This summer I had to get away from the blistering heat of bangalore.though the temaparature was at a max of 33, i had to get to a cooler place.so my parents, sis, and I decided on manali.what I didnt know was the place which I hoped would be cool would turn out to be freezing. We got on the first flight to delhi.(There were no regular flights to manali).MAN ITS NOT EASY TO GET UP AT 5.OOAM!!!i had to get up early for once, and from delhi we went to chandigargh.after spending the night there, as soon as the cock crowed, we were heading off in a taxi to manali around 300kms away.it took around 7 hrs.the worst part was cuz I forgot 2 bring my discman along, i had to spend time listening to punjabi songs.the driver was seriously addicted to punjabi songs in which atleast once in 30 sec, i could hear the phrase ’’Balle, Balle’’.whatever does that mean.anyways within around four hours the temparature, started to fall. somewhere here here, the river beas started flowing and it followed us all the way uptil manali like a faithful dog.the water was freezing and I wasnt allowed to go white water raftig howmuch ever I asked.OK mebbe it WAS dangerous, but iwanna try everything.
somewhere after kullu, i thought I could see some white stuff.There was a sudden adrenaline rush cuz I realized it was snow and it was the first time in my 14yrs dat I was seein it.anyone will lose their breath, seeing snow capped himalayas standing majestically almost kissing the sky.we arrived in manali and very soon I could feel my teeth vibrating vigorously.i was had just worn a jacket over a shirt, and until we reached the hotel, i had to stay that way cuz my clothes were in the suitcase.we went to a cozy hotel which itself was on a small hill.the name-apple orchard or something.i put on a few woolens and went out to see the city.
its such a beautiful little city.this was around nighttime and many small shops were open.my mom bought a few antiques which were quite pretty.u get football and basketball jerseys cheaply if u r an ardent fan of either sport.i was of the latter and I bought myself a few jerseys.we had dinner in a cozy but expensive chinese restaurant and headed back to the hotel and tucked in for the night.the next day we saw some local places.some temple called hadamba or kadamba temple and we visited a park with HUUUUUGE pine trees.there was also not one but two movies being shot in the same park.one was something called DOSTI and the other-KOYI MIL GAYA, Part-II.though I dont dig hindi actors that much, i wanted to see the actors and I saw hrithik roshan, lara dutta, priyanka chopra and lara dutta.(she is quite cute.heh, heh).i din want their autographs but my sis took them cuz she likes them.or maybe she just has a crush on roshan.anyways it was dusk by now and we just sat down by the river beas and the silhoutted giant trees and in the foreground lay THE HIMALAYAS.This was more than a feast for the eyes.
we headed back to the hote and after dinner, we turned in to the night , and the moon lit up the night.next day I got up at my usual time of 8.00 and my dad told me that we were going to rohtangg pass of which I had heard a lot.this area was full of snow and I was dieng to see this.on the hotel tourist guy’s advice, i put theremals, and over that a lakers T-shirt, over that a thick sweater and over that a veeert thick jacket.it could be that cols.like I was scaling the himalayas.we went by the taxi and on the way many clothes rent shop lay.like I needed any more.but on the drivers advice, we stopped at one shop.the shop keeper laughed at me telling what I had worn wasnt enough for the blistering cold up.i was made to wear a track kindda thing which was atleast 4 inches thick. we also rented 2 pair of skiis.one for me and the other for my sis.we also took a guide along.after all of us were dreesed, with gloves, snow boots and around 6 garments, we were ascending the mountain again.
halfway up at a place called’’Snow point’’, we had to stop cuz the road was covered with snow.here we climbed up a hill and there was snow everywhere.there were as many tourists also.the guide who was a skiier also, helped me put on the skiis and after a few wobbles, i was off with him holding me.very soon, i could ski without anyhelp.it was my dream to ski.after a few hours in the snow where I hit my parents and sis with many snowballs, we headed back down to manali.after returning the rental stuff, we headed to the hotel and spent the last nite in manali.
next morning we were off again towards chandigargh.i took a last look at this beautiful place and bidded adieu to this place of snow capped mountains.it would be quite some time to be back and I enjoyed this beautiful place very much. after this, nuthin much.we went back to chandigargh, and from there delhi and we returned to good old bangalore in the last flight from delhi at 12am.I’m never gonna forget this beautiful place and if u wanna get away this summer somewhere, the answer is MANALI-The queen of the himalayas.
P.S-This was my first time so maybe I didnt make this review very interesting, but I need to write a few more b4 i’m better.
Pros : This is the perfect getaway from the hustle-bustle of the city
Cons: Cons, what cons?