[SS-Traveller]

Hello, pristine snow,
We met so long ago.

December is here, the mountains turning white,
The roads are calling with all their might.
When was the last time? When was the beginning?
I remember (Hawk-0n-Fours® (H-4®) Roadtrip: H-4® & QuickSilver Go Snow-Hunting).

NGT made sure Hawk-0n-Fours® is long gone,
TRO® (The Red One | My Thar'd... err...Third Car) is the chosen one
For our ride into rough terrain and nice,
The 17th, 18th and 19th of December, to be precise.




BHPian JKDS has a new Duster,
Power to all four wheels it can muster.
He and his mom also need a break,
And into the snow he wants the Duster to take.
The Thar isn't too comfy for four,
It would leave rear seat passengers' rears sore.
So let's go green and travel together
In the Duster, it will take us wherever.

An hour before midnight we depart home,
Himachal, Narkanda, snow, here we come.



Murthal is our stop for a late-night dinner,
Parathas and butter, we ain't getting any thinner.





Refreshed, wide awake, we drove through the night,
JKDS' Stedi LED bar puts out a lot of light.



Fastag for all the highway tolls worked smoothly,
Except when entering Himachal - "Rs.40, cash only".





As the sky got lighter and dawn approached,
A tea break was in order, our throats parched.





Exquisitely pretty was the red sky at dawn,
There's hardly any traffic, no one's blowing the horn.



Contrarian thoughts - a shiny clean Alto that says "I love mud",
In the mountains, anyway, there isn't any flood.





Up in Shimla it's time for the Duster's food,
Mileage isn't too bad, nor is it very good.

As we traversed the almost deserted streets of the town,
There were hardly any people walking up and down.



Fallen snow lines the roads through Shimla town,
Clean white on cars and trees, while on the roadside it turns brown.





















Shimla left behind us, as we stopped to take a long glance,
"Queeen of the Hills" isn't a name given by chance.
Snow-capped peaks in the distance, crystal clear blue sky,
Beyond Shimla, we pass Fagu and bid goodbye.

[SS-Traveller]

Under the bright blue sky,
We stop once again for more 'chai'.



Snow on the roadside is a lot of fun,
It's starting to melt away when exposed to sun.







A picture-perfect pretty little temple
Sits next to the tea stall, which too is simple.



The tea is sweet, we all have some
Along with sandwiches we carried from home.
The shop had kiwis and apples for sale
The kiwis tasted sweet, the apples looked a bit stale.



Back on the road again, it's time to play
In a field of snow we found along the way.





Would we get stuck? It was time to find out!
There's a spade in the boot, and tow rope too, no doubt.



The tyres were good, the Duster didn't get stuck,
Though some might call it just our luck.

[SS-Traveller]

Not fit is the snowy slope to Hotel Hatu
For cars whose driven wheels are two.
Stop for a while and you'll find
Wheels are spinning but you're in a bind.
The Duster drives its wheels all four
Yet they all spun on the slippery floor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B-L1R_YDN4

To the top of the slope the Duster crept,
Our eyes around the vista swept.
A picture-perfect white wonderland
That took us a few seconds to understand.
Cameras out and clicking away,
What's missing? Just Santa's sleigh!

[SS-Traveller]

Checked in, we shall unwind here for the next 24 hours,
Room 202 for JKDS and his mom, 201 is ours.
A dining space, besides the bedroom with a view,
Beyond the glass pane, tall conifers and yew.
Tired though we were after the night-long drive,
The place rejuvenated us, made us feel alive.

















The tiredness disappeared, the hunger pangs began,
It was noontime, we wanted lunch in a very short span.
The menu was elaborate, the dining room had a view,
But we weren't brave enough to try something new.











After the lunch, a quick siesta,
Woke up to find a colourful fiesta.
The setting sun had set the sky on fire,
A magnificent display for us to admire.







As night descended it turned biting cold,
A short walk outside made my bones feel old.
The cold wind started to make my sinuses throb,
The dinner was great, the cook did a good job.
Back in our room it was time to turn in,
The heater was hardly enough to warm our skin.







The next morning was like a new beginning,
Tea, coffee, and an elaborate breakfast was just the thing
We needed to kickstart the new day;
In a few hours we would need to be on our way.

[SS-Traveller]

Tani Jubber is the name of a lake,
A look at it we must take
Before departing back to Delhi
Through the crazy traffic melee.











The lake is frozen, a solid sheet of ice,
How to check? A brick will suffice!



The Duster poses with pine forests behind,
Next to it, a Thar we find.

[SS-Traveller]

Dilliwala cabbies always have fun
In the snow, hail, rain or sun.
The Dzire's roof is strong enough
To take the weight of two young toughs.



The road back from the lake is full of snow,
So we must really drive slow.
A little scared were we of black ice,
Skidding off the road wouldn't be nice.





Then came another meadow draped in white,
And we stopped here for a snowball fight!
Pristine snow, clean and pure,
We all loved it for sure.

[SS-Traveller]

On the way to the plains, we found
This café with a name profound,
The decor was a treat to watch,
But the food - yuck! - that was the catch!
Burnt toast, bad coffee, disgusting noodles,
On top of it, waiters' attitude in oodles.
The bill was steep, we wouldn't have minded,
The bad experience we'd be always reminded.















Setting sun behind the hills,
Glimmering lamps the hillside fills
Like fireflies with super-bright light,
It certainly was an awesome sight.





Our last stop before entering Delhi
Was this dhaba, where we filled our belly
With makki di roti, sarson da saag and excellent tea.
Our only worry now - how would the rest of the way be?



Delhi was afire that December day,
Protesters blocked roads and highway.
The borders were sealed, the news told us,
How shall we get home thus?
A few phone calls to the right folks,
Told us the road's clear of rioting blokes.
Although we had a few hours of fright,
We safely arrived home past midnight,

Did I shoot all those pics? Largely, yes,
Though some belong to JKDS.
He is a lawyer, that's true,
And I don't want him to sue!

[BlackPearl]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing SS Da!

[Thermodynamics]

Hehe, you made a poetry of travelogue. That is fabulous

Poets exaggerate, but this was indeed true

The Dzire's roof is strong enough
To take the weight of two young toughs.

Let me also exaggerate, shall you be called modern Robert Frost.

[Samba]

Wow, this is unique! Loved the poetic narration. First time in Team-Bhp?
The pics look gorgeous.
Never imagined a silver vehicle can look this stunning in pics! I always thought silver to be a boring but easy to maintain color!

Whats your take on the Duster AWD, specially after being accustomed with suv's having a proper low range for so many years? Will love to hear more on the practicality rather than the technical explanations.
As you have extensively driven both on snow/challenging terrains and you being an technical expert, am expecting a reply in a way that a layman like me can easily understand!

[digitalnirvana]

Far away there lives a bard of extraordinary caliber
He enchants and enthralls with his gift of palaver
People speak fondly of him 'cross the lands
He goes by the name SS-Traveller

[BoneCollector]

Beautiful pictures and fantastic poetry! Again a travelogue with a difference. The presentation is unique and conveys the message.

Duster had a soft corner for its AWD. I considered it once but due to issues, didn't follow it up. How does it fare compared to the 4WD Scorpio?

The LED bar position is awkward. Won't it blind people, especially those in sedans?

[Red Liner]

Now every response to this thread,
has to be of poetic threat.
Haha. What a treat!
On this Christmas evening retreat.

[behaln]

Excellent travelogue Dada. Loved the poetic narration. It was a treat to read.

Could you please advice what was that Antenna on the bonnet of Duster.

[Abhinav V]

The winter is here,
So is the heater on fire.
I come home to my coffee after a long-dreary day,
The coffee on the table says travelogue is ready.
I turn the laptop on and it opens (team-bhp) with a bang,
SS-Traveller, it says, was the one who fired it.

My coffee says a lovely poem awaits,
I get my bean bag to sit back and relax.
I read a lovely poem as I have my coffee,
Waves of fresh air come from the mountains I see.
The waves takes me to the Queen of hills,
Where everything I see is covered in white.

The Duster is sliding and the humans are snow fighting outside,
The cook is frying Puris and brewing hot-tea inside.
I finish my cup along with the poem,
Only to realize I was having a dream
I close my laptop nonetheless feeling fresh and bright



Well,
Just felt like trying my luck at poetry,
I was totally re-energized after reading the poem and the Queen of hills is just mesmerizing to say the least.