DiLLi - VaLLeY oF fLoWeRs aNd BaCk !!!

So finally i sit down to write about my trip.. i was waiting for the fotos to come in before i write so that while you are reading about the trip you can also see what i saw...

Friday, 8-Jul-05

I was back from office by 1400 hrs to attend myclass.. and back home by 1700 hrs after my class... Aro was not yet in.. coz the bus he was coming had a flat tyre.. and that delayed his arrival to my place... he finally managed to reach by 1800 hrs... and then we started packing our stuff... two huge bags... and about 50 line items needed to be packed for this long 8 day trip.... we were still not sure about that plan.. about when and where we would be except that we have to move out of home asap and reach the Lal Quila to catch our bus...

we left around 1900 hrs and took an auto to reach the Chandni Chawk Red light... i felt that the 5 rolls i was carrying were not good enough and i needed more.. so we went to the market there and grabbed another 5 pack of the Fuji 100 rolls... the shopkeeper gladly gave them to me for 220 bucks.. a good Rs. 2 more then the price in the market... next stop the travel agent's counters.. and we found out that the first bus to Rishikesh would not leave before 2200 hrs... we were not ready to wait for that kinda time and move to ISBT to catch a bus...

We managed to get good seats in a faily decent 2X2 UP Roadways bus.. called the Pawan Gold... and took our seats at 2100 hours... at that time there are loads and loads of buses to Rishikesh... actually every 2 minutes you will see a bus moving into that direction... this bus looked like the most comfy of all.. and we took our tickets... cost of the tickets... 312 bucks for two... the bus finaly moved at 2145 hours after we had two big cups of the Mother Daily Mango Delight Icecream... we were expecting to reach Rishikesh by 0330 hrs in the morning... but a traffic jam after Muzaffar nagar increased the travel time by over 90 mintues...


~ UP roadways bus we took from Delhi to Rishikesh, seen here parked at the hotel near Khatauli... we had to push this bus to start it here.. making it a true 2X2 Pushback :)

Saturday, 9-July

We managed to reach Rishikesh only around 0530 hours... thanks to Traffic Jam.. and quickly rushed to the Srinagar Bas Stand.. this is where we had to take the next bus from... We were planning to go to Badrinath... we were told that we could take a bus run by GMOU Ltd. stands for the Garwal Motor Owners Union Ltd... infact most of the buses on this route are associated with this body...

when we reached there... we got to know that there was no way we could reach Badrinath by night.. as the bus was scheduled to move only at 0630 hours and it would reach Joshimath in about 12 hours... late enough to skip the last Gate from Joshimath... we had no other option but to board the bus... it was a small... actually reach small bus.. and we managed to get the first seats from the back on the gate's side... i could hardly manged my legs between the two seats.. and was wondering how i would manage to be there in that bus for about 12 hours... trust me it was not a very nice thought... anyway.. the bus moved at 0630 hours for a destination about 300 kms and 12 hours away.....

we stopped for a quick breakfast after about an hour.. and had some Aaloo Paranthaas with Curd...


~Our first break after Rishikesh.. what you see in the foto is the bus which took us to Joshimath...

Long travel that was.. and the view outside the windows was really beautiful.. most of the time was spent sleeping and the rest looking outside the window.... we passed through.. Srinagar ( in Garhwal), RudraPrayag, KaranPrayag, Nand Prayag, PipalKoti etc to reach Joshimath in the evening...

We got stuck in a Jam caused by a landslide and had to waste about 45 minutes waiting for it to get cleared... and once it was done.. we moved ahead...


~ The road being cleared... Border Roads Organisation has done a great job with the roads on this route...

One thing which i noticed here in the jam was the disclipline with parking... reminded me of the reason why we got late on our way to Rishikesh.. the traffic from one side of the road would try and take as much space as they can.. and then block all the lanes that the traffic from the other side can use to cross.. but here it was different... the vehicles were nicely parked at one side of the road... and ensured that there was enough space forthe vehicles from the other side to cross when the road clears up...


~ Notice the way vehicles have been parked... rare sight in a jam if this was in Delhi...

We manged to reach Joshimath earlier then expected.. it was 1700hrs... and we got to know that we had missed the last gate only by 30 minutes... if we had not been caught in that Jam.. we would have reached Badrinath in the night itself... anyway... li'il that we could do about it... we searched for the GMVN ( Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam) Guest house... and did not find it upto the mark... the room rent was 350 bucks for a night.. and it was not in the best shape either.. so we decided to look for something cheaper and better.. and then checked in a hotel called Hotel Sriram right next to the Guest house.. for a room which was for Rs. 250 a night.. definitely better then the guest house.. and the owner of the hotel was a very nice fella himself.. we spent about 30 minutes talking to him before we moved into the room... the view from the room was very beautiful... the air pure and the feeling great...


~ The view from our room at Joshimath...

Took a back with freezing cold water... and had a quick dinner before sleeping... did not take much time for our tired bodies to get to sleep... we had decided that instead of the going to Badrinath we would go to Govindghat.. and then to Hemkund Sahib and the Valley of Flowers before we move to Badrinath...

Sunday, 10-July

We got up early... around 0500 hours... managed to reach the gate by 0545 hours.. this is where we could get a bus to Govindghat.... managed to get the seats in a decent bus which moved at 0600 hrs... and we were in Govindghat by 0645 hours....


~The Gate system at Joshimath... to avoid any jams on the small road ahead !!!

We just could not stop looking at the mountains when we reached Govindghat.. the view was magical.. clouds all over.. huge majestic mountains... lovely wind...


~ Got down of the bus at Govindghat... the view was too beautiful to move from there...

and then we received a shock !!!!

we had thought that we could take a cab/taxi something to Ghangria... but this is where we realised that we had to walk 13 kms to reach Ghangria also known as Govinddham... anyway... li'il we could do about it... so we starting walking... and realised it in the first 500 metres that it was not going to be easy... though the weather was good.. there was no sun.. and it was kinda cool too... we were still all in sweat... and we had bags which weighed over 10 kgs each... it was going to be one challanging journey...


~ Rafting anyone :) the sound of the waters could tell you about its might too...

I just could not take it anymore after about 6 kms.. and had to hire a pony... no no.. not for myself.. but the bag... talking about ponies... this entire path had a never ending smell of horse shit...

so basically you would breath air.. walk on stones.. listen to a small but very mighty river and smell horst shit on this way from Govindghat to Ghangria... there are plenty of small shops all along the path where you can get cold drinks (the 500 ml bottles) for 25 bucks... glucose buiscit packets for about 10 bucks... and anything to eat... and if it is packed... it is going to be awefully expensive.. and the prices would increase as the altitude increases....

We reached Ghangria around 1500 hours... very tired.. and very hungry.. and it had also started raining a li'il... and we did not have our raingear with us.. it was in the bag.. and the bags with the TattoWalla... who had already reached about 30 minutes before us...


~Our hotel at Ghangria

we had a quick afternoon meal... well.. for a meal we had some noodles... and then we checked into this small but decent hotel called the Hotel Pritam...

We were too tired and it did not take us more then 30 minutes to fall asleep... which means were already in deep sleep by 1600 hours....

We woke up around 2000 hrs... i guess we were hungry.. and then had a nice walk around the place... and some bad dinner... and some great Gulab Jamuns ( tat too at a price of just 5 bucks each)... now with everything so bloddy expensive there.. this treat was more then wat we could ask for... anyway...after having the sweets we headed back to our hotel... applied some move on the legs... they were in real bad pain.. and then went off to sleep to get up early next morning...

Monday, 11-Jul

Woke up at 0430 hours.. thanks to the alarm in my mobile... an alarm clock was all it could have been used for.. coz there were no signals i could catchafter rishikesh.. anyway.. that was something that i really liked... no one could call me up... away from the world....

so by 0530 hours were out of the hotel.. had some biscuits and some tea at a tea stall and then started our trek for Hemkund Sahib.... had no clue what were heading for... we thought what we had experienced in the last three kms to Ghangria was the worst that could happen.. it was a climb at 45 degs.. and we were walking on stones... had to look at every stone we were stepping on... otherwise would end up having some strained muscles.. and fractures...

anyway.. we knew it was going to be tough... 6 kms... and moving from 3049 m to Hemkund Sahib @ 4329 m.


~ 100s of Ponies are there in the morning... costs about150 bucks to reach the Glacieron the pony and then walk from there...

We were walking on a path which was not one of the best laid.. i remember looking at every stone that i kept my feet on...


~ The kinda path we were walking on.. this is a better part of the entire way...

But trust me.. it was worth it... the views that we had from the way.... the air that we were breathing.. the faith that we witnessed... it made it all worth it... people of all ages.. kids, women, men.. old or young... everyone was determined to climb up and reach the Gurudwara...


~ Look at the steep climb... some determination it takes to do this trek...


~ What a view... made all the pain worth it...

Finally after walking for over 4 hours... crossing a Glacier.. and climbing up over 1200 steps ( there were two ways to the Gurudwara after the glacier.. we could take the stairs or the slope.. we chose to walk on the steps... knowing that it is tougher to climb up the steps.. we still took'em... wanted to reach faster actually)


~ The Glacier we had to cross to reach Hemkund Sahib... looks scary.. and was too..


~Ice on my hand... and me on a Glacier...

The view at the Guru Dwara was breathtaking... it was just too beautiful to be described in words... i do not know enough adjectives to describe what i saw... so will just stick to some pics...


~ The lake near Hemkund Sahib...can't believe i actually dip my feet in it...


~Hemkund Sahib

I managed to gather enough courage to dip my legs in the lake near the GuruDwara and wash my face with the water.. it was freezing cold... can't tell u how bad i was shivering after i did that dare.. and there were ppl who were taking a dip in there.. .phew.. how did they manage it.. is something that they only know... to make things worse.. it started raining.. which dipped the temprature to sub-zero level and then the only pair of socks that i was wearing got wet... man !!! i was not in a good situation there...

went inside the GuruDwara...

came back...

had some hot and really tasty Khichdi and Tea at the Langar.. and then started walking back...
which turned out to be more painful and long then we expected.. every time i was keeping myfoot down on a stone.. the entire leg used to cry out loud in pain.. from my ankles to my knees... it seemed that i just could not take it any longer.. but still there was no other option but to carry on... and so we did...

and reached Ghangria at 1500 hours... with almost broken bones.. had managed to save myself from slipping a couple of times as well... the knees and the ankles were in pain like hell... and yet there was a satisfaction of achieving something that a lot of ppl do not...


~ Ghangria when we came back from Hemkund Sahib...

before we could sit down for lunch in our hotel.. there was a huge sound of stones falling.. and it was just behind ourhotel... we had to run hard to save ourself... the sound made us feel that a stone could hit us any moment.. but we were lucky.. though the noises were scary... the landslide was at a distance... so no harm done to anyone...

had a good lunch.... and then were off to sleep by 1630hours... not before applying lot of Move to our legs... this is were we realised how soothing these lotions can be...

got up around 2000 hrs for dinner... had a quick bite.. and then our favorite Gulab Jamuns and went off to sleep again by 2200 hrs... tmrw was going to be a long day... we had to go to the Valley of Flowers.. and then back to Govindghat....

Tuesday, 12-Jul

Woke up early morning... but coz we were so damn tired.. justcould not get out of our beds... managed to somehow get moving at 0530 hrs... the legs were still in a bad shape..lots of pain still.. but we had to do it...
so packed our biscuits.. and some peanuts... and started for the VOF....


~ a bridge that we had to cross on our way to the Valley...

soon after we entered the gate.. we realised we were in a different world... i could only hear a small river flowing nearby.. and could listen to the insects... even breating heavily would be considered noise there...

it was just to beautiful.. and right now.. i hate my vocab.. i just cannot find enough words to write what i felt... just cannot :(

anyway... the pics might just help...


~ Though this was not the peak time for flowers... we still managed to catch up with a lot of them...

We were again walking on some steep paths.. though the pain was there... the beauty of the surroundings.. kept the thoughts of the pain away...


~The trek is too beautiful... steep but beautiful... tiring and relaxing...

Crossed two small glaciers.. and two landslide areas with complete care... and got stuck at a glacier about 500 metres from the Valley... it looked too dangerous to move ahead on that.. though i had a stick with me.. i was not sure i should move ahead... i was scared.. coz there were no one around to help... and a minor mistake there could have meant... death... that too in cold waters... just could not take that risk.... so stayed there for sometime.. enjoyed the view.. and headed back to the hotel.. so that we could start our journey to Govindghat from there...


~ This is what the Valley of Flowers looks like...


~The Valley of Flowers... all nature.. pure as pure can be...


~ The glacier we could not cross... Aro became too sad after this... though i was kinda content with watever we managed...

We were back in Govinddham (Ghanngria) by 0930 hrs.. had some heavy breakfast, hired a pony to carry our bags and then moved started for Govindghat by 1015 hours... Had to walk for another 13 kms... we knew its going to be a tough walk ahead... and were determined to make it through...
so we started...


~ Some camp just before Gangria... probably was an Army camp... also had a helipad there..


~ Walking in the middle of the nature with almost dead feet... pain and pleasure together...

We reached Govindghat by 1500hrs...


~ These shoes were brand new when i moved out on friday.. and look at them now :)

this where i saw remains of a tragedy which struck the small town a few days back.. a flash flood... about 11 people lost there lives.... and about 230 vehicles were destroyed beyond recognition... 200 two wheelers and about 4-wheelers... the area was still being cleared and the scooters and the bikes were being dumped at the sides... it was scary to see the state of these....


~ A bike as good as waste in GovindGhat... reminds me of the power of Nature...

had to wait till 1715 hours before we got a bus for Badrinath.... we had again missed the previous gate by just about 15 minutes...

what we landed into was another jam.. because of a landslide... waited for an hour for that to clear up... and then decided to go back to Govindghat for the night... we were already too tired to take it any longer.... and then God knows that came to our minds... both of us decided to get back home...
the decision was quick and was not questioned by anyone of the two.. so we took at jeep to Joshimath and landed at the same hotel... where the owner was really glad to see us...

Talked to him for a good 45 minutes before we went to the room... then i rushed to get the tickets for the first bus out of Joshimath to Haridwar...
had a great dinner after a nice warm bath... and slept after repacking the entire stuff by 2200 hours...

Wednesday, 13-jul

Got up at 0330 hrs... and move out by 0400 hrs to take the Himgiri Express to Haridwar.... the drive back also involved a lot of sleep... beautiful sceneries around... some fotografs...


~ The Himgiri Express parked at a place called Teen Dhara...


~ Notice the small white car being pulled up...please drive very carefully always...


~C the Earth Movers in action again...

We were in haridwar by 1600 hrs.. looked for a place to keep our bags... and then moved to the Har ki Paudi... stayed there for while.. before going to the famous Mohan Ji Poori Wale.. to stuff our tummies with Poories, Halwa, Kachories, and Gulab Jamuns... then had some good Lassi... followed by a fantabolous pan....


~At Har Ki Paudi in Haridwar

bak to the Bus stand by 1715 hours.. and took the first bus to Delhi.... a failry decent bus.. the front seats again.. so that we could get enough leg room.... though we were expecting to reach delhi by 2200 hours... a Jam struck again.. and this time near Khatauli... just before Sakauti... spent a good 2.5 hours there before we reached the ISBT late night around 0100 hours...

it was a trip well done... too muchhard work.. and surroundings that i had never seen before... i would like to go again to the same places... but then this time i would act a li'il more intelligent...

we managed the entire trip in somewhere around 2500 bucks per head... and here are a few learnings from the trip :
- Start working out atleast a month in advance when you are planning such long treks...
- Stop smoking for this time period at least....
- Always carry a pair of socks with you ;)
- A stick always helps when you are climbing up or down...
- Always look before you step forward... make sure that you do not step on the wrong side of the stones...
- Carry along with you loads of will power and mental strength....

waiting for another trip already... well.. thats what i am .....


~Weather back home was great as well... took this foto after some good showers on Thursday

The pictures from the trip are available HERE.