Manali

I spent the weekend in Manali with Jeremy. We took what was supposed to be a 16-hour bus ride (it ended up being closer to 18) and spent almost 13 of the hours ascending up the mountains into the Himalayas. It was a tease to have such cool and beautiful weather for only two days. The scenery was beautiful; our guesthouse looked right out over the snow-capped mountains (above). The Beas River flows right through Old Manali, where we stayed, and many of the road-side cafes and and restaurants overlook the waters. The river starts at Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, which is about 50 km. from where we were. The river “feeds” many of the local travelers and tourists, as well as the residents along it, but also supplies Punjab and Pakistan before flowing into the Arabian Sea. Usually the river is clear blue and easy flowing, but we were there at the start of the monsoon season and the river was intense and flowing strong. We spent the days visiting some temples in the area that are famous for natural hot springs and just enjoying the views and weather. There were many other tourists there, Indian and foreign, seeking to escape the heat of Delhi and many other parts of the country. Overall, it was a good time; I wish we could have stayed longer, but it was a nice vacation.

The Beas River flowing through Old Manali, a 10 minute walk from our guesthouse