MANALI: THE PEACEFUL GETAWAY

HP! To me a Gas fuel vendor and for few heaven!!

And I got added to those few hippies and trippies: P

Manali, the last stop in HP before all snowy things start. And I landed somehow there.

“Manali sab Honeymoon pe jaate hai, tu wha kya kar rhi hai?” This was the very first question I got. Oh

Boy!! People do visit manali for a peaceful pleasant break

What a morning, window seat, cold breeze and sunrays asking you to open the eyes! And having a chai

in mid way at a stall, where one side hills are welcoming you with breeze and other side down there is

biyas river who is asking to capture more pocketful sunshine!

Lets now focus on Manali!

You will always get at malroad, lots of crowd, shops, food stalls, walk, talk, eat, shop, bargain and

reapeat! This is the formula you have to try there. You can get god stuffs there like shawls, dry fruits and

much more. Manali has two parts: Old Manali and New Manali! For families and couples, new manali is

best place as good accommodation services and restaurant are available there.

People like me or you can just take auto and go to old Manali.

Hadimba temple is the only temple present where animals are as a “Mata ka chadhava”. Check that

temple on the hills near to old manali, 20 minutes by walk from there. It has many different sculptures

and statues on it. It is the oldest temple there. Take rest there, look around and you will find

skmetstanding tall pine trees are asking you to explore.

Down the temple, there is a small café/stall - Hadimba café, By God, paratha and chai or rajma Chawal..

best best best! There are many backpacking hostels in old manali. Quite affordable and having better

travel accopanions and fun activities! Old Manali is best for night, there are cafes who plays good music,

bands, few backpackers sing there or plays their close to heart instruments.

Have a beer and get lost in that vibe. Chill, talk and trip on things/ songs/ stuffs!!

Second morning, I planned to visit vashisht near to manali. ‘Jugni fall’, in between the hill, by cracking

there’s this beautiful fall. At vashisht there is a warm spring ponds too. Have a dubki there!

Solang valley, beautiful it is, the Manali-leh highways has two partition post manali, one is for rohatang

pass-spiti-leh and other is solang valley. You can do paragliding there. It was a lovely day to explore the

highways, takings stops wherever you want to and having rajma chawal and steamed momos was the

best I have ever done. And beers and chai to accomplish it was not a bad idea ever! While coming back, I

found a known unknown place - La Plage!! French cuisine which I explore in mourjim had been found

again here! In between heels and cold breeze this white French cuisine gave me feel of heaven.

Van Vihar, there is certain patch from new manali to old manali which are having tall trees, kind of safe

jungle. If you are introvert go there, sing there, sit and write about things, lie down and check the sky.

Trees and sky and listen to your favourite music. The place is that too big doing any of these things will

never make trouble to any other person there. This has been one of my favourite place. One can do river

rafting, cliff climbing and other river sports there. You can also find many vendors who can arrange

those activities. Also For Rohtang pass, book it online.

Things to note!

People are down to earth there, give one smile and you will find many.

Rent bikes instead of cars as you will find huge traffic within the city. Talk to locals and find shortcuts.

Try to stay at hostels so that you can make new friends and can plan activities together.

Beer doesn’t work to fight against cold there. Wiskey and rhum are the best!

You can find 7 different types of rajma there, Have parathas, rajma chawal, chai, lemon tea, pastries

from old manali. Don’t be on diet there!

Children there are too cute while talking and playing games.