Delhi --> Kasol

With a ticket booked on an AC Volvo 2x2 Himachal Tours Bus for 750Rs from Delhi to Manali I headed off in an auto to catch my 5.30pm bus. Rushing at the last minute as usual I was glad IST (Indian Stretchable Time) came into play with the bus finally turning up at 6.45pm and the 16 hour bus journey began. I was lucky that I had a pleasant man who knew how to keep his hands to himself beside me. I had previously decided to get off the bus at Bhuntur and check out Parvati Valley, otherwise known as Little Tel Aviv, well known for it's very nice views, hash and an influx of Israelis. The bus journey went surprisingly fast despite the tedious Bollywood film "HOUSEFUL" playing on repeat in Hindi and we finally reached Himachal Pradesh.

Heavy rains ensued and the bus came to a halt beside a fast-flowing river amongst some of the largest, most-beautiful mountains I'd ever set eyes on. News spread throughout the bus that there was a large mud-slide ahead and the bus remained at a stand-still for 2 hours with everyone eagerly peaking out of their windows. The bus driver finally decided to brave it and slowly drive right on the edge of the rocky road over-looking the fast=flowing stream and luckily we made it.

Thankfully the rain ceased and we continued to ascend higher into the Himalayas and I noticed every house, no matter how rich or poor, was bursting with flowers. Two hours later the man sitting next to me informed me that we had reached Bhuntur so I got my bags and went off in search of my next bus, the Government Local Himachal Bus to Kasol, All the locals basically cram into this small bus and the 1 1/2 hour bumpy trip costs 45Rs. I managed to get a seat right behind the driver and a friendly 14-yr-old boy from Kasol sat beside me and after he took about 30 photos of us together we finally arrived in Kasol.

Oh! The Places You'll Go

An hour before leaving Bombay to set off myself for 3 months in the Himalayas my friend Simar and I were listening to the Kinks "Sunny Afternoon" on repeat and drinking beers and Simar suggested I read this poem about travelling alone. It's a wonderful little poem about the highs and lows of life by Dr Seuss. After reading this I dashed off and got the train to Delhi and made it with 5 minutes to spare, phewww........

Oh! The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You’re off to Great Places!

You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And

YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care.

About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew.

Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!

You’ll be seeing great sights!

You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.

Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.

No! That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too.

Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!

Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So…get on your way!

BOMBAY

I love Bombay, despite the onset of monsoon rains it was still amazing.

Bombay is now called Mumbai though everyone below the age of about 40 still refers to it as Bombay. In comparison with the other cities in India I've been to Bombay has to be the coolest with great nightlife and a large cluster of restaurants, bars, coffee shops and clubs to stay in till early morning.



The traffic in Bombay is horrendous with most people opting not even to consider getting a car and the mainstay of transportation being autos, auto-taxis and the rather manic trains.



Chor bazaar is a must-see market place in Bombay with everything for sale from clothes, bike-parts, lamps, door-knobs and a large selection of old-style gramophones which i really wanted to buy. The art of haggling is something which must be put to good use if you decide to go shopping here as if not used you will be scammed big-time.















Bombay also has a lot of beaches as it is located on the west coast and you can sit at Not Just Jazz By The Bay or the Sea View Restaurant On Juhu Beach and watch people stroll along the beach and maybe catch a sunset if you're lucky.


I loved Bombay and hope I can make a trip to Bombay again before I leave India as I never even made it Blue Frog or the Gateway Of India on this trip. A special thanks to my lovely hosts Parikshit, Simar, Aminah and Merwyn for letting me stay and all the fun times we had.