Arriving at Mountain and Moon

Just after 1.30pm, we were dropped off at the Dharamshala Bus Stand. It was incredibly busy. I had arranged a taxi through the hotel I'm staying at, so I didn't have to wait long before Ramesh appeared. We had a 40-minute drive uphill through Mcleod Ganj to Dharamkot to my hotel Mountain and Moon. We passed all the main attractions that I want to visit tomorrow. I'll probably walk back down and then get a taxi up again.

I often think that each of India's 28 states is very different from the others. Nowhere is this more true than here in Himachal Pradesh. As we drove, I felt like I was in a completely new country - it didn't feel like India at all. This is hardly surprising, as this is home to the 14th Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile. It has been for over 30 years. Mcleod Ganj is often called Little Lhasa. I've certainly never seen as many Buddhist monks walking around everywhere. Inevitably, because of the number of tourists drawn here by the presence of His Holiness, there is a plethora of tacky souvenir shops and stalls, and a range of restaurants offering every cuisine you can think of. It certainly looked very colourful through the taxi windows! 

As we climbed higher (to an altitude of 1881 metres), the views were spectacular. The hairpin bends and sheer drops were a bit hairy!

Ramesh dropped me off a little way from my hotel, as it's pedestrian access only. Luckily, the guy from the hotel was waiting to carry my case for me. I was glad, as the steps down to my accommodation were very uneven and covered in loose shingle. Once there, he showed me to my second-floor room. I had been given a free upgrade to a room on the sunny side of the building.

I dropped my bags and went in search of somewhere to eat. I didn't have to go far. Less than a minute's walk away, there is a Tibetan-run restaurant. I sat on the deck in the sunshine and enjoyed butter chicken, jeera rice, and chapatti, washed down with a banana lassi. It was very good. Sadly, it will be my only visit as the owners are going away for ten days for Tibetan New Year.

After my meal, I returned to the hotel and sat in the sunshine on my balcony. I stayed there until the sun dropped behind a nearby building and the temperature suddenly plummeted! It's currently 4 degrees! I'm just not used to the cold! Tomorrow, the forecast is for a cloudy day with a high of only 11! OMG!!Read more