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| Day 6 - Mcleodgunj - the mountains begin |
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6.55am: Chandigarh > Mandi > Dharamsala > Mcleodgunj :6.10pm
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Our drive up into the mountains began today - an exhilarating and relaxed drive with some spectacular sights - the Govindsagar reservoir, the view from Joginder Nagar, the aftermath of the monsoon landslides along the way and the tributaries of the Beas. The drive took us past Mandi, then Dharamsala and finally to Mcleodgunj - a touristy but quaint town with tons of little hotels and a bustling market.
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| greenery on the way |
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| view from jogindernagar |
On the way into Mcleodgunj we stopped at St John's Church in the Wilderness, a church built in 1852 which still runs services today. We got there after visiting hours, it was late evening, the clouds and mist were around us, and the church, with its ancient graveyard was fascinatng. On approaching the main door of the chuch which was padlocked, a dog inside began growling and barking, the overall effect was like something out of Conan Doyles Hound of the Baskervilles.
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| misty woods... |
We checked into Hotal Bhagsu - a Himachal Toursim hotel in Mcleodgunj and took a walk around town for some shopping and dinner. Nowrojee & Son is a general store that has been around since 1862. Most of his shelves and showcases are ancient, and hold modern stationery, chocolates, mineral water, etc., with some of his old wares, including mouldy biscuits and cookies and prehistoric Beck beer bottles still on show. Some of the glass jars in which he keeps modern sweets and gums are fascinating with prominent 'Do not Touch' signs on them.
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| nowrojee & sons |
The town is typically touristy for the whites, and even has a disco called Rock n Roll Disco! Dinner was at Hotel Tibet, where we had momos and thukpa followed by an early night.
Highlights: St John's Church in the Wilderness
Downsides: We could have found a better hotel to stay in at Mcleodgunj, but settled for the Bhagsu |
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| today's route - 356 km |
| day 6 |
km |
odo |
| Panchkula |
|
182774 |
Chandigarh
|
12
|
182786 |
| Kurali |
34 |
182820 |
Rupnagar
|
16
|
182836 |
Swarghat
|
51
|
182887 |
Bilaspur
|
39
|
182926 |
Beri
|
15
|
182941 |
Barmana
|
4
|
182945 |
Sundernagar
|
22
|
182967 |
Mandi
|
25
|
182992 |
Drang
|
17
|
183009 |
Jogindernagar
|
38
|
183047 |
Baijnath
|
23
|
183070 |
Palampur
|
13
|
183083 |
Dharamsala
|
36
|
183119 |
| Mcleodgunj |
11 |
183130 |
| total |
356 |
2724 |
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