[sen2009]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

...
Lack or proper upbringing, family issues, genetic pool defect due to inbreeding? We can only speculate

That's the coolest translation yet of the all pervasive indian phrase.

[tanwaramit]

amazing travelogue. This area must be known to you like back of your home.

We wannabes for travel to such places, often shift back and forth with the travelogue and map to understand Oh so now TSK reached here, accha, where is this place, if you dropped a plan to one area, so again shuffling to that map to understand why. So this was just a suggestion of if have a map of the region where you were traveling, it will be boon for people like us.

Anyway, will try to do something like that whenever I plan to create my travelogue

[tsk1979]

Will try to post a kml screenshot.
But in this case there is no confusion.
From manali its a single road which goes upto rohtang. No diversions etc.,

[tanwaramit]

cool, thanks. will check out on other mapsites too about the road, the places and stoppages.

Thanks for considering the request.

[lethalhawk]

Wonderful travelogue tsk. My jaw was open for quite some time, after seeing your pics..
Planning the Leh trip during last week of July.. I pray, that the weather is manageable

[tsk1979]

Thanks hawk. July is monsoon time, and if monsoon is very active expect delays in the foothills due to landslide. Normally, the Manali-Leh highway ignores the monsoon, but then there are freak years like 2006, when the entire section was thoroughly flooded. there is a leh thread going on the the route queries question. You can start following that.

[The Iceman]

That is one beautiful triplog there tsk. Lahaul and Spiti valley never cease to charm. The land is challenging. The views breathtaking. Great work with the elephant.

[keyurshah]

My feelings can be best expressed by one simple word - JEALOUS
I myself had planned a trip from Mumbai - Leh - Manali - Mumbai last year. However, due to job change was not able to undertake the same. Man, ever since I started reading your travelogue (nearly an hour now) I have not been able to focus on work. All I am doing is asking myself - What am I doing here
Excellent travelogue sir!!! Indeed you must have enjoyed every bit of the drive. Safari, Snow, Manali - Splendid combination.

[aniketi]

Thanks TSK for really good pics. It was truly amazing stuff. So is there need to take big vehicle only like safari (4X4)? Normal cars can go there? In ice?

[cLJ]

Amazing pictures; really lot of ice. Due to climate change, who knows, if the ice will remain there in the times to come.

CLJ

[tsk1979]

Normal cars make it to Rohtang in summers when route officially opens. However, in these conditions even 4x4s have it pretty tough.

[pravdr]

Originally Posted by sen2009

That's the coolest translation yet of the all pervasive indian phrase.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

The light is fading, and its getting cloudy. Just like any other evening this time. Every evening clouds gather at rohtang, threaten to burst, and then scatter away.
the views from the guest house
Attachment 324882

Attachment 324883

Attachment 324884

We set out for the Gulaba road. Time to do a few kms driving on the tarmac, and take a walk in the woods
Attachment 324885

Attachment 324886

The woods are dark. Earlier in the day we had seen some bovine skulls and bones. Maybe a predator lurks within?
Attachment 324887

Its a short short walk, and then we had back to the safari
Attachment 324888

Daylight is fading, and we have little time. But no worries.
We decide to check out a local waterfall, spoilt with packets of chips and bottles of coke. Why would somebody throw plastic waste into the pristine waterfall?
Lack or proper upbringing, family issues, genetic pool defect due to inbreeding? We can only speculate

dear tsk

telling comment on the way indians picnick. i have been distressed similarly on numerous occasions like a bunch of teenagers throwing pet coke bottles into periyar make etc etc.

enivironmental education should be made a school subject.

regards

pg

Thankfully, the beauty of the fall is still intact.
We climb up on the slipper slopes
Attachment 324889
and take pictures
Attachment 324890

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Its getting real dark now. One last destination, a mead below gulaba.
the smooth tarmac ensures its just a 5 minutes drive.

Its dark, but a tripod and long exposure ensures there is enough light
Attachment 324892

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Attachment 324894

With a led torch, we check out the bones. There are a lot of them scattered here and there, and some of them seem to be of young calves. Up here maybe its a leopard, or a bear?
With such happy thoughts and night falling, its time to scamper back to the car
Attachment 324895

Its dark now, and we head back to our guest house.

Our journey has ended and tomorrow will be a boring ride back to the daily grind.
And so, a great trip comes to an end.

In closing, a couple of starry sky shots taken on the last night

There is no moon to light up the landscape.
Here is the orion to the southern skies
Attachment 324900

And here is the polaris, the anchor, the star which has told explorers for millenia which direction is north
Attachment 324901

Time to bid good night, and the END


__THE END__

dear tsk

telling comments on littering by marauding touristers. finally it boils down to the factors mentioned by you.

environmental health should be madea compulsory school subject.

its time children teach their parents a bit.

regards

pg

[simply_sunny001]

tanveer

your travelogues and your travelling spirit always seems to amaze me.kudos to you

another masterpiece of a travelogue and its a pleasure to read your travelogues and see the wonderful pictures.

keep them coming.

cheers

[VLOCT]

That's a superb travelogue. Great photographs. Looks very challenging for most people. Congrats.

[Abhiknov]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Kothi has a decent hotel called Sagoo valley cafe, and PWD rest house. The PWD one is very very basic, like all PWDs, and you need to book well in advance. Basically you send them a nicely written application.
If you are not upto it for very budget accos, you can stay at the small hotels in palchan(as good as kothi)

I've booked the PWD guest house for the 24th april weekend. My wife isn't too keen on a budget acco but i am. Can you please describe the place a little in terms of facilities. Our 5 month old daughter will be along with us. (She travels in her car seat and has grown a liking to my red elephant, going by the smile she flashes moment her eyes fall on the bright red color). The toilet facilities should be a little hygenic. If you got some pictures please share, otherwise i fully trust your descriptive skills. What is the scope of getting a better hotel in Kothi itself (i like the peace and quiet) just in case the Guest house is rejected. How much are the charges for the PWD guest house room as we've just called some aquaintance to book it for us and dont know the tarrif?
Also what road should i take from ambala to skip chandigarh? Does it save time/distance?