Escape to Kumaon

ks_bluechip · Jun 17th, 2007, 14:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajkumar

And what would you do after 11-30AM once you come back to your cozy place? Can you pl. complete the picture of your dream life in kumaon?

Looks like I have got some people "hooked" with my Dream story!

After reaching my pad at 11:30AM .... the schedule varies a little bit, depending on the day of the week and weather ... if it is Wednesday or Saturday ... and also a Warm and Sunny, I will take a bath

..... else Not

.

Then (daily) while listening to Vividh Bharati, hopefully, playing old Hindi Songs (Mohd-Rafi, Kishore, Mukesh et.al. from 60s or 70s) on my Transistor ..... (I wont be taking my MP3 player .. I like my music randomised by Vividh Bharati .. Wish I could have Faristha or Shruti on Worldspace, up there

) ... and then have my lunch of Chappati, Dal, Sabzi, Pyaaz & Achaar .... cooked by the owner-keeper. And for dessert, if he can serve a large glass of spiced butter milk (like Amul Masti) - that would be heaven

After lunch, I will lie down, relax .... and read one of the many books or novels, I have brought along ... pretty soon, doze off.

If I don't feel like reading or can't doze off, I will try write the book, that I have always wanted to write, but never got beyond the first 5 pages

rajkumar · Jun 17th, 2007, 17:23

Thanks KS. I too have such a dream (which mountain lover has n't?). Hence the curiosity. All the best in finding your perfect place in the hills!

ks_bluechip · Jun 17th, 2007, 17:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajkumar

Thanks KS. I too have such a dream (which mountain lover has n't?). Hence the curiosity. All the best in finding your perfect place in the hills!

Yes Rajkumar. It must be a pretty common dream, for anyone who has been up north in the hills of Uttaranchal or Himachal.

I don't know how practically, I can make it work. Time will tell. Will post on that here, if/when done.

Also not sure if one would get bored staying in one place for 3 months ... but I am not too worried about that, as I can always go out for short 4-5 day tours, to nearby places. Mainly I hope to escape from Mumbai's Hot weather in Mar-May period ... 2007 was awfully hot here.

Dilliwala · Jun 18th, 2007, 04:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by ks_bluechip

My mental picture is:

Get up 5 AM, have glass of tea by owner/keeper, put on a sweater (it should be cool enough for that) and by 6 AM start my walk/trek Down or Up to town .... thru pine forested trails, breathe in fresh cool air, see white vapour when I breath out, hear birds chirping, see morning dew everywhere

.... On reaching town at 7:30 AM, buy an "angrezi" newspaper (day-before's edition is fine), read that while drinking coffee and wait for the BB-cafe to open up at 8:30AM

.... See/reply my e-mails, Surf the Net a bit, Chat-on-line with some friends and by 10:00AM head back to the pad, arriving 11:30AM or so.

Escape to Kumaon .... this thread is named aptly!

All I have to say is:
You, sir, truly have your priorities right - in minute detail.

Quote:

Originally Posted by capt_mahajan

Actually I meant the entire ridge area near Pappersaili onwards upto Kasar Devi, which would otherwise fit ksb's requirements, well within 3/4 km range of Almora (not to speak of the fact that dialup is available at Pappersaili too, though iffy).

Quite a few budget/backpacker 'guest houses' here. Predominantly foreign clients, some long term and illegal, and some into illegal activity.

Some owners dont welcome Indians, as they are in collaboration with the foreigners, and some foreigners are suspicious that they are being 'checked up' upon...

The problem is not as big as in parts of Himachal, but it is there.

Ah, ok, I don't know Papparsali area at all - only passed thru the one time I was there.
Don't get me wrong, Capt, I know what u're getting and that it's more in the nature of a heads-up, but I think this sort of thing needs to be checked by us ourselves. If foreigners are upto illegal activity in collaboration with desis, they shud both jolly well worry and be suspicious. That has more to do with the law than nationality, doesn't it? But I don't think every foreigner or hotel-keeper is doing it, so those that are not shudn't really have a prob with "us"

. If they still do, THAT'S what i think shud not be 'worried about" by us - cud become a snowballing trend.
Re HP: I really wonder sometimes if it's just due to lack of resources that the state govt doesn't order a clean up, or whether they really don't care about their image - it is taking a bit of a dent becos of the situation. The whole thing is a bit unfortunate, becos the large majority of foreigners going to HP do not go there hell-bent on breaking the law, so it's just a handful really of, ahem, a certain nationality that are spoiling it for everybody.
If I was SP, Kullu for a month, well............

capt_mahajan · Jun 18th, 2007, 07:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dilliwala

Re HP: I really wonder sometimes if it's just due to lack of resources that the state govt doesn't order a clean up, or whether they really don't care about their image -

Or because its because some in positions of authority are paid off by the locals who stand to gain...

shahronakm · Jun 19th, 2007, 22:07

Nice Kumaon escape planned here. Most of the members will envy you, including me.

Ronak.

ks_bluechip · Jun 20th, 2007, 07:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by shahronakm

Nice Kumaon escape planned here. Most of the members will envy you, including me.

Ronak.

Yeah, I envy myself! And thank my wife for it!! Indian Wives are the best!

She badgered me to stop "working so hard"; so much so, that I completely stopped and retired! And then found the Himalayas. Now she thinks I am overdoing the Retirement!

Bhaswaran · Jun 20th, 2007, 12:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by ks_bluechip

Yeah, I envy myself! And thank my wife for it!! Indian Wives are the best!

She badgered me to stop "working so hard"; so much so, that I completely stopped and retired! And then found the Himalayas. Now she thinks I am overdoing the Retirement!

ha ha ...I will try this...

Actually, sometimes I think of becoming a Sadhu and take refuge in the Himalayas......I always feel from my heart that is my home..

capt_mahajan · Jun 20th, 2007, 14:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by ks_bluechip

And then found the Himalayas.

Actually, the Himalayas find you.

Sadanand Kamath · Jun 20th, 2007, 15:44

Visit to Himalayas is an addiction - of fresh air, of mighty hills, of roaring rivers and streams, of lakes, of pine forests, bugiyals and many more things. I got this addiction in 1984 and since then I have been visiting Himalayas almost every year up to 2002 either as a trekker or as a family trip/trek

I have not been able to pay my annual visit to Himalaya for the last 5 years mainly on account of work and social commitments.I have since retired from service

.

In keeping with the title of this thread, I intend to escape Mumbai's October heat by a visit to Kumaon Himalayas sometime this October/November

.

Sadanand

The Pilgrim · Aug 2nd, 2007, 19:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dilliwala

bluechip,

....I can tell u that Landour Cantt in Mussoorie meets your reqs. Altho the nearest bazar is only 1.5 km downhill, the Cantt is pretty isolated - u'll see what I mean if u go there. There's a Broadband cafe and a few shops right in the Cantt, max 10-15 mins walk from the furthest point. There are a few people who do pg accom or 3-6 months renting out. Pls search for threads with "Landour" on this site for more.

.

...The problem with landour is definitely shortage of accomodation...mainly due to the influx of foreign students who study hindi at Landour Language School. Otherwise its a slice of heaven, "if" one can get the accomodation..and thats a big "IF" ???

ks_bluechip · Aug 2nd, 2007, 19:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pilgrim,

...The problem with landour is definitely shortage of accomodation...mainly due to the influx of foreign students who study hindi at Landour Language School. Otherwise its a slice of heaven, "if" one can get the accomodation..and thats a big "IF" ???

Thanks, Pilgrim... Landour was suggested by others too... I was to examine the place, during my return journey via mussorie in July... but I had to rush back directly. Will investigate Landour ... meanwhile anybody with some Specific Room / PG suggestions do let me know ... KS

Sadanand Kamath · Aug 2nd, 2007, 20:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by ks_bluechip

Landour was suggested by others too... I was to examine the place, during my return journey via mussorie in July... but I had to rush back directly.
KS

Landour has another plus point - you will be in the august company of Ruskin Bond and Bill Aitken

.

Sadanand

Dilliwala · Aug 2nd, 2007, 21:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sadanand Kamath

Landour has another plus point - you will be in the august company of Ruskin Bond and Bill Aitken

.

Sadanand

That's only if one goes this month. Next month it'll be September company, thereafter October company....

Shri Bond hardly steps out of his house and is sighted as often as the Himalayan Quail in the Benog Tibba WLS - rarely.
Aitken doesn't even live in Landour Cantt, he lives around Bala Hissar, well downhill. Can't even remember when I last saw him, altho I have a strong suspicion we shared a taxi up from DD - 15 years ago!

Dilliwala · Aug 2nd, 2007, 22:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by ks_bluechip

Will investigate Landour ... meanwhile anybody with some Specific Room / PG suggestions do let me know ... KS

Go to the thread "Anyone going to Landour this year?", ksb.
U'll find eight pages worth of posts, incl some by me.

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