biological clock EXISTS. without the bed tea whistle this day....my eyes opened at 6 30 am....which was amazing since i thought i needed rest...but apparently the biological clock didnt allow me. i woke up restless....unable to sleep..(thats new for me).
shashank was awake as well....while the others snored...so he and i went exploring! fresh morning air, sloping streets of manali....just exploring in search of good breakfast. we went past many interesting shops...with colourful clothes....foriegn tourists moving around.
we stopped at German Bakery....awesome looking croissants, breads and cake. ordered a lot of breakfast....loads of laughter and talk....and amazing coffee! good conversation....as usual with shashank. with intermittant silence and peaceful feeling.
![]()
that feeling of trek was transformed into that of a luxury holiday as both of us went enquiring about the distance to marketplace, the transport available etc...i felt like a responsible young tourist out so early in the morning just having fun there.
back at the hotel...all were awake...Hari, Shashank and I wanted a leg massage....we had seen so many attractive banners calling out to us while walking...a leg massage sounded JUST like what the doctor would order. i wanted to pamper my legs a bit...poor them, skipping gym, putting up with my lazy schedule back home and then CARRYING me all the way to SAR PASS and back. they deserved a treat....anyone would agree. specifically, those two guys....and so we found this place and had a leg massage done, 40 minutes per person. awesome luxury...it felt like heaven on my tired, sore feet...i didnt want it to end.....
we walked back to the hotel....freshened up and all of us left for paragliding. Hari had as usual got the transport system in place...that would take us to the paragliding place. SOLANG valley....
we started pretty soon....but traffic jams are not good for narrow mountain roads. as a result. close to 3 hours to Solang valley...and there we were told there were 3 options to go to the para-gliding take-off point.
1. walk 45 minutes.
2. horse ride
3. cable car. expensive, but 3 minutes to top.
needless to say, option 1 was cruel, inconsiderate and laughable.
and we opted for 3.
400 per head....taking us to take-off point. not bad. and 1500 for the 15-minute parachute ride. we got on the "gondola"....and reached the high point. whoa thank heavens we hadnt chosen to walk.
there were professional "pilots" with us...and we were to run off the sloping edge of the cliff with the unfolded parachute rising behind us...until suddenly airborne....
i screamed a bit...and then PURE EXHILARATION! what a view. only the soundof the wind, few birds...and an eagle-eye view of the valleys, winding river, small houses, road, vehicles....other parachutes, tiny people and miniature trees and animals. beautiful sight....
fifteen minutes were not enough...as the pilot started guiding the chute downward...and we landed. amazing. i asked him, he had been doing this work since 13 years. nice. everyday free view of the paradise.
total fun. again a ride back to the hotel...with the same traffic jam...and then i went out to new manali market with shashank....we looked at shawls, ethenic items....mostly for his mom and dad....and ate a little....before finally turning back to the hotel.....
we moved in to another hotel Drifters Inn....amazing little bar and lounge. i saw so many people mostly foreigners enjoying there....drinking...laughing...lounging. a karaoke machine stood in the corner....few enthusiastic people sang and danced away... the four of us ate there...had an amazing time and then....off to bed...an amazing night followed....
xoxo
shashank was awake as well....while the others snored...so he and i went exploring! fresh morning air, sloping streets of manali....just exploring in search of good breakfast. we went past many interesting shops...with colourful clothes....foriegn tourists moving around.
we stopped at German Bakery....awesome looking croissants, breads and cake. ordered a lot of breakfast....loads of laughter and talk....and amazing coffee! good conversation....as usual with shashank. with intermittant silence and peaceful feeling.
that feeling of trek was transformed into that of a luxury holiday as both of us went enquiring about the distance to marketplace, the transport available etc...i felt like a responsible young tourist out so early in the morning just having fun there.
back at the hotel...all were awake...Hari, Shashank and I wanted a leg massage....we had seen so many attractive banners calling out to us while walking...a leg massage sounded JUST like what the doctor would order. i wanted to pamper my legs a bit...poor them, skipping gym, putting up with my lazy schedule back home and then CARRYING me all the way to SAR PASS and back. they deserved a treat....anyone would agree. specifically, those two guys....and so we found this place and had a leg massage done, 40 minutes per person. awesome luxury...it felt like heaven on my tired, sore feet...i didnt want it to end.....
we walked back to the hotel....freshened up and all of us left for paragliding. Hari had as usual got the transport system in place...that would take us to the paragliding place. SOLANG valley....
we started pretty soon....but traffic jams are not good for narrow mountain roads. as a result. close to 3 hours to Solang valley...and there we were told there were 3 options to go to the para-gliding take-off point.
1. walk 45 minutes.
2. horse ride
3. cable car. expensive, but 3 minutes to top.
needless to say, option 1 was cruel, inconsiderate and laughable.
and we opted for 3.
400 per head....taking us to take-off point. not bad. and 1500 for the 15-minute parachute ride. we got on the "gondola"....and reached the high point. whoa thank heavens we hadnt chosen to walk.
there were professional "pilots" with us...and we were to run off the sloping edge of the cliff with the unfolded parachute rising behind us...until suddenly airborne....
i screamed a bit...and then PURE EXHILARATION! what a view. only the soundof the wind, few birds...and an eagle-eye view of the valleys, winding river, small houses, road, vehicles....other parachutes, tiny people and miniature trees and animals. beautiful sight....
fifteen minutes were not enough...as the pilot started guiding the chute downward...and we landed. amazing. i asked him, he had been doing this work since 13 years. nice. everyday free view of the paradise.
total fun. again a ride back to the hotel...with the same traffic jam...and then i went out to new manali market with shashank....we looked at shawls, ethenic items....mostly for his mom and dad....and ate a little....before finally turning back to the hotel.....
we moved in to another hotel Drifters Inn....amazing little bar and lounge. i saw so many people mostly foreigners enjoying there....drinking...laughing...lounging. a karaoke machine stood in the corner....few enthusiastic people sang and danced away... the four of us ate there...had an amazing time and then....off to bed...an amazing night followed....
xoxo
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