May 2007

I have travelled a bit May 2007 mostly through Himachal, driving a ford fiesta ( not that the car is name is important, but may be useful to some) for 14 days starting 13th from Pune and end 26th in Pune, flew down to Delhi and then drove around to and from Himachal. This was litterally a break, phone calls a few the fag end of the trip, clocked 1800 km of which 1200+ in the hills, got as far high as 13000 ft + in the car and then some more walking..Thank you Harin for all the prodding and planning...



The driving was strenuous and exciting, but with the fantastic company of Harini, Nandini and ofcourse Vernen. I would like to think they enjoyed the driving as much as I did. All of them braved the ride to allow me to freakout driving. Weather was good mostly and roads were passable in the hills, except around the Jayprakash hydel project area. The car held up magnificently without even a puncture and the crew did even better without a whimper of complaint. Nandini is growing up to be quite a sport (she threw snow at some kids abt her age, and refused to understand why they would not laugh at her and throw some back at her), managing well even though without any small people (size 8 yrs or so in the crew).



The itenary Delhi 14th morn - Thanedar 14th eve, Thanedar - Shoja 14th, Shoja - Sangla 15th, Sangla 15th-19th, Manali 19th -23rd, Shoghi 23-24, Shoghi-Delhi 25th..

There were highpoints every day..the drive, walking with H & N, Thanedar where I drank quite a few glasses of apple wine, (not cedar), Sangla where we learnt to ski without equipment, on our seats and on our (shoed)feet, snow capped mountains, morning sunlight turning the rocky peaks golden, the snow drifting down the high and water tricking from under them, walks through the village, the huge Deodhar trees, putting our feet into the icy cold streams, little birds and the Himalayan vulture that seemed stood 4' + and i believe has wingspan of 8' + (near Rohtang) , Para riding down the hill and collecting a video recording - a certficate of adventure to show everyone, (as H says a demonstration that I am a 18 year old in a 45 year body (she actually said17, but then I would lose my licence to drive), no phone calls, no serious sicknesses, some anxiety about reaching before darkness, running out of fuel, watching Vernen checking out his vertigo and improving the inches on his left biceps, shopping at Manali, Simla- pickles, wine, woolens, shirts, a multipurpose tool. It is on a holiday like this that I want to be busy to not waste the precious vision of the Himalayas ( by being lazy, staying in bed) and trying to laze to recoup from a tough year of work, want to do a lot of stuff with H & N and also want sit up in a warm and cozy place under the quilt, cuddling, talking inane stuff and laughing for nothing, fighting with yourself to pick between warming up to a fire in the open hearth and talking to new acquaintances who travel through their experiences or to spend the time with H & N in warmth of heart - that we have planned for a whole year back. So we did all this stuff we could and felt I want some more of the holiday, if only I did not need to get back...I guess I was on high, delusions of fun cause by the effect of high altitude on the brain...I have promised to come back for more, tougher longer trips in this unbelievably beautiful country.

Often we think...what would be like to travel, live on the road and teach N geography, history and science traveling across the country north, south, east, west. Will she not be better educated then, will we be doing her (own life and career) harm, with a bohemian vision of life...risk averse that we are we will do all this by summer and winter school vacation...
The low point was not being able to play with N in abundant snow at Rohtang as N was not well that day.

Another drift of thoughts...of the thoughts that comes to me as it must do to others...we all want relief from things that we do daily, for some it is the office/work stress, school, study...then I think of the relief map and then say aaaaaaaaaah! the relief map allows you to see the contours of the land and hence help you understand the land better, you get perspective of the ups and downs.....travel does that to me...helps me understand the land, the times, people and my own responses to all these much better.

As I travelled, often excerpts from the "Zen and the art of ...." would come to me ...i have started to like the book again.