We had a 10 to 6 scheduled site seeing tour number 8 today which included
Got up around 8, had mast hot shower, designed Adobe around myself and was the first proud breaker of the fast! My supreme breakfast was repeated… eggs, toast, corn flakes and juice with a bite or two from the southie breakfaster – my dad! I repeat – yum!! And I repeat – stupid me!! The ghats upset my stomach and I shouldn’t have eaten as much!
We got on the bus near the tourism office where a total of 8 tour lines were conducted! And Uttarakhand Tourism is not as developed yet as I mentioned! Utter confusion all around…2 people from tour number 2 got on the bus… the operator (haah! A 75 who had no teeth) informed them that this bus was not for tour number 2.
‘Then which bus is it?’
Asks the driver and comes back, ‘There is no bus for tour number two now’
‘Then when is it?’
‘There is no bus today for tour number two’
‘Oh! Then, how come they gave us today’s ticket?’
‘I don’t know, the tour number two only operates in winters’
‘So, should we come back in winter for the wretched tour??’
‘That is a good idea! The climate in winter is a bit too cold… but the crowd is comparatively less… You will have no problems with hotel bookings and…’
‘Are you mad? What are we going to do today?’
‘You can come in tour number eight’
‘OK…’ and they settle down.
‘But not today’
‘Then when, in winters?’
‘The booking is full today’
The couple stare at 6 pair of eyes in the 24 seater bus staring back… the guy checks his watch (I check mine that displayed 10:24, the tour was supposed to leave at 10) they look at each other and then at the operator… Frustration clearly shown, they get off the bus and silently get on some random tour bus…
The driver starts the bus and the horror ride began… Such narrow roads and such windings… and then suddenly, the screeching of brakes that lasted for long seconds… And 6 hearts used to sigh when they found themselves still up and alive!
Erm, Right opposite to our seat… sat two guys… 20 somethings… cute enough… one of them resembled this guy I used to work with and had a huge crush on… Hmmm… I should mind my snoring!!
The bus picked up another 8 people from some destination and the actual tour was about to begin… What fun without a controversy or two! Yeah three happened! With a bunch threatening to get off and on and off! Southies versus Northies! And finally this kid cried ‘Papa’ a thousand times in a breath for the guy who had got off to buy coffee thinking the fight would hold long! The operator almost threw out the family – the wife and 3 kids… just when the ‘Papa’ climbed up the bus triumphutantly and gave the savior look to his wife who snarled at him and the rest is history…
Manali said the fall wouldn’t be as interesting as Khopoli, Bhivpuri, Tappalwadi or Palasdhari… But I found it highly delightful… And as my family roamed around point to point, I settled on a rock in the middle of the waterfall and pretty much enjoyed my existence in between the gushing water…
I hate tours… they take you to wonderful places, the operators shout deadlines at you… you hurriedly go through how much ever you can see from all the angels, take photographs as proof to show others that you’ve really been here… And rush to another such experience…
And in between all of this, you completely forget the purpose of it all… You’ve come to relax, darlings!! Feel the place… Look around… Observe… And that doesn’t mean ‘click click click’! Pick a spot and settle down… Breathe the place and go down with pictures not on your 2 GBs and 4GBs, importantly on your more permanent memory cards! And you’ll be able to re-experience it for a much much longer time. Rushing through the shops doesn’t give me much peace… neither does buying souvenirs… Watch the little girls selling the stuff… from a distance… If you can think of how their lives must be pacing, you’ve got the worth of the tour!
Got some nice clicks before boarding the bus… The 3 kid family was late again and this time the other passengers supported the operator helping him dampen the triumph the guy had on his face! The guy sobered down after that…
The temples were okayish… and the giddiness was a bit superlative till we reached Dhanaulti… the whether went cold and foggy… Enter the feeling of the
Well, all in all, Uttarakhand is a no non sense state… at least with whatever I have noticed… People are pretty genuine… Not too ignorant and indifferent and not over polite or fake… They have taken an effort to maintain the sanctity of the place… No unnecessary over charging, be it food or transport or entries to parks and aquariums or boating rides or ropeways or whatever it is… and they pretty much maintain quality…
The Mussouri lake is pretty small and we noticed, artificially created… But the boat ride was fun… Me and mom steered and P and dad pedaled… And you should have been there to see the coordination… You would’ve given up all hopes on us as a family… Hilarious…
The tour dropped us at
Finally his wait was over and he got out the Fosters! Ordered dinner… and settled for the day… We are planning to cook in the room tomorrow! No, no bonfires or anything, they have hotplates! See yaa tomorrow!
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