India: Decisions
After a farewell meal together Wednesday night, Jon, Hannah, Stu, and I squeezed into bed and managed to get an hour or two of sleep. At 1:15 am, Jon and I sadly bade our friends goodbye, and by 2:30 am were comfortable settled in a jeep with three Indian men and the driver and headed to Manali (so far so good, compared to the jeep with ten people that did not leave until 4:30 am on our previous trip!). This time around, I felt great and surprisingly well-rested, so I was able to enjoy the gorgeous Himalayan scenery, even successfully dozing off for a few catnaps throughout the trip.
Halfway to Manali, we stopped in Darcha, where I happily retrieved my camera with much relief. Finally, at 6:30 pm, sixteen hours after departing Leh and thanks to the daring and often dangerous driving and passing tactics of our driver, we arrived in Manali...I still cannot figure out why our first trip up north took twenty-one hours! Jon and I were tired, but feeling well, and after my first real shower in a week, we had dinner and finally crashed into bed before 10:00 pm.
I spent much of the trip south contemplating my next plan of attack for my travels in India. I had planned all along to check out Daramsala, the current home of the exiled Dali Lama, which is a ten-hour bus journey from Manali. However, I decided long ago that I must be at the Taj Mahal no later than the 26th of June to begin my tour through Rajasthan in Central India. In order to be successful in this endeavour, I would have had to leave Manali at 8:00 this morning, arrive in Daramsala at 6:00 pm tonight, leaving me with just one full day to wander about before taking a night train to Delhi tomorrow night that would get me into Delhi on the 25th.
I knew that was way too much traveling and money spent just for the sake of saying I have been somewhere, particularly after the numerous dismal reports I have received about Daramsala. Therefore, leaving it to chance, I did a quick eeny-meeny-miney-moe, and Delhi was the winner. Jon and I are boarding this afternoon's 3:30 pm, fifteen-hour overnight bus to Delhi. We will arrive at 6:00 tomorrow morning, which will put me ahead of schedule and provide me with some shopping time in the capital.
I am happy with my decision...I have seen numerous gompas and monasteries and Tibetan refugees while being up north, so it does not bother me to be missing Daramsala. In addition, Jon and I hope to meet up with Hannah and Stu again before they all fly back to England and I begin my solo travel through India!
Halfway to Manali, we stopped in Darcha, where I happily retrieved my camera with much relief. Finally, at 6:30 pm, sixteen hours after departing Leh and thanks to the daring and often dangerous driving and passing tactics of our driver, we arrived in Manali...I still cannot figure out why our first trip up north took twenty-one hours! Jon and I were tired, but feeling well, and after my first real shower in a week, we had dinner and finally crashed into bed before 10:00 pm.
I spent much of the trip south contemplating my next plan of attack for my travels in India. I had planned all along to check out Daramsala, the current home of the exiled Dali Lama, which is a ten-hour bus journey from Manali. However, I decided long ago that I must be at the Taj Mahal no later than the 26th of June to begin my tour through Rajasthan in Central India. In order to be successful in this endeavour, I would have had to leave Manali at 8:00 this morning, arrive in Daramsala at 6:00 pm tonight, leaving me with just one full day to wander about before taking a night train to Delhi tomorrow night that would get me into Delhi on the 25th.
I knew that was way too much traveling and money spent just for the sake of saying I have been somewhere, particularly after the numerous dismal reports I have received about Daramsala. Therefore, leaving it to chance, I did a quick eeny-meeny-miney-moe, and Delhi was the winner. Jon and I are boarding this afternoon's 3:30 pm, fifteen-hour overnight bus to Delhi. We will arrive at 6:00 tomorrow morning, which will put me ahead of schedule and provide me with some shopping time in the capital.
I am happy with my decision...I have seen numerous gompas and monasteries and Tibetan refugees while being up north, so it does not bother me to be missing Daramsala. In addition, Jon and I hope to meet up with Hannah and Stu again before they all fly back to England and I begin my solo travel through India!
posted by Tiffany Joiner at 3:59 AM
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