Trip to Switzerland of India!

Out of habit you tend to ask your friends/colleagues, "so how was your weekend/week?" and generally I don’t have much to say. This time I had so much to say that every time this q pops in I start from where and when I started this jorney/vacation/a trip. Ever since I have landed on my working home, Pune, I wanted to compile this short some-type-of-logue (not exactly a travelogue) that summarizes my north trip with my sweet little family.

So here it goes:

Day 1: Start from Pune DC to Mumbai airport to catch the 2nd last flight to Delhi. I reach 2 hrs before schedule and the flight is late by 40 mins. Songs/writings/magazines/snacks kept me busy and long 3 hrs passed away in a jiffy, happily (happiness was more bcoz it was a much awaited trip to North. Especially so bcoz im classified under the North Indian category had never really got a chance to taste the real NORTH INDIAN FLAVOUR)

Day 2: Starts from midnight 0030 hrs, waiting for my luggage. GoAir sucks! Met bro after a long time. Had food from a dhaba and slept. Travelled all across Delhi from Gurgaon to visit the Taj for some session. Visited Qutab Minar, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament house and The India gate. Wanted to witness a sunset behind India gate which was happily defeated, thanks to Delhi traffic. Had to rush back to New Delhi station to catch train to Bhatinda. Unfortunately I again reached station 1 ½ hrs before to find the train is late by 3 hrs. You wont believe this. I paid Rs. 10 to charge my phone. Sounded funny but was in desperate needs. Train was thankfully only 3 hrs late.

Day 3: Got down at one of the oldest city of Punjab, Bhatinda. With temperatures dipping drastically since past 2 days, it was a tuff morning in a comparatively crowded city that still looks like the oldest city in the country let alone Punjab. Drove straight to Amritsar, enroute witnessing the “kanak” of the country (they call kanak = wheat = sona). Wanted to visit the Golden temple before/during and just after sunrise. All plans in vain thanks to Indian railways! Nonetheless was a great experience in the holy city of Amritsar. Visited Jallianwala Baugh too. Speechless. Bullet marks are still evident. Then we had to travel a mammoth 5000 fts above sea level in just 83kms from Pathankot (It is a meeting point of the three northern states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir). Entered “Himmachal ki vadiyaan” and headed straight to Dalhousie. Locales say that their prime season is May/June but you can still enjoy the weather in November, trust me. I wanted to witness snowfall in Dalhousie. Unfortunately temperatures came close to 3 degrees but it dint snow! L

Day 4: 1000fts above, 24 kms away from Dalhousie is Khajjiar, Mini Switzerland of India! True! Havent seen such landscapes till date! Superb! Very picturesque. Zorbing was fun too. Came back to the small town of Dalhousie and visited local market. Amazed to know that Himmachal Pradesh is known for its loyalty and truthfulness. Koi chori dakaiti nahi.

Day 5: Started for Dharamshala, located on the foothills of Himalayas. We were getting closer to the Himalayas by the day. Reached Mcleodganj, the Tibetan government-in-exile is headquartered here. You feel you are in Tibet. Visited Dalai Lama’s monastery, local sight seeing, local market. Local market has a lot for you girls out there. Crazy stuffs! Only one shop for we football fans! Still cudnt find MANUTD’s home jersey. Out of stock!

Day 6: Journey to temple circuit begins. Chamunda devi > Kangra Devi > Jwalaji (Researchers still dnt know why there is a never ending Jwala in the temple. Strange but true!) > Chintpurni > Nainadevi. Then on our way to Chandigarh visited the holy shrine of Anandpur Sahib and reached the Union territory cum capital city of Chandigarh!

Day 7: Mansa Devi. Temple circuit ends, tp begins. Met a few friends at Chandigarh DC. Couldn’t meet all of them. Was in a hurry!

Day 8: Didi ki shaadi attend ki aur ghar aa gaya yaar.. !!Punju wedding!! ;-) In all it was a great trip with almost 1600 kms drive (not me re.. taxi tha)! Reached Pune on time for office this Monday!

Not sure how many will have the patience to read this! Still have penned it down!!

Have fun and do visit Punjab! Any help, always there!
Keep Smiling!!