[ashishmathur14]

Man !! amazing travelogue and pictures. Good to know you have people at home ready to go on unplanned adventures and long drives like these.

That was an amazing journey, I have always seen the unplanned trips brings in more memories and fun, somehow while planning we are so much into executing the plan , that we miss the fun at times.

[neoonwheels]

Beautiful bird captures as always Nice travelogue.

[S@~+#0$#]

Enjoyed reading the travelogue Amol, very well written. Superb pics as always!

[FuelInjector]

wonderful photography! great travelogue. hope you have more of these great ones ..

[NPV]

Now, that's what a vacation should be! A whole lot fun at the drop of hat, without the troubles of booking in advance (read commitments!) keeping the whole trip flexible
Excellent travelogue and awesome pictures, thanks for sharing Wishing you many more such trips.

I was curious seeing the "Wildzests" credits/watermark on the pictures so googled and found your blog - amazing!

[dsnaveen21]

Super pictures, love the camera, are you a photographer? Sometimes unplanned destinations are best.

[amolpol]

Originally Posted by ampere

You truly illustrated the statement the whole is more than sum of its parts! Small parts of happiness here and there; and you have BIG vacation!

Thanks, that's a pretty nice summation and perfectly true in this case.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

Wonderful trip(s)!

Sarahan - nice place it seems. Possible to club with any other locations nearby?

What is the last photo in post 4??

If you're going in the summer then you can club it with a lot of places on the Spiti route. Sangla and Chitkul aren't very far away and they're also one of those heavenly non-commercialized places you must see. Kalpa is nearby with a view of the Kinner Kailash, another stunning place. Or you could go all the way to Kaza and that's pretty much a dejavu of the ladakh terrain minus the high passes.

During winters, the Kinnaur and Spiti districts get really cold to minus 15 and below. But the good thing is that the road until Kaza remains open all through the year (mostly). So you could potentially drive up to Kaza and back if you stay protected from the cold and you take measures against diesel freezing at those temperatures. This one is still on my list to do, a driving holiday in winter to Spiti and/or Ladakh.

The last photo in post #4 is a reflection of the lake in Bharatpur. It plays tricks on your mind, isnt it?

Originally Posted by 4x4power

Congratulations. Nice pictures. Absolutely stunning place.

Thanks 4x4power, with most of the erstwhile beautiful tourist places getting over commercialized, these lesser known spots are what we prefer.

Originally Posted by Pandher

Beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing

We packed our bags the same night and left in the morning without any itinerary. I miss those awesome trips

Exactly, we've done so many of these trips and I can still remember most of them. Thats the beauty of such experiences, they get a special memory zone in your brain.

Originally Posted by vb-san

Awesome travelogue garnished with some well-crafted pictures. And such a lovely group with three happy kids
Really liked the way you structured this write-up, with just the right amount of photos. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks vb-san, it was a perfect combination of beautiful places and the awesome little travelers that made this trip a big success.

Originally Posted by ashishmathur14

Man !! amazing travelogue and pictures. Good to know you have people at home ready to go on unplanned adventures and long drives like these.

That was an amazing journey, I have always seen the unplanned trips brings in more memories and fun, somehow while planning we are so much into executing the plan , that we miss the fun at times.

That's true Ashish, without support from a "crazy" family, such impromptu trips will never be as enjoyable.

I still remember a trip from early 2003 when my girlfriend and me just took off on a Sunday for a long ride from Mumbai and landed up in Mahabaleshwar. All we did there was ate Pav Bhaji at a stall near some lake and started our return journey. No maps, no preparation, no friends, no support, possibly no tools and no winter wear. Now that girlfriend, is my wife, so the craziness still continues.

Originally Posted by neoonwheels

Beautiful bird captures as always Nice travelogue.

Thansk neoonwheels, it was due for a long time, glad I could finish.

Originally Posted by S@~+#0$#

Enjoyed reading the travelogue Amol, very well written. Superb pics as always!

Thanks Santy!

Originally Posted by FuelInjector

wonderful photography! great travelogue. hope you have more of these great ones ..

Amen to that!

Originally Posted by NPV

Now, that's what a vacation should be! A whole lot fun at the drop of hat, without the troubles of booking in advance (read commitments!) keeping the whole trip flexible
Excellent travelogue and awesome pictures, thanks for sharing Wishing you many more such trips.

I was curious seeing the "Wildzests" credits/watermark on the pictures so googled and found your blog - amazing!

Thanks NPV. Thanks for reminding me of my blog that has been neglected since the beginning of the year, gotta work on getting that current.

Originally Posted by dsnaveen21

Super pictures, love the camera, are you a photographer? Sometimes unplanned destinations are best.

Thanks DSNaveen. You're right, I'm a photographer, enjoy mostly wildlife and nature.

[Contrapunto]

I remember a saying by Sri Sri, "if you have the means, choose to buy experience, instead of buying 'things'- it will be a lot more fulfilling". You truly embody that message. Keep posting, and keep inspiring others !

[alphadog]

Amolpol, Fantastic travelogue!. Really enjoyed reading throught it. The pictures of the birds are so well taken, your wildlife photography skills are commendable.
Thank you for sharing.

Sometimes the best vacations and journeys happen when things are unplanned.

[sandeepmohan]

I have to say, that is one heck of a good camera you got there. The colors are beautiful. Perfect exposure and light conditions.

Theft of the phone was scary. The height of the upper birth isn't too high on second AC. Still; it requires some courage for a thief to get in to your cubicle and nick the phone without anyone noticing. Always chain your luggage to the rings under the seat. Adds a level of safety.

The closest I've got to Himachal is Chandigarh and that is because my wife is from there. We have never had the chance to explore the Northern part of our beautiful country. Your trip report and pictures could not have come at a better time as I am headed up north in a couple of weeks. Let us see, might just make it to Sarahan, this time around.

[SwatiS]

Beautiful photographs

[swiftnfurious]

I am just wonderstruck with the photos. Many of them are proper wall paper material. Great write up too. Thanks a lot for sharing.

[Aanshikseth]

The travelogue is beautifully written and the photographs are stunning! I myself am into birding and Ganeshgudi (Old Magazine House) is a photographer's delight! Been there for two years in a row and have always come across numerous bird species. The nearby Dandeli - Anshi reserve is also teeming with life!

Love the shot of the Sarus crane through the fog and the shot of the Fortuner complimenting the rugged landscape behind, breathtakingly beautiful!

Hope I'd get to drive up the Shivaliks and Himalayas sometime soon.

Cheers!