April 19, 2009

Start of my Himalayan adventure!!!



People always ask me, "how can you go on a vacation alone?". To this I just say "If you can't enjoy your company, how do you expect others people to!!!". I like getting away alone, as it gives me time with myself. I don't have to follow schedules of others, do what others want to do. I can just be myself and have some peace and quiet time. I did it first time when I went to London for 8 days. After I came to India, I went once to Delhi for 4 days just to get away. And now this is my 3 rd trip.
I have been wanting to go on a vacation for a long time. A vacation where the only company I have is me. I wanted to get away from all the madness around me. I wanted to go to a place where I would find peace and tranquility. A place so serene that it would make me forget all my worries. The internet addict that I am, I naturally turned to web for help and it came to my rescue as always. I found the perfect place for retreat, "The Wildflower Hall - Shimla".
Shimla is one of the most beautiful hill stations in India. I had visited is 10 years back and fell in love with the city. The beauty of the hills, the hilly terrain and the layout of the houses on the mountains can make you fall head over heels for this place. It has everything a nature lover can ask for and more. I couldn't have chosen a more apt destination as my getaway.
I started my journey from Mumbai on 19th April 2009 and planned to spend about 7 days in Shimla. I arrived at the Chandigarh airport in the morning but it felt like an hot summer afternoon. I had chosen to drive from Chandigarh to Shimla. This drive takes around 4 hrs and is mostly through the mountains. It is like a small preview of what is really waiting for you when you get the final destination. The narrow winding roads through the mountains makes the journey really exciting. On the way I passed towns and had flash backs of passing through the towns during my earlier visit. It was a sweet reminder of my younger happier days.I was missing my family but then I was also excited for this trip. I arrived at the hotel in the afternoon and got a nice welcome. The hotel is fairy tale resort situated at 8,350 feet in beautiful Himalayas. It is surrounded by beautiful pine and cedar trees all around. As soon as I arrived here, I lost all my fatigue and was sure that this trip is gonna be unforgettable. From my room, I had the view of the magificient Himalayas, snow covered mountains and a spectacular valley to complete the picture. I wanted to go out and explore the place, but was so tired that I just dozed off. I slept with the surety that the next day I am gonna begin my Himalayan adventure with a bang!!!


P.S.: I have uploaded a snap giving you all a glimpse of the view from my room. I din't take it on the day I arrived and it won't show you the snow covered mountains, but still you will get an idea.


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