It was a decision that required a lot of courage and planning. I couldn’t have woken up one day and packed my bags and decided to leave, as I often do. I had to go over a list of things I needed over and over again and every time I went through it, it seemed…
Tag: himachal pradesh
Solo in Sissu: Of Hikes and Contemplations
I woke up to the sun spilling into my room through the glass window. The first thing I saw after opening my eyes that morning was a valley bathed in sun, flanked by snowcapped mountains and a seemingly tiny waterfall flowing into a gorge and further into the Chandra River. And I immediately fell home….
Exploring Sissu, Unearthing Lahauli Culture and History
For long I had wanted to travel slow to Leh by road, exploring the little villages that fell on the Manali- Leh Highway but one thing came after another until the weather prevented me from chasing my dreams. It was one chilly rainy Bir evening when I was sitting curled up under a blanket, finishing some…
Lahaul: A Comprehensive Guide to an Overlooked Gem
Lahaul is… I can’t find the words to describe what Lahaul is. No, really. I spent about 20 minutes staring at a blank screen thinking of how I could do justice to the beauty Lahaul is. But I finally gave up and decided to take an hour-long break to come up with at least a…
13 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Travel to Spiti Valley
Yes, you read that right! While there are a number of tour operators selling the mystical land of Spiti Valley all over the world wide web, and while there are countless blog posts (including mine) that list out the charms of this high altitude barren land of Himachal Pradesh, I’m here to tell you differently….
Offbeat Jammu- More Than Just the City of Temples
As I was waiting for my metro to arrive in Delhi, a kind gentleman saw me with me lugging my bags and asked me, ”kaha ja rahi ho beti?” (Where are you headed to, child?) I responded with a smile, “Jammu”. “To visit Vaishno Devi?”, he asked and I just shook my head no, still…
From Dharamshala to Kareri Lake, and Everything in Between!
| OCTOBER 2018 | The perfect Himachali village doesn’t exist, but I came across a place that is very (very) close to being perfect. Perfect for trekkers, perfect for those looking to find some peace, or perfect for digital nomads looking for a change of scenery. With electricity, running water, easy(ish) transport options, and a…
serendipity: Gettey Village, Spiti Valley
| AUGUST 2018 | …Since we had found ourselves in that direction, we decided to keep going ahead towards Key Monastery and visit Chandratal while coming back towards Manali… After spending a great day in Key Monastery, I headed towards Kaza to look for vehicles going towards Chandratal. But the local trade festival of Spiti,…
serendipity: Batal to Key Monastery, Spiti Valley
| AUGUST 2018 | …we were set to leave for Chandratal but the Universe had some other plans for me. Key Monastery, a beautiful Buddhist temple situated up on a hill, is as old as the 11th century. The box like structures that sit on top of each other is part of the 14th century…
serendipity: Delhi to Batal, Spiti Valley
| AUGUST 2018 | Like any other young traveller, I had a few must do’s in my list, and without much surprise, my list also included the vast, intimidating Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh with its naked treeless mountains and rubble for roads. And so, after seven months and nine destinations of travelling frequently, I…