Sep 27, 2007 04:36 PM
11970 Views
(Updated Sep 27, 2007 04:52 PM)
Exploring Uttranchal.a trip down the memory lane!
Hi all, this is my second review on MS. As I didnt get any place here under Uttranchal by the name Auli, hence I m writing this review under Valley of Flowers. Out journey basically started for Auli, then changed our minds to head for Nainital too. So here it goes.
We started at about 1.00 pm on Friday night( me, and my three friends, not naming anyone). As decided we set off for Auli(600 kms from Delhi, about 35 kms before Badrinath.so it was too far).
Our first mistake
.We took along with us 6 bottles of warm beer as we couldn't manage a ice box. On way finally after resisting for too long we decided to consume them.leaving aside one of our fnd as he was driving, the rest three between us finished the 6 bottles of boiling beer. As expected we all had a tremendous hangover next morning. Still then, as by that time we had crossed Rishikesh, the scenery outside was excellent and motivating enough to keep us going.(Spare a thought for fnd who was driving, as he was driving non-stop.I haven't seen anyone drive better than him). The road was dangerous to mention the least. Frequent landslides are a part of that highway. It was becoming increasingly tiresome.we kept on driving and at around 2.30 pm we finally reached our destination.AULI.seemed like a place on the clouds.breathtakingly beautiful.we didn't get any ice but still then it seemed as if we are in heaven.
A rude shock awaited us
.auli consisted of a Govt Guest house and.NOTHING.** We were really tired by then and all our body parts were screaming for rest. Still we made up our mind that we won't stay here. We had a quick lunch and a bit of sight seeing in and around that place. I would suggest the best time to go to Auli is between Dec - Mar when you can c snow there and can enjoy the Ice games other than the local scenaries.
The next dilemma was where to go next? After much discussion we finally decided to return to nainital as that was the place not seen before by anyone amongst us. We started our journey back from Auli. We were to reach a place called Rudraprayag(80 kms from Auli), to take a cut for Nainital.
Without consulting anyone we started on our way and after 3 and a half hours of tough driving we reached Rudraprayag.(the time was 8.30 PM) We were running out of Petrol and couldn't locate one on our way. We enquired from the localities and were shocked to know that most of the petrol pumps close by 8 pm as the highway is closed after 8 by barricades, so that no one can go or come at night. The reasons being.frequent landslides and wild animals attack at night(mostly cheetahs) and Robbery. So we reached a deadlock and were forced to spend the night there as we couldn't travel(the highway was closed by police barricade), nor we had any petrol.
Our second mistake.
we came to know from a person that after 7 kms through a bye lane we can reach a place called Shimli where we can get petrol as well as from there we can reach the highway avoiding the police barricades and then if we feel we can start for nainital via Ranikhet if we were courageous enough. I don't know what went through our minds for some seconds and we decided to take on the risks and move in the night only to nainital via ranikhet.*
Well for the remaining of my life I know whenever I will recall this it will send down cold shivers through my spine bcoz.
The background.
a stretch of 350 kms between Shimli and ranikhet, on Garhwal Hills, only a lone Zen on the road(we never crossed any vehicle nor any vehicle crossed us), the most dangerous road I have travelled through in my life(with waterfalls coming down the hills and passing the road at every turn on the hill), looming danger of meeting a Cheetah any moment, danger of being robbed, danger of being stuck due to a landslide.(It rained continuously) and obviously I don't think in such situations we can forget one entity.GHOST. Also we knew if our car gets stuck up with any problems.we had NOTHING to do. It might seem a bit dramatic.but believe me.I am just narrating what actually occurred. Someone would have seen our faces to believe the horror written on our faces. Even a person like me had to show courage to keep everyone going. As, if one of us would have broken up.everyone's confidence would have been gone. Luckily nothing happened and at last at around 4.30am in the morning we reached ranikhet.( we hadn't taken anything till then after the lunch at Auli). We didn't had any courage left to move ahead. So with AC on we slept in the car for 2 and a half hours parked at ranikhet. Then we started for nainital and reached there by 8 am in the morning. I can feel what everyone felt at that moment.a deep sigh of relief, a promise never to do any such thing again in life** and prayers to almighty for avoiding any danger that would have occurred.
We enjoyed a lot in nainital for the entire day.we went boating, trips to local sight seeing places.overall after nearly one and a half day had some proper food, drinks in the night.
Monday we started for delhi and now back in office.though a final twist in the tale had to happen. After dropping me at noida, the car broke down while at Toll Bridge. They finally had to toe it to a petrol pump, get it repaired, and finally reached their home. Just thought for a moment what might have happened if our car had broken down on Saturday night?
A trip, memories of which will remain forever in my minds.
Hence to sum up the entire trip, I would suggest Auli is definitely a place to go and ejoy, however the best time to go thre is between Dec - Mar, when you cant find snow there to enjoy all sort of ice games. Rest pros and cons can be sumed up by reading my review above.
Cheers!
