Parvati Valley August 2010 ?

Hey all,
I will be traveling around some places in India starting August.
I will be traveling all by myself,but there's a 30% chance my friend would come along.But it doesn't matter.
So, around 2nd week of August, I will be starting my 5-month long India trip ...
By the way, I will be travelling on a strict (not very) budget.
That means budget accomodations,food,alcohol,wat er,etc.etc.
One of the places is Manali where I will be going via New Delhi.
So the questions arise :
1.)I also want to stop at Dehradun,Haridwar for just 2 days each just to check out the place. Are there buses from Dehradun to Manali ?
day/night doesn't matter, but decent buses that will get me there alive.

2.)I want to stay only in Parvati Valley & Kasol for about 2 months.So, in order to do this, do i need to make pre-bookings ?
This is the 1st time i'm going there, so I don't really know.Plus, I heard this is peak (started in June I presume)time, so there will be a lot of people.
Any recommendations where I should be booking or if i don't need to book, where should I just drop-in ?
All I need is a cheap,but clean room with a good view.I don't mind any kind of crowd staying in the hotel/guesthouse.

3.) Yes, I drink and smoke a lot of c.h.a.ras..so i wouldn't mind that kind of crowd as well ..but at the end of it..it should be a memorable trip..if you know what i mean.

4.) I've heard a lot about some great outdoor parties happening in the area, would love to attend atleast 1 before I leave.

5.) Lastly, if I apply for a debit card there, how quickly would I get it ? I don't want to be roaming around with lots of money as I've heard some police stories as well.Also, I don't want to keep all my cash in the room/bags,etc. want it to be in a safe place.

I guess that's about it ! A simple and long holiday !! just looking for some peace(from the daily routine life of dubai) and looking forward to meeting some great people of the kind.

Also, if anybody recommends some good cafes / bars / indian restaurants, etc...please feel free to let me know.
I'm fresh to this place,so it would be great if you gave me specific answers !!
Thanks a lot !!
Will come back with more queries soon !!
Cheers !!
S.M.