Ranikhet - I

Been so many days - I guess I really got lazy in posting my experience uphill to Kumaon hills. All in all, a very refreshing trip - I never knew kumaon was so beautiful. We started early from Delhi - I, manish and mili - around 6.15 a.m only to reach Ranikhet around 5 pm in the evening. The journey was good - i decided to drive initially, and except for the occassional race-driving (until Manish would literally shout at me! :-), nothing exciting happened. Delhi-Gaziabad-Hapur-Moradabad-Rudrpur-Haldwani-kathgodam - plains and yet no sign of mountains. I was beginning to loose patience, when suddenly after kathgodam, there was a slight sight of the mountains - as refreshing as it has always been. By then I was tired and Manish took over. Listen to this - the only brand of beer that we could manage through our way was Haywards Strong. Two bottles and we were ready to throw it down the drain - I wonder how people take to it - it is almost like having a local liquor.

I panicked when I reached ranikhet market for it was nothing more than a small market, cluttered and nuthing of interest. But then, as we crossed the market, I was surprised at the beauty that place carried. We had made the bookings in Windsor Lodge - which is much better than the pictures I saw - with 3 star comforts and serenity in the environment. Just before the resort is a 9-hole golf course - which looks awesome. The lodge is a heritage resort and it was interesting to see the way they had done up the entire place. Mili had a great time running around the place. Both Manish and I could not ask for anything better in this upcoming tourist place for it's peaceful environment and serenity of the mountains are around refreshed us beyond words.

Pin drop silence everywhere with only the occassional cookoo of the birds in the trees. People who live uphill, I envy the life that they lead. It is so free from the hustle bustle of metros and the traffic chaos - away from nature in all. Well, the next day was interesting - we got to know of the apple orchard and a Jhula mandir which were little ahead of Ranikhet and decided to spend the day there. Apple orchad - breath taking view of the hills and a small trek to go from one mountain to another. I don;t have the pictures today with me. Let me post them tomorrow. And so will my post continue. So long, be with me.