Rafting

Stud Machis

FInal Goodbye

Delhi Airport, from the flight...

In the park

Hadimba Temple...built in the 15th century..completely made of wood.

The tree fixation continues

Ravi Thakur..Bless the man. He's the proprietor of Himalayan Caravan...the agent who took care of everything for us and made our trip possible! Thanks Ravi!

Mr. Rabbit ofcourse..very hospitable..

BAck in the guest house

Watching the rain

The Morning After

THe calf that terrorised Naina (IT)

Rainy Day 3 - Trek Begins at Nehru Kund

Winding Roads

BAck in the tent..cozy..happy..resting aching body and feet

Home sweet Home

Successful..good job...good night!

On way back...dog tired...progress limited to all fours and bum

Ah...we can see the camp!!!

Tired but happy

Reached..!

Touched off Snow.

And Mist came rolling in...

Glacier

Touched off ice

This is Beas Kund, our destination and the place where river Beas originated. Sage Beas used to live here and take a dip in this lake every morning. How? I do not know...Part of the lake is frozen solid and its a marvel how the rest of the water in still liquid. IT wanted to jump in. But was suffering from a little altitude sickness and tiredness. So mountain goat went to fetch water from the lake in a bottle, for IT's mother.

The destination lies beyond the icy horizon

On top of the world...! Well..almost

The Seven Sisters...

The Seven sisters part 2

Mountain Goat

IT

Break No.1...it was followed by about 200 more i think

Trek Begins

First and Last bridge on the trek....After this we had to hop on lil boulders and cross mighty rivers!! Yes..mighty mighty rivers.

Shephard's daughter

Shephard's Son

Day 2 : First View of Hanuman Tippa. The mountain towards which we started to trek

Thankyou Thankyou god !!

The cook's tent

IT's plate

My Plate

Broken Bridge...

Unbroken Bridge

Tadaaaaaa!

Oooh...the snap b4 this one was scandalous... this is the family version.

Inside View of tent. So we reach the camp site 'Dhundi' after a hard 5 km walk and see a bunch of school kids having a picnic there!!!! Apparantly there are roads to the place....anyway, we were really tired, so the guide and helper pitch our tent and we immedietly get comfy inside. We're out cold for a couple of hours and then we step out - horror of horrors!!! there are atleast 87 kids around our tent, dancing and singing. It reminded me of local vegetable market. Just imaging taking a tent and putting it in the middle of a vegetable/fish market and falling asleep.

Acclimatisation walk..ahem..climb. That red speck is our guide who shall be hence forth refered to simply as the 'Mountain Goat'

Hill boy who went on like a broken record saying 'Toffee Do' 'Toffee Do'

The point where I decided that I was acclimatised enough and settled down. IT and mountain goat went off higher up.

Trek Begins. No the horses are not with us.

Along the river

Across the bridge

And to the Campsite. See the tiny yellow bump in the centre...? That's our tent.

bird watching

SOme rare birdie

Birdie on tank

Single Raven in Bare Tree

Very Rare Himalayan Bird

Sights

Apple Orchards all around

Haunted house

IT, Haunted

We acquired Weird Hobbies, made a star with torch light, captured on my camera, squealed, frightened british guy.

Happy Happy. Freezing cold water.

The travellers! Yay!

My Trademark snap

IT crashes

Tall Tall Trees in a park at Manali. We went here after lunch.

IT is tired. Wants to sleep here...I consider leaving IT here

IT sees water, excited. Tempted to push IT....

Into this....

IT rotated these things and prayed

IT rotated this too.

Lamp in front of the Dalai Lama's pic

Tibetan Monestry in Manali

IT, see the resemblance?

See the resemblance?

Camera on timer, I just made it!

Vasisht Temple. It has a natural hot water spring inside. IT jumped off inside while I stood by the sidelines and watched. IT was most upset that I did not dunk in. Well... the water was dirty...and am weird bout these things.

Zooming into the snow peaked mountains the next morning

Small very cute baby.

Not pleased to be with me

Just before starting to cry

IT and Mr.Rabet Singh Thakur a.k.a Mr.Rabbit - the owner of appleview guest house, having a chat.

Another tree with no leaves. I secretly nourish a passion for such trees.

River Beas, flowing alongside our guesthouse.

Growing in abundance all over the place :)

Ate this sitting on the footpath.

Saw the Community Hall. Was too tired to even walk by this time. Feet and head were hurting. IT claimed that i was succumbing to altitude sickness...I was begining to doubt traving by bus to Manali, next morning.

View from the bus stop, next morning. Decided to travel with headache. IT looks panicked everytime it looks at me. I look pale and very scared. I have motion sickness.

After terrible journey, reach Manali. I see snow peaked mountains from the roof of our guesthouse and come alive! Excitement!

So we did a little shopping. IT is tired now.

Bought Shawls for Mummy. Clicked random snaps.

Saw a tree with no leaves. The mist came rollin in.

This building is soooooooo old, am not sure how it's still standing. It looked haunted too. It was right next to our Youth Hostel. Oh yeah..thats where we stayed. According to IT, youth hostels were cheap and best. But we had a horrid experience there. Shimla Youth Hostel Sucks. DO NOT go there. The room was small, dingy and always damn. It smelled a bit funny too. The loo was like 1 ft by 1 ft. And a very questionable window used to close and open by itslef when we walked in and out.

The worst was when this bunch of men tried to open our door with a key! IT brought the roof down by screaming at them. They claimed it was by mistake...well, we were not so sure bout that. The man at the reception also got a earful from IT. (I found new respect for IT)

A station that we fell in love with. Like a fairy tale it appeared after a tunel. Very unlike India. Clean. Colourful.

It begins to display photographic talent. My mind begins to relax, It must be sane...after all.

The clock struck two! We reach Shimla.

Aaaaaaaaaah..the crowd the crowd...

Manali and Himalayas trek in pictures

It all started at 4:20! My flight took off from Bangalore International Airport, which by the way, is astounding! I flew to Delhi and took a train from there to Kalka.

Kalka Station, where me and IT got onto the Toy Train to Shilma.

IT kept pointing at some random plants and saying 'rose bush'. There was neither rose nor bush. (I start having serious doubts about IT's sanity)

A nice sation on way to Shimla. I have been on the road for nearly 24 hours now. Very very tired. IT, however is well fed and energetic. damn.

One of the 100 odd tunels on way to Shimla!

Travel

The Angel Opens her eyes...

Freedom to let go. Love to set free.

Trust that blinds and comforts and steals.

Beauty that captures a lifetime in a glance.

Understanding, joy, peace and sunshine

Feeting life, so little time...

Live, breathe, fly

Travel alone, smell of sea

the itch to run

hills with snow

solace, fear, danger, risk

unexplored, mind, mysteries, world

Breaking bonds but freeing the soul

queen of hearts, ugly, happy, free

It's the only way to live

Too short to compromise

Too short to keep dreams within

Too short to live curled up

Too short to give up

Too short to swallow those insane urges

Too short to let desires die

Too short to stay here...

Stare

Wretch

Sinking sinking beneath the happy fields

once was blue and and butterfly pink

the spirits rose clapping hands

rose too high, too high...perhaps too very high

for when the crash comes at last

it falls below the morning star

pain...numb...indifference and hurt

nothing matters, in solace is something amiss

high up above the darkening cloudy sky

we're running low across the paddy feilds

mad, insane, my hair flying loose

wind in tangels, feet like wings

breathing, panting, gasping for air

sweet innocence, the crisp blue air

birds look up to see me fly

i can't feel my body, am too fucking high

it's freedom..sad but simple

it's a moment of nothing left to lose

I love your skin oh so whiteI love your touch cold as ice

And I love every single tear you cry

I just love the way you're losing your life

Ohohohohoh my Baby, how beautiful you are

Ohohohohoh my Darling, completely torn apart

You're gone with the sin my Baby and beautiful you are

So gone with the sin my Darling

I adore the despair in your eyes

I worship your lips once red as wine

I crave for your scent sending shivers down my spine

I just love the way you're running out of life

Ohohohohoh my Baby, how beautiful you are

Ohohohohoh my Darling, completely torn apart

You're gone with the sin my Baby and beautiful you are

So gone with the sin my Darling

Old Bangalore

Silk Board Junction

South ParadeTown Hall
Memories in black and white, memories in grey...

memories that take you back, to a simpler day.

I yearn for peace in this city of dreams,

I search ceaselessly for some silent green

Stop the honking, hear the song of the wind,

leave your wheels behind, to walk in the rain

Reach out your palm and hold the droplets in your hand,

for one tiny moment, free yourself from the constraints of your mind...