The trip from Mcleodganj started towards Dalhousie. I was dressed in my lovely kurta gifted by my mum, and yes I wanted to flaunt like a little girl. But to my dismay, the weather turned all dark and grim. The angry clouds hit and the rain battered the hillside hard. With a lot of difficulties, my driver helped me in loading my luggage and we started for Dalhousie. The streams were gushing with mud-red water spilling and splashing the roads. It seemed the wrath of the rivers was powerful enough to cut through the roads sweeping away all unkind human activities that mankind has been carrying out in the name of civilization.
The road winded up and down on slopes, with patches of farms that stood with dignity against the loud blowing wind. It spiralled around the hills with the caution of landslides and I could see boulders and big rugged stones obstructing the path. The cars wheezed past those boulders avoiding collisions. But I was terrified thinking what if one big boulder just roll us down deep into the valley.
With the rain not stopping for a second, we decided to take a break and have lunch. We stopped at a Dhaba which served warm chapattis, nicely sautéed veggies, lemon wedges and onion slices. I have never enjoyed this much. Well, sanitation of the place was an issue but in weather like that, getting any food seemed like a blessing. This is what life teaches; maybe you are the most privileged person but you have to bend your knees before Mother Nature. Then, we again resumed the journey, well with a weak network connectivity to good news popped up on my mobile, Yippie I was promoted in my job. I was like Dalhousie if you were a guy, I would smooch you hard.
On the journey, the air had created so much fog that it seemed like a haunted ride to some ghostly mansion. The roads winded in cautionary curves, and all I could see was small huts surrounded by beautiful and blooming flowers in pink, red, blue; you just name it. The sights are captured in my mind as the most Happy Place. Well, I won’t be doing the Patronus remembering my happy moment, but it helps to keep the happy moments rolling in.
It was about 3 pm when we entered Dalhousie. A beauty it is. I could see school buses teeming up the streets, and I was so jealous that I could not describe. I felt WOW; this is my Rockford moment people! Blazers, boarding schools, romance, boys, and kisses. I blushed as I wandered in my own thought trail.
As the car slid down on the sloppy road, the driver pointed out some direction showing us the main market. With the fog and rain, I was not able to figure out any place and any shape. And there was standing on the edge of the small hill, my hotel; the Bombay Palace. A beautiful valley can be seen if you opt for the superior deluxe rooms but I was stuck with the deluxe room, so no valley view. All I could think about was some onion fritters and warm ginger tea. And ta da it appeared! (Well we ordered). I heard a lot of shouting, so, hurried outside and there it was, the view to die for. The sun shone like a fiery hot ball, spreading out its salmon rays, lighting up the sky. The periwinkle sky hue lighted up my iris and the soft dusk rubbed the coral tint on my face. I was standing there to bask in the beauty when the guys called out to pay a visit to the Mall Road market.
The beauty was magnified with dusk setting the tone for the ebony night to kick in. The lanes of Mall Road were narrow, and the market had limited shops, all lined up neatly offering cuisines like veg noodles, momos, cheese sandwiches, fritters, nuggets, etc. With the temperature down to 4 degrees, do try eating the hot Maggi, it is a true foodgasm! Then we tried out cheese chilly toast at a small roadside cafe, and then those delicate veg momos with delicious stuffing. Then while we were done with all the wandering, I had gulab jamuns, hot piping straight from the kadhai. Happiness is just unmeasurable.
We had dinner in a very popular restaurant “Kwality” based on the ratings of Zomato. The food was absolutely lip-smacking and was served beautifully. Loved every bit and bite of it. Now, we were all set for retreating to the hotel as the temperature fell further down. From the market, we had bought Rhonda wine. And people, when you are in Himachal, please, do try out this Himalayan flower wine that has limited availability outside. So at a good price, you can have your personal wine tasting.
