The Camouflaged Escapade !!

Having woken up in the morning, the first thing she noticed was the sublime white powdery peak that was peeping from the glass window of her hotel room. It was a spectacular panorama. The sun was shining brightly giving the apex a heavenly appearance. Her joys had no boundaries!

The marriage date was decided to be on February 2018. With days passing by in lightning speed and heart beating heavily with each passing minute, she decided to embrace the Himalayas once again before she stepped into 2018. She tried convincing her favourite friend to accompany her for the trip one last time before tying the knot. To her surprise, he agreed and flew down from a foreign land to the capital city of India. None from her family knew about this secret voyage that both of them undertook in December 2017. All of the plannings were so sudden that she didn’t get the opportunity to tell her family about the trip and everyone was unaware of this trip.

And it was a camouflaged escapade for her.

The trip started from Delhi.

They knew they’re going to Manali but had no real plans of the places they’re going to visit in and around Manali.

Having reached their hotel in Vashisth (2-3 kms from the main town of Manali) the first thing that caught her attention was the two wheeler that was parked right at the entrance of the hotel. She was too excited to see one of her favourite model and couldn’t wait to be a pillion. The very next thing they did was to initiate a discussion with the person at the reception desk about the two wheeler and within the next few minutes, the two wheeler was theirs for the next 3 days as it happened to be one of the hotel staff’s possession who was kind enough to lend it to them :)

They hurriedly checked into their room, freshened up and started a slapdash ride through the twirling Himalayan highway with the meandering river, Beas accompanying them. That afternoon and evening they explored the endearing Manali.

Being nature lovers (without much interests in historical things), they visited the following places on the first day:

1. Hidimba Devi temple - it’s an ancient temple, situated amidst the tall cedars. The structure of the temple gives a cave like look. This famous temple is locally known as the Dhungari Temple and is dedicated to the wife of Bhima, Hidimbi Devi, figures of Sanskrit epic Mahabharat. Visiting this famous place serve 2 purposes. The first one being the ancient cave temple itself and the second one being the wildlife sanctuary that’s surrounding the temple. It’s called the Dhungiri Van Vihar. The undulating area is covered with tall evergreen cedars with the sun rays peeping through them. A walk through this stretch surrounded by tall trees with soft murmurs of the chilly wind is a rejuvenating experience.

2. The mall - The famous Manali mall is something that needs to be explored. Rich colours and charming shops all around adorns the Manali Mall. Shoppers are spoilt with choices. This is the perfect zone to satisfy your gastronomy as well with foods ranging from street style to different continental styles. This place satisfies the soul’s materialistic thirst.

The second day started with the first stop at the gas station for refuelling the bike. The random spots that were covered this day include:

1. Jana waterfall - this is a small cataract located in the quaint village of Jana which is around 35 kms away from the main town of Manali via Naggar. A stopover at Naggar can also be made en route Jana to visit the beautiful wooden carved Naggar castle to get a glimpse of the enthralling indoor architecture and fascinating outdoor landscape vistas. Once the soul is pleased with the Castle, the onward ride till the Jana waterfall seems more enchanting with more winding roads that goes into thicker woods bringing more adventures. The hike to the waterfall is a very easy one. The shadowy trail with sun rays peeping through the cedars and the deodars leads to the serene waterfall. Not much explored, this place is perfect for those who seek peace and solitude. Being tranquil explorers, this place made their trip a more enjoyable one. With a hungry stomach and upon reaching the base of the waterfall, the sight of the traditional Himachali Thali under the thatched roof of a local dhaba was something to die for. After such a delicious and fulfilling meal they started off for their next random spot.

2. Jogini waterfall - A ride through the bumpy spiral road took them to the base of the Jogini waterfall. Its a short and easy hike to the top of the waterfall from where it cascades down a rocky surface to form a pool at its base. The hiking trail is sprinkled with prettiness everywhere with tall pines and small brooks. The chirping of birds and the trickling sound of the cascade makes the hike all the more welcoming. The presence of a dense flora amidst the snow capped mountains makes this place a photographer’s paradise. However, due to the shortage of time and with the onset of darkness they had to return in the mid way to the parking.

The 3rd day was a relatively relaxed day. The only spot that was covered that day was the famous Solang valley. Located at a distance of around 13 kms from the main town of Manali, this valley is famous around the globe for its summer and winter sports activities. This vale soothes the eyes by offering spectacular views of lush green meadows and snow capped peaks in the horizon. There’s also an option of a cable car that takes you to the ski resort from where you can get breathtaking vistas of the differently hued mountain ranges. The experience is surreal up there. After quenching their vision’s thirst with such heavenly views, they came back to the town to do a recce of the cafes. Manali has got some of the coolest cafes with amazing indoor interiors and striking outdoor exteriors with lip smacking delicacies.

The final day of the trip started with a visit to the Manu temple and the Vashisth hot spring. This pristine hot water of the Vashisth hot spring is said to have healing powers owing to the mythological origin of the spring. The topic is controversial however, a dip in this hot water can surely alleviate your soul and ease your nervous system. Whereas the aura of the Manu temple can leave you flabbergasted. This was followed by a bus ride back to monotony and reality.

The trip thus, ended and in February 2018 these 2 souls (who embarked on this secret trip together) tied the knot but this time in the presence of all of their friends, relatives and family members to continue with their innumerable adventurous escapades... :)

— penned down with the concept of narrating a story while providing some useful written and pictorial informations about the places too !!

Hope you had a good time reading this :)