. Right from spirituality to commercialization, this state will leave you enthralled regardless of what you seek. If you are a true traveler who wishes to witness the true essence of Punjab, you must take a circuit! These places to visit in Punjab are perfect to add into your itinerary, as you will come back home with lovely memories to hold on to. Experience the king-size life of Gabrus and indulge in the traditional folk activities like Bhangra and bottoms-up with Lassi. After all, you are in Punjab!

1. Amritsar

The city known for legends, patriotism, and spirituality, Amritsar is found listed at the top when anyone talks about the religious places to visit in Punjab. Home to the Golden Temple, or Sri Harmandir Sahib, this is among the most significant pilgrimage site for Sikhs. You will find a lot of Punjab famous monuments. The narrow lanes of Amritsar are arrayed with shops selling colorful jutties, suits and more. A foodie cannot have enough of Amritsari Kulche, Butter Chicken, Lassi – the list is long!

2. Chandigarh

The capital of Punjab, Chandigarh is counted among the metro cities of India and among the top places to visit in Punjab. This welcoming city will greet you with the flavors of everything between modernity and antiquity. Chandigarh also is one of the cleanest cities in the country, where one can spend time shopping in the mall, lounging at a cafe or unwinding by a lake or garden. If you’re wondering what to see in Punjab, this city has to be your answer. You wouldn’t even have to worry about how you will reach, as this city is blessed with ease of connectivity via road, rail, and even airways.

3. Bhatinda

The City of Lakes, Bhatinda is a simple city, which still is among the historical places in Punjab you cannot miss. There are various landmarks in the city that have brought massive development in the state, right from AIIMS to thermal power plants and the Central University of Punjab. The city narrates legendary tales of the past as the remnants stand as witnesses. Rulers like Mahmud of Ghazni, Muhammad Ghori, and Prithvi Raj Chauhan have fought wars and ruled the city in the erstwhile era. It is one of the best places to visit in Punjab with family.

4. Ludhiana

Yet another recommendation in our list of places to see in Punjab in Ludhiana. This is where you will be able to witness the true beauty of the state and its rich agricultural scenario. This simple yet stunning city will give you an insight into the lifestyle of locals, especially if you are ambling in the Museum of Rural Life. There’s history, a little bit of wildlife in the zoo, delicious food, and even an amusement park to look forward to if you are traveling with kids.

5. Patiala

The fourth largest city of the state, Patiala is name we see featured in list of beautiful places in Punjab quite often. It is also called the City of Newspapers, and the monuments here showcase a blend of different architectural styles such as Mughal, Rajput and of course Punjab. You will find a plethora of places to visit in Patiala, Punjab. If you are a history enthusiast, this city will not disappoint you. Patiala is also a choice for the travelers who wish to shop for authentic Punjabi items such as juttis, parandas and more.

A Journey to Rishikesh

As I’ve already shared a travel story of Rajasthan of my friend Jitesh. It was another experience of Rishikesh. He loves traveling and has visited many places to explore them.

Rishikesh in Uttarakhand is definitely a stunning little place within the mountains. It is located at the foothills of the Himalayas in Northern India. Approximately 100,000 inhabitants live in this city. The streets are very crowded but only a few cars can be seen. The vehicles will be honking all the time, though, which is a bit annoying. It’s famous for its yoga and meditation education. The city is packed with tourists, they come here to seek for satisfaction, pilgrims, and sadhus.

RAFTING ON THE GANGES

They(6 friends) went at about 10 pm in the car and approximately 20-30 minutes down the street next to the river. After short instructions on how to use the paddle, they started their trip in the rafts. It was great to row through big waves. They made a short break at a cliff where they had the option to jump into the water (approximately 5 meters). During the boat trip, they were also swimming in the Ganga when there was no strong current. 

They did the 18 KM rafting and this has been one of the best adventures they have ever had in their lifetime. There were a lot of shops for rafting and mostly were same. They picked them in a jeep and took them to the starting point based on the distance they wanted to cover. Once they started rafting, they forgot everything. They jumped in the water at different places. There was one Maggy/tea point at the end where they have warmed themselves. That place also has one jumping point where they jumped directly into the river from the around 15-20ft height. That felt so good. 

SHOPPING IN RISHIKESH

The shopping mile after the LakshmanJhula Bridge is really nice and you can get a lot of gifts, for example, handcrafts, bags, clothes, cards, and many more presents. If you are lucky you can take some pictures with monkeys. It is probably the most famous attraction in Rishikesh when you google images of the place, so get your cameras ready.

TREKKING & WATERFALLS

Their Trekking trip was organized by the hotel. They woke at 4:15 am and it took all of them and also the guide around one hour to climb to the KunjaaPuri (height 4050 ft). It is about 15 kilometers away from Rishikesh. There was a small beautiful temple where you could watch the sunrise. Unfortunately, it was very foggy so the view was not the best. When you have a good view you can also see the Himalayas. After breakfast, they walked down the mountain and saw incredible rice fields and a beautiful waterfall called Neer-Ghar-waterfall. They stayed there for about half an hour and enjoyed a swim in the waterfall. If you're brave you'll be able to climb up around twenty meters next to the falls and swim there.

 ACCOMMODATION, DIVINE GANGA COTTAGE

The hotel, Divine Ganga Cottages are surrounded by other houses and tents. You have a great view of the Ganga from the cottage. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The cottage owner offered them taxi services, rafting, trekking, spa/massage treatment, ayurvedic doctor consultation, yoga, wildlife safaris, bungee jumping, and access to several other facilities. During the night they arranged them campfire and some music. Jitesh along with his friends danced and enjoyed the evening, which is definitely worth to remember. Also, they played several games like volleyball, cricket, etc during their stay in cottages. Their area was quite nice as well as a TV, a touch table, a shower, and a western restroom. They enjoyed a lot.

Overall, Rishikesh is a hotspot for people who want to experience adventure with beauty. The white water rafting and hike up to the waterfall give you an abundance of adrenaline rush for people who seek for adventure. For people who just want to experience the serene beauty of the mountains and relax from their everyday busy life, Rishikesh is a perfect place for them too. Rishikesh is definitely underrated. A must-visit for people who want to get away from their regular life.

A Journey from Dharamshala to Triund

All I’ve written are my friend’s traveling experiences but this is different because this one is my travel story.

Triund Trek is one of the most visited trekking trails for a majority of travelers those are visiting Dharamshala and Mcleodganj. The tall snow-covered Dhalaudhars, the stunning views and not that of difficult pathways are the reasons what attract even the trekking beginners to pursue this lovely trek.

Triund Hill lies at the altitude of 2842m (9342 ft) on top of the sea, within the lap of Dhauladhars. Triund Trek has become the favorite hiking route for wayfarers from people of the subcontinent and globally primarily thanks to ease and accessibility. With steep however well-defined tracks, Triund trek can be completed by people of all age groups (I saw kids as young as 10 complete the trek). The trails can be accessed throughout the year and take you thru a stunning landscape.

The trek starts from Gallu Devi Temple. There is a small eatery called Rest a while Café and another one called the Sun and Moon café. You can buy your water bottles or other eating knick-knacks here. With your ascent up the hill, the prices of articles keep rising, due to the increasing cost of transportation. All the food supplies are carried on mules.

The trek trail is covered with rhododendrons, oaks, and deodars. If you are trekking during spring season you would see the red rhododendrons in full bloom. The trail is well defined and there is no chance of getting lost even if you are alone. Along the way, there are a number of tea shops such as the Magic view Café (almost halfway), Best View café, etc. You can take small breaks and enjoy tea, Maggi, etc. in these shops. You might find them overpriced but considering how they get the raw material here, complaining seems a bit harsh!

The slope is gradual for the first few kilometers. About 2 km of the last part of the trek is of a considerably steeper gradient and moderate difficulty. Along the way, you’ll find a number of people of different nationalities and regions on their ascent or descent. Avoid asking people “How much more is left?” because you will get conflicting answers. Keep up, enjoy the trek and you’ll love what’s at the end of it all. You will also see a number of mules carrying heavy loads of raw materials up the hill and others carrying the garbage down the trail.

After three hours of walking, I along with the other group members finally reached the top and it was all worth it. It was a remarkable feeling. I was at Triund hill. I could gaze at a flat meadow and was face to face with the snow-covered mighty Dhauladhars. A smile unconsciously lightened up my face. This was a picturesque landscape and is beyond comparison. Although it was drizzling at the time and was also slightly windy when we reached there, I stood there gaping at the mountains for a good 15 minutes just to let the moment sink in.

Camping

Once at Triund, you can buy or rent a tent from any of the shops there. Alternatively, the guide will take you to your camping spot. There is a building owned by the Forest House which could be reserved at Dharamshala. But I might recommend staying within the camp to have an experience of a lifetime.

Triund Campsite

Since my Trek was pre-booked, I along with the others headed to the campsite. Our camping site was very small but it was far from the area which most of the people stayed and which was a crowded area. By the time, we reached the campsite, the sky had started to clear up. We could see the thick grey clouds, the blue sky, a little sunshine, and two rainbows. I relished the tranquillity and exquisiteness as I strolled around and explored the place. The panoramic view of the Dhauladhars and Kangra Valley in the distance was fascinating. This feels like a different world altogether.

Evenings in Triund

The evenings were even better. As the sun started to set, the sky was filled with different hues of orange, blue and gray. It was like being in a brilliant painting. It was windy and we enjoyed a cup of hot tea and snacks while trying to stay warm in our hoodies and jackets. Please carry a light jacket during summers and a heavy one if visiting in winters. It can get really cold in Triund, especially at night.

Nights in Triund

The stars gazing at night was another delight. I could see the distinct and dense layers of stars, some

brighter than the others. I’ve grown up in the hills but and I can swear that I haven’t seen those many stars ever, not even on the clearest of nights. The twinkling lights in the distance reminded me you how far have you come from the hustle-bustle of civilization. Unfortunately, there was no bonfire, as bonfires have been banned on Triund Hill. So after a hot meal and some conversation with the fellow trekkers, we slept in our respective tents.

Mornings in Triund

I woke up early morning by the distant calling of the sheep. The Gaddi shepherds were on their way to Chamba valley with their herd, looking for greener pastures. They were taking the path back to the lower areas. I started to tread around. The sun was up and the warm rays of the sun felt great in the chilly breeze. I saw a number of mules grazing, resting and enjoying the sun. After having our breakfast, we headed back to Dharamkot. While going back, you can take the same route or a different one through the Bhagsu waterfall which ends at Bhagsu village.

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