Old Manali

Another stop on the hippie route through northern India, Manali is situated in a valley close to the border with Kashmir. After a 12 hour ride on a local bus - not the best route on the winding mountain roads - we were exhausted and sick of the bumpy bus without air suspension. We finally got to stay in one place for more than a few days, so we spent a lot of time catching up on our books, relaxing, and enjoying the cold evenings. We saw rain and clouds for the first time in India, you wouldn't realize how much you would miss those things until you are stuck in the desert.

Again, this part of northern India was culturally distinct, a mix of Tibetan, Chinese, and Indian influences. The architecture was carved wood rather than stone. The menus were uninspired and included the same mix of Indian, Chinese, and Israeli food that we had seen in most touristy areas, plus the ever present selection of pizzas.

Paul was thrilled to see snow, although we never quite made it to the snow line, we were surrounded by enormous snow covered peaks. The area is known for its skiing, trekking, and rafting, but do to Madeleine's illness (sick again) we didn't make it further than a few kilometers from the town. But we did do some hiking along the river valley through several kilometers of apple orchards (which were in full bloom), and into the mountains above Old Manali (the backpacker haven of Manali, known for its special lassis and charas production), and it was beautiful.

After four days in the mountains, we had to drag ourselves onto the bus to face the bustling capital city of Delhi the next day (a 14 hour bus ride). Unfortunately we booked our tickets late and got the worst seats on the bus. Both of us dreaded the idea of heading back to the big city, but we chose to stay in the nicest part of Delhi for the day to ease our transition.