Three First Timers & Mountains to Cross!

laluks · 12th January 2009, 23:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by kittigadu

Now your travelogue has the same effect on me.
The mountains always mesmerized me and thanks to you for capturing the beauty. Have read stories of people getting stuck, warning not to go without a 4x4 and all sorts of things, somehow you made it look so simple.
Please post more pictures of this wonderful journey.

Regards,
Krishna.

Exactly, the simplicity of the trip is amazing. Everybody has a first time, but yours made a smile on my face with the joy of your achievement.

Great going..

WanderNomad · 13th January 2009, 04:01

Amazing pics. Which camera was this?

unni.ak · 13th January 2009, 07:00

You seriously should write more. Rather, travel and write more!! It felt so from the heart. Wishing you many more wonderful trips ahead.

adc · 13th January 2009, 10:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashpillai

We reached Chitkul at around 9.30 am and the sight of the gates meant that we had finally completed a journey we had set on almost a decade ago when we were younger, single and the emotions we experienced were beyond description!!

Great candid and simple but infinitely refreshing travelogue. While going to Sangla you must have met the baba who gives a prasad and says "all time best!!!!

Also one picture of Chitkul that you took almost matches with what I had on this thread

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post1024815

Was the hotels open around November, particularly the Pancholi Resort, the last hotel out there. Also is suprised to see less snow cover on the mountains than was there in late September/early October.

Next time do stay at Chitkul, it is again much better than Sangla and Rakcham. However from Chitkul a few hours spent in Rakcham is also very refreshing. Chitkul is amazing.

Ashpillai · 13th January 2009, 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by WanderNomad

Amazing pics. Which camera was this?

My 6 year old DSC 100 Cybershot. I wish I had a better camera, the place is so beautiful, you can never do justice with a point and shoot camera.

rajshenoy · 13th January 2009, 15:16

Wow..you are indeed first time lucky

i have been driving for years and never managed to get time to do a trip like this..perhaps you are luckier because you are in north

But nice way to start ..hope to see more of long drives and pics

HappyWheels · 13th January 2009, 15:17

AshPillai,

One hell of a travelogue! Some very beautiful places that you have been to and that too with a 1.5year old baby.

From the way Rahul has taken this trip, seems like he will grow up to be a great traveller!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashpillai

...This was the story of a lot of firsts!! first car, first drive, first time.....and of course first wife and first kid!!!...

You are asking for trouble, aren't you! I can understand all the "first's", except for the "wife" part!

Ashpillai · 13th January 2009, 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

You are asking for trouble, aren't you! I can understand all the "first's", except for the "wife" part!

Ha Ha HA. My wife keeps threatening me that she will leave me if the trips like these are not more frequent and in todays wonderful colleges neither do they pay and nor do they give you time off, so I guess the danger is always there!!

nnandi · 13th January 2009, 16:06

Brilliantly written travelogue, Ash, hits the heart straight! Lovely pictures to augment the piece. this surely looks like veteran's job, the writing and the snaps!
I stayed in Chandigarh for more than a year, don't know why I never heard about this place back in 2000! Tempts me to try the north now!

Cheers and keep travelling and then posting those!
-Nandi.

getsurya · 13th January 2009, 16:44

Awesome write up...very emotionally laced!! Good pics to support!! Way to GO!!

jaysmokesleaves · 13th January 2009, 17:05

Hey that was a very ' straight from the heart' travelogue. And some very nice pictures that bring alive very recent memories for me.
Chitkul is one place that will always remain on my 'revisit' list. The place is captivating and stunning.
Hope you do get to revisit it again and again too.
cheers:

Ashpillai · 14th January 2009, 10:38

Hey Thanks Guys!!! You know what I had been "almost scared" of posting a travelogue. In fact having one of ours at Team-Bhp was another dream we had and to consider the kind of responses you have given, Man we are happy!!

I have been using a 6 year old Cybershot DSC 100. I look forward to owning DSLR, till then please enjoy few more "point and shoot" output!!

This one is somewhere on way to Shimla. There was one very scary moment;

Three First Timers & Mountains to Cross!-daybreak.jpg

An hour into the drive, I was shocked to find that I had drifted into the way of an oncoming bus! Had to break suddenly and then realized that even though, I had not been sleeping, I had practically entered a state of trance like suspended animation. Previous night Rahul had "permitted" us to sleep at 2.30 am, so we had made the mistake of beginning the trip practically without sleep!!
Lesson: Never Compromise on Sleep on Long Drives

The Tea Break before Kufri.

Three First Timers & Mountains to Cross!-tea-break.jpg

Shockingly, my son has displayed an affinity for tea!! These days we are trying to fool him by offering him Bournvita as "Chai" which he specifically asks for when we have our cups!!

The Breakfast at Hatu.

Three First Timers & Mountains to Cross!-breakfast-hatu.jpg

We ordered bread omlette and veg cutlets for Rahul. One can always wonder, how good can a bread omlette be? After all it is bread onlette!! Beleive me, those guys do make one that is simply delicious. If not for the scenic beauty and the fact that they stock IMFL, I would recomend Hotel Hatu for its Bread Omlette!!

The Satluj at Rampur.

Three First Timers & Mountains to Cross!-satluj.jpg

We specifically opted for this spot to click as this was one place where almost all Bhpians seem to stop to click!!

I really would like to know what the hell happened here

Three First Timers & Mountains to Cross!-what-happened.jpg

View from our room at Hotel Shrikhand, Sarahan. I call this "thankfully out of Focus"!!

Three First Timers & Mountains to Cross!-thankfully-out-focus.jpg

View of Shrikhand Mahadev Peak from the hotel room.

Three First Timers & Mountains to Cross!-shrikhand-mahadev.jpg

Funny how Gods have practically occupied the most beautiful places in India; Kerala (God's Own Country) and Himachal (Land of the Gods)!! Wah!!

The drive to Sangla was exciting.

Three First Timers & Mountains to Cross!-way-sangla.jpg

And as a person who is driving in the mountains for the absolute first time, when I say "exciting", it means so many other things, I cannot put in here. The forum rules do not permit that!!

Sangla was a let down of sorts. But the surrounding peaks were definitely not!

Three First Timers & Mountains to Cross!-peaks-sangla.jpg

My attempts at cleaning the windscreen!

Three First Timers & Mountains to Cross!-ice.jpg

I spared water, ducked inside the car to get the rag, total time spend would have been few seconds and this happened!! And to imagine that the water had a cleaning solution in it that is also supposed to prevent fogging and freezing!!

kuttapan · 15th January 2009, 00:02

Man, splendid travelogue and amazing pics too, to boot. Everyone has a first time, all you need is a will to do it and you displayed it in plenty.

Expecting to see more from you. Hoping you get a DSLR too

, so that you can taken even better pics.

13th January 2009, 04:01	#17
WanderNomad BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Delhi Posts: 271 Thanked: 11 Times	Amazing pics. Which camera was this?
	() Thanks

13th January 2009, 07:00	#18
unni.ak BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 777 Thanked: 84 Times View My Garage	You seriously should write more. Rather, travel and write more!! It felt so from the heart. Wishing you many more wonderful trips ahead.
	() Thanks

13th January 2009, 15:16	#21
rajshenoy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: bangalore Posts: 2,885 Thanked: 2,230 Times View My Garage	Wow..you are indeed first time lucky i have been driving for years and never managed to get time to do a trip like this..perhaps you are luckier because you are in north But nice way to start ..hope to see more of long drives and pics
	() Thanks

13th January 2009, 16:06	#24
nnandi BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 160 Thanked: 3 Times View My Garage	Brilliantly written travelogue, Ash, hits the heart straight! Lovely pictures to augment the piece. this surely looks like veteran's job, the writing and the snaps! I stayed in Chandigarh for more than a year, don't know why I never heard about this place back in 2000! Tempts me to try the north now! Cheers and keep travelling and then posting those! -Nandi.
	() Thanks

13th January 2009, 16:44	#25
getsurya Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,641 Thanked: 1,929 Times View My Garage	Awesome write up...very emotionally laced!! Good pics to support!! Way to GO!!
	() Thanks

13th January 2009, 17:05	#26
jaysmokesleaves Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Mostly Mumbai Posts: 1,702 Thanked: 1,452 Times	Hey that was a very ' straight from the heart' travelogue. And some very nice pictures that bring alive very recent memories for me. Chitkul is one place that will always remain on my 'revisit' list. The place is captivating and stunning. Hope you do get to revisit it again and again too. cheers:
	() Thanks

14th January 2009, 10:38	#27
Ashpillai BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Mohali Posts: 52 Thanked: Once	Hey Thanks Guys!!! You know what I had been "almost scared" of posting a travelogue. In fact having one of ours at Team-Bhp was another dream we had and to consider the kind of responses you have given, Man we are happy!! I have been using a 6 year old Cybershot DSC 100. I look forward to owning DSLR, till then please enjoy few more "point and shoot" output!! This one is somewhere on way to Shimla. There was one very scary moment; An hour into the drive, I was shocked to find that I had drifted into the way of an oncoming bus! Had to break suddenly and then realized that even though, I had not been sleeping, I had practically entered a state of trance like suspended animation. Previous night Rahul had "permitted" us to sleep at 2.30 am, so we had made the mistake of beginning the trip practically without sleep!! Lesson: Never Compromise on Sleep on Long Drives The Tea Break before Kufri. Shockingly, my son has displayed an affinity for tea!! These days we are trying to fool him by offering him Bournvita as "Chai" which he specifically asks for when we have our cups!! The Breakfast at Hatu. We ordered bread omlette and veg cutlets for Rahul. One can always wonder, how good can a bread omlette be? After all it is bread onlette!! Beleive me, those guys do make one that is simply delicious. If not for the scenic beauty and the fact that they stock IMFL, I would recomend Hotel Hatu for its Bread Omlette!! The Satluj at Rampur. We specifically opted for this spot to click as this was one place where almost all Bhpians seem to stop to click!! I really would like to know what the hell happened here View from our room at Hotel Shrikhand, Sarahan. I call this "thankfully out of Focus"!! View of Shrikhand Mahadev Peak from the hotel room. Funny how Gods have practically occupied the most beautiful places in India; Kerala (God's Own Country) and Himachal (Land of the Gods)!! Wah!! The drive to Sangla was exciting. And as a person who is driving in the mountains for the absolute first time, when I say "exciting", it means so many other things, I cannot put in here. The forum rules do not permit that!! Sangla was a let down of sorts. But the surrounding peaks were definitely not! My attempts at cleaning the windscreen! I spared water, ducked inside the car to get the rag, total time spend would have been few seconds and this happened!! And to imagine that the water had a cleaning solution in it that is also supposed to prevent fogging and freezing!!
	() Thanks

15th January 2009, 00:02	#28
kuttapan Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,155 Thanked: 22 Times View My Garage	Man, splendid travelogue and amazing pics too, to boot. Everyone has a first time, all you need is a will to do it and you displayed it in plenty. Expecting to see more from you. Hoping you get a DSLR too , so that you can taken even better pics.
	() Thanks