While we initially had plans to laze at Manali and just stay in our sit out area with the chai and pakoras another part of us said arre! Go explore , so many places around just go. And the travel bug bit us again and instead of resting we decided to go to Keylong . While spiti valley was on top of the list it was over 200 km and we had to return by evening as we had to head back home the next morning again . So we decided to go to Keylong and that was through Rohtang pass . The journey began with our guide Negi .

We crossed several waterfalls and mountains . It was cool and green to begin with and I was dressed to keep myself warm and as we climbed high it got Sunny and the mountains I felt were telling me a story . Every mountain was so beautiful , so different yet same . They were magnificent and I felt I had attained nirvana . All I could do was stay silent as it was breathless . They spoke to me so much and all I wanted was listen . Who said we were great artists really?

The entire route is filled with quirky sign boards obviously sending a serious message like drive carefully in a funny way so that we may register in our minds 🙂 . The journey went on and I felt the chill down my spine and yes it was Rohtang pass. I was amazed how temperature changed and also the view . It was so misty and we saw people walk around in a full body suit , for a moment I felt I was in another planet . We took a quick 10 minute break and had a long way to cover through the bumpy road and the journey went on . I was telling my friends that all of us would have lost a minimum of 300 gms weight each . The ride was such 😉

We stopped  to click some breath taking images . We spotted snow miles away , was it Ladakh, I wondered . So many army vehicles on the road and also the entire stretch was filled with workers and cranes busy repairing the roads for us to travel safely .

We later stopped by for lunch and Maggie I said without blinking an eyelid . I knew that would be the best while my friends settled for Tukpa and momos . After the food , some chai and Parle g biscuits we started again .

Now the mountains were all looking angry , dry and dusty . There was no spec of greenery and the roads were equally upset with us . It was the bumpiest stretch and we didn’t keep the windows down as the car interiors had changed into brown colour with a layer of dust . We reached Keylong clicked some images and read a board which said Leh was 450 kms away … We wanted to go ahead but we couldn’t and consoled ourselves saying there is always a next time and being greedy isn’t good and descended back through the same range clicking – talking – staring all in silence agog .

We reached back Manali fighting the mist oh wait! Weren’t they clouds that we drove through?

And Manali greeted us with rain and our host at Tranquil Inn with some mirchi and allo pakoras with chai . We were tired yet felt accomplished and had no regrets for we saw all that we had to and we realised our journey had just begun with this …