Time to relax in the Kullu Valley

After Nainital we took a very hot night train to Haridwar, a holy city right on the Ganges River bearing the claim of the world's oldest continuously inhabited city. As it is the high season for pilgrimages we were anticipating crowds, however we were stunned at the near impossibility of finding a hotel room when our train arrived at 3am. After an hour of searching in the middle of the night we were considering camping out on the train station floor. (hey, we've got thermarests!) The hotel room we found on loud and busy Railway Road was shockingly overpriced but we managed to find somewhere to sleep!

After spending weeks in the hills and mountains we were also unprepared for the intense heat of the plains and had a lot of trouble functioning in the 45 degree heat, hotter than we'd experienced so far. Admittedly we would venture out early in the morning to sightsee and then retreat before noon to cower like limp wilted vegetables in the air conditioning until it eased up slightly in the early evening.

While we didn't stay long in Haridwar, I'm really glad we made the stop. It was really magical and the thousands of pilgrims were clearly so happy to be there, it was infectious. We spent most of our time in Haridwar chilling on the banks of the river, chatting with kids and families, dunking our feet in the surprisingly clear water and soaking it all in. My first visit to a holy city, and I was enchanted. Lots of temples, big families, wandering stoned sadhus and a generally happy vibe.

From Haridwar to Manali, a 17 hour trip by bus broken up by a few hours to kill in Chandigarh, a city described by some as a city with no soul...Chandigarh is a Le Corbusier designed planned city that serves as joint capital for two states. Aside from the rickshaws, tea stands, and Indians, squint your eyes and you would think you're in Saskatchewan. Vast avenues with wide boulevards, big concrete buildings all of the same age. Peculiar.

And now we're chilling out in Manali in the Kullu Valley, back in the hills. It's cool and fragrant, nestled in a valley surrounded by imposing forest of deodars, majestic Himalayan cedars. Daytime highs in the high 20s, evenings are about 20. My favorite climate. Manali is very close to Brian's heart, having loved it on a visit 15 years ago. Although somewhat dismayed to see it transformed into a bustling tourist destination he is starry-eyed with nostalgia. We even managed to locate the cottage he stayed in once upon a time and are pleased to be staying there. The guest house is in an apple orchard,a short walk down a hill from a 400 year old temple called Hadimba. Kullu is known for its apples. It's too bad we're too early to try them, they're still tiny.