Day 63 (Fri 8 Sep) - Manali / Kaza
We both had an awful nights sleep - dogs were barking all night and people were slamming doors until the early hours.
We got up and headed across the road to the bus station for 5am. The bus station was very quiet and people were sleeping everywhere. We found someone who directed us to an old, clapped out bus - for some reason we expected a newer bus to take us on our 11 hour epic journey. We were the first ones on the bus but it soon filled up with locals and then we felt a bit happier when more western tourists joined the bus. It was the first time we had travelled in India with other western tourists.
The bus left a dark and quiet Manali at 5.30am. As we left Manali we started to climb up the mountains. We stopped for tea about halfway up one mountain . It soon got lighter and we could see snow on the mountain tops. The road was pretty muddy as there had been a fair amount of rain. At one point a truck was having problems getting round a bend because it kept getting stuck in the mud. After a number of attempts he finally made it.
As we climbed up the side of the mountain the road got worse. It was very bumpy, we were sitting at the back of the bus which didn't help. We had to hold on to the seats in front of us otherwise we would have been bumped off our seats. At one point we hit a very large bump and Sarb, who was not paying attention, took to the air. The phrase he almost hit the roof seemed fitting.
As the bus continued to slowly climb the side of the mountain our ears began to pop. The views around us were breathtaking but the roads were seriously scary - so we decided to concentrate on the views. When we got to the top of the mountain we went down the otherside, into the valley at the bottom of which runs the Bea river. Going down was worse as the driver seemed to swing around the bends - it was particularly scary when another vehicle came the other way and one of us had to reverse along the tiny roads. The roads were definitely not built for two vehicles.
As we travelled up and down mountains the scenery changed. When we set out it was very green and lush but as we continued it got drier and like a desert littered with rocks of all sizes ( [1], [2] ). The time seemed to fly by because the scenery was so amazing - good job as there was no hope of reading as it was just too bumpy.
Before we knew it it was 11.30am and we stopped for a break. We were in the middle of nowhere; there was just a few tents where a couple were selling drinks and food. Obviously there were no toilets so Jo had to go behind a rock.
After our break we set off again. It was amazing to see locals camping or just walking in the middle of nowhere with their goats or sheep - no a village in sight.
At the summit of one set of mountains we came across a Tibetan stupa , strung with prayer flags. The background provided by the snow dusted mountains and the blue sky was incredible.
Just on from the stupa we came across an unlucky truck driver who had managed to snap the axle of his truck.
We had been travelling for some eight hours before we came to a village of permanent buildings. We had to stop at the Police check point and show them our passports. The roads got more hair raising as we continued. The bus was driving through rocks which had been carved out of the side of the mountain on one side and there was a sheer drop on the other side. It was impossible to figure out how the bus was staying on the road.
By the time we reached Kaza at 4pm we were shattered - it had been an exhausting journey not just physically (surviving the bumps) but mentally (willing and praying that the bus would stay on the road). The scenery however more than made up for the hardship ( [1], [2], [3], [4] ).
We stumbled off the bus and had the fun of trying to find somewhere to stay in the scorching heat. After looking at a few dodgy places, Sarb found Dekyit Gatsel Guest House which was only Rs 250 and had a stunning view over the valley.
We went to sleep for a few hours and then went for a snack in a deserted restaurant nearby called Willow restaurant. We then went back to bed.
We got up and headed across the road to the bus station for 5am. The bus station was very quiet and people were sleeping everywhere. We found someone who directed us to an old, clapped out bus - for some reason we expected a newer bus to take us on our 11 hour epic journey. We were the first ones on the bus but it soon filled up with locals and then we felt a bit happier when more western tourists joined the bus. It was the first time we had travelled in India with other western tourists.
The bus left a dark and quiet Manali at 5.30am. As we left Manali we started to climb up the mountains. We stopped for tea about halfway up one mountain . It soon got lighter and we could see snow on the mountain tops. The road was pretty muddy as there had been a fair amount of rain. At one point a truck was having problems getting round a bend because it kept getting stuck in the mud. After a number of attempts he finally made it.
As we climbed up the side of the mountain the road got worse. It was very bumpy, we were sitting at the back of the bus which didn't help. We had to hold on to the seats in front of us otherwise we would have been bumped off our seats. At one point we hit a very large bump and Sarb, who was not paying attention, took to the air. The phrase he almost hit the roof seemed fitting.
As the bus continued to slowly climb the side of the mountain our ears began to pop. The views around us were breathtaking but the roads were seriously scary - so we decided to concentrate on the views. When we got to the top of the mountain we went down the otherside, into the valley at the bottom of which runs the Bea river. Going down was worse as the driver seemed to swing around the bends - it was particularly scary when another vehicle came the other way and one of us had to reverse along the tiny roads. The roads were definitely not built for two vehicles.
As we travelled up and down mountains the scenery changed. When we set out it was very green and lush but as we continued it got drier and like a desert littered with rocks of all sizes ( [1], [2] ). The time seemed to fly by because the scenery was so amazing - good job as there was no hope of reading as it was just too bumpy.
Before we knew it it was 11.30am and we stopped for a break. We were in the middle of nowhere; there was just a few tents where a couple were selling drinks and food. Obviously there were no toilets so Jo had to go behind a rock.
After our break we set off again. It was amazing to see locals camping or just walking in the middle of nowhere with their goats or sheep - no a village in sight.
At the summit of one set of mountains we came across a Tibetan stupa , strung with prayer flags. The background provided by the snow dusted mountains and the blue sky was incredible.
Just on from the stupa we came across an unlucky truck driver who had managed to snap the axle of his truck.
We had been travelling for some eight hours before we came to a village of permanent buildings. We had to stop at the Police check point and show them our passports. The roads got more hair raising as we continued. The bus was driving through rocks which had been carved out of the side of the mountain on one side and there was a sheer drop on the other side. It was impossible to figure out how the bus was staying on the road.
By the time we reached Kaza at 4pm we were shattered - it had been an exhausting journey not just physically (surviving the bumps) but mentally (willing and praying that the bus would stay on the road). The scenery however more than made up for the hardship ( [1], [2], [3], [4] ).
We stumbled off the bus and had the fun of trying to find somewhere to stay in the scorching heat. After looking at a few dodgy places, Sarb found Dekyit Gatsel Guest House which was only Rs 250 and had a stunning view over the valley.
We went to sleep for a few hours and then went for a snack in a deserted restaurant nearby called Willow restaurant. We then went back to bed.
posted by Jo and Sarb at
9/08/2006 07:30:00 am
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