Day 57 (Sat 2 Sep) - Dalhousie / McLeod Ganj
Up to a drizzly morning.
At 9.30am there was a knock on the door. Sarb answered the door to Herman. 'Would we like breakfast?' said Herman in a style that can only be described in as exactly the opposite you would expect from someone in the hospitality industry. Nope, we will not be having breakfast and Sarb made to close the door.
'So will you want the bill then?' pressed Herman. Nope, said Sarb, we will come down to pay it in one hour once I get out of the cold damp air and I have put on some more clothing.
'You know check out is at 12pm?' warned Herman. Thanks Herman, but Sarb was sure that the hordes of monkeys that were now sitting watching this performance were not too troubled that they may have been delayed checking in by a few minutes.
Finally Sarb managed to get rid of Herman. 15 minutes later Herman reappeared with the bill!!! We paid it and felt it was a small sum compared to the prospect of repeated visits from Herman.
Got packed and headed out in the light rain up to the monument. Saw some really cute shaggy mutts having a sleep on a heap of rubble in the rain! Had breakfast in Shere Punjab looking out at the valley below and watching the monkeys. Slightly spoiled by a group of Indian tourists that sat directly behind us with the fruits of their fertility. To say they made a racket would be an understatement!
We wandered onto the bus station and got there at about 11.30am. The next bus was meant to be at 2pm but luckily a bus was there, with its motor running, headed to Dharamsala. We loaded up our bags and settled into the crowded bus.
The bus seemed to stop every 5 minutes which was a relief as otherwise it was basically hanging onto the edge of the valley with two wheels and a prayer.
After an age we arrived at what we thought was Dharamsala. The conductor beckoned to us to get off and then led us to another bus. Totally confused Sarb stood by the back of the bus, shouting at the new conductor asking if this bus took us to Dharamsala. The conductor shook his head. In India this means; Yes, No, Maybe, I don't know.
Sarb thankfully resisted the urge to pummel the conductors head in with a blunt instrument. Anyway as this spirited exchange was occurring Jo decided to take matters into her own hands, and laden with the two small rucksacks, proceeded to climb the stairs at the back of the bus and then fall in.
Things got a bit hazy from here. In a spirit of solidarity Sarb initially decided to follow Jo up the same stairs, however his path was impeded by a spreadeagled Jo. So lugging the two big rucksacks he scrambled onto the bus via the front stairs. Since the bus was absolutely crowded we could only make eye contact from opposite ends of the bus.
After about 10km we finally got to Dharamsala but couldn't make out where the bus station was where we were to catch the bus to McLeod Ganj. Found a cafe where we decided to regroup and have a coke.
Got a cab to McLeod Ganj and tried bartering for a hotel. Jo came up trumps with a bartering style that left Sarb and the hoteliers bemused but did get us a top room with a brilliant view for half price!
Dumped the bags and went in search of booze. Sarb had a beer whilst Jo persevered in her quest that someone, somewhere must have a bottle of Pinot Grigio tucked away somewhere. Unfortunately for Jo she ended up with a bottle of paint stripper.
Went to a nearby restaurant for a veggie pizza and basically passed out back at the hotel.
At 9.30am there was a knock on the door. Sarb answered the door to Herman. 'Would we like breakfast?' said Herman in a style that can only be described in as exactly the opposite you would expect from someone in the hospitality industry. Nope, we will not be having breakfast and Sarb made to close the door.
'So will you want the bill then?' pressed Herman. Nope, said Sarb, we will come down to pay it in one hour once I get out of the cold damp air and I have put on some more clothing.
'You know check out is at 12pm?' warned Herman. Thanks Herman, but Sarb was sure that the hordes of monkeys that were now sitting watching this performance were not too troubled that they may have been delayed checking in by a few minutes.
Finally Sarb managed to get rid of Herman. 15 minutes later Herman reappeared with the bill!!! We paid it and felt it was a small sum compared to the prospect of repeated visits from Herman.
Got packed and headed out in the light rain up to the monument. Saw some really cute shaggy mutts having a sleep on a heap of rubble in the rain! Had breakfast in Shere Punjab looking out at the valley below and watching the monkeys. Slightly spoiled by a group of Indian tourists that sat directly behind us with the fruits of their fertility. To say they made a racket would be an understatement!
We wandered onto the bus station and got there at about 11.30am. The next bus was meant to be at 2pm but luckily a bus was there, with its motor running, headed to Dharamsala. We loaded up our bags and settled into the crowded bus.
The bus seemed to stop every 5 minutes which was a relief as otherwise it was basically hanging onto the edge of the valley with two wheels and a prayer.
After an age we arrived at what we thought was Dharamsala. The conductor beckoned to us to get off and then led us to another bus. Totally confused Sarb stood by the back of the bus, shouting at the new conductor asking if this bus took us to Dharamsala. The conductor shook his head. In India this means; Yes, No, Maybe, I don't know.
Sarb thankfully resisted the urge to pummel the conductors head in with a blunt instrument. Anyway as this spirited exchange was occurring Jo decided to take matters into her own hands, and laden with the two small rucksacks, proceeded to climb the stairs at the back of the bus and then fall in.
Things got a bit hazy from here. In a spirit of solidarity Sarb initially decided to follow Jo up the same stairs, however his path was impeded by a spreadeagled Jo. So lugging the two big rucksacks he scrambled onto the bus via the front stairs. Since the bus was absolutely crowded we could only make eye contact from opposite ends of the bus.
After about 10km we finally got to Dharamsala but couldn't make out where the bus station was where we were to catch the bus to McLeod Ganj. Found a cafe where we decided to regroup and have a coke.
Got a cab to McLeod Ganj and tried bartering for a hotel. Jo came up trumps with a bartering style that left Sarb and the hoteliers bemused but did get us a top room with a brilliant view for half price!
Dumped the bags and went in search of booze. Sarb had a beer whilst Jo persevered in her quest that someone, somewhere must have a bottle of Pinot Grigio tucked away somewhere. Unfortunately for Jo she ended up with a bottle of paint stripper.
Went to a nearby restaurant for a veggie pizza and basically passed out back at the hotel.
posted by Jo and Sarb at
9/02/2006 07:57:00 am
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