Tosh, India

Laden with a heavy backpack on my back and a full rucksack on my front I found myself walking uphill along the edge of a road, with a steep drop to my left down to a rumbling river. Miles from the destination we were meant to be at by now, almost certainly winging it. How did we get here? 

A Ramshackle House On The Hill In Tosh, India 

Flowers Found On One Of Our Walks In The Hills In Tosh, India 

We left Manali by public bus, squished into a seat with our bags around us we felt every single bump and pothole in the road. An open window gave some respite to the stuffy air, outside the landscape was verdant, lush green forest, a fierce river and a distinct lack of crowds. Eventually we reached Bhuntur, a dusty and busy hub of activity. As the bus stopped to take on new passengers I watched a man outside the window frying batter in a vat of oil, spinning each piece in turn carefully and efficiently. On we trundled, the bus was heading upwards and the road was getting narrower, traffic on the opposite side was heavy. We passed Kullu, a small town known as a backpacker hangout, perfect for parties apparently which wasn't our scene. Our end destination was a lot quieter and as far as a car could travel on this road. The bus slowed to a stop outside of Kullu, a police woman advised the bus driver that traffic up ahead and narrow roads meant we had to wait, but for how long no one seemed to know. We waited, the minutes ticked by. One by one passengers alighted the bus and began to walk up the road themselves. There was a curve in the road, how far away was the next town exactly? Reluctantly we decided to leave too. I jumped down from the bus, carrying everything I had been living on for months and walked, like a real nomad.

Donkeys At Work In Tosh, India 

So there we were, walking uphill on that narrow road with the perilous drop and the heavy bags. After the curve the next village was revealed and it was within reach. We arrived and after a scramble up a hill caught a taxi to take us where we needed to go, to the last village at the top of the road. The taxi fare wasn't cheap, but with the bus stranded we had no choice if we wanted to make Tosh. Off we went, over a bridge and up the road, zig-zagging across the landscape, weaving in and out of cars on sharp bends despite the dangers. Tosh was much further away than we had anticipated and so the pricey fare actually seemed fair. We left the taxi at the village entrance, walked across a wooden bridge and onto the traffic-free pathways. The village consisted of houses and restaurants perched on stilts on the side of a hill, with maze-like muddy paths lined with cannabis plants connecting each place to the next. Around us were snowcapped mountains, sublime views that demanded all of your attention. We stopped at a couple of guesthouses, Tosh was inundated with them and they were all cheap. The one we had read about was at the top of a hill but was full so we checked in at another slightly lower down with the same commanding views.

Steep And Rocky Terrain In Tosh, India 

A Lightening Bolt Of Sunlight In Tosh, India

We ended up staying in Tosh for five nights. The village was cut off, there was no phone signal, no wifi. We spent our time simply, looking out at the mountains, taking photographs, eating and going for walks. I wrote and drew with no distraction. After two nights in one guesthouse we moved to a different one, just slightly further down the hill with even better views as they were uninterrupted. Each day would start with an impressive full vegetarian breakfast, and end with dinner and a delicious 'hot milk nutella' a milk and nutella concoction. My only anxiety came from the fact that we had been off the grid for a few days and hadn't let anyone know where we were as we hadn't realised that there would be no internet. I was worried that family would have tried to contact us and panicked when we hadn't got in touch back. 

After five peaceful nights in the mountains we left the village with Shimla in mind as our next destination and last stop in Himachal Pradesh. 

🎥 India video:

Have you been to Tosh? If so, what did you think? Maybe you're planning a trip? I've got tonnes of advice and tips I can share. Let me know in the comments below. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them.

[If you are receiving this via email firstly thank you for subscribing! Secondly please click 'read in browser' to leave a comment and click the heart if you would like to. If you're not subscribed and would like to be, head to the contact page and leave your email.]

Mcleod Ganj, Bhagsu and Manali, India

After a motion sickness inducing journey from Amritsar we arrived in Mcleod Ganj, a suburb of Dharamshala in the state of Himachal Pradesh. As our trip to India was originally unplanned we arrived at an ill time, right in the middle of the hottest season. With that in mind we decided to see as much of Rajasthan as we could quickly and then spend the rest of our time in the north. With Rajasthan explored it was now time to retreat into the Indian hills. Mcleod Ganj is home to the Tibetan government and many Tibetan refugees who left their homeland due to Chinese oppression. The Dalai Lama resides in Mcleod Ganj and it is therefore a place of learning, Buddhist faith and Tibetan culture. 

A Street Scene In Mcleod Ganj, India

Mats and Plants At Tsuglagkhang Temple in Mcleod Ganj, India

We took a taxi from the bus station and drove through the lively town to our hotel down a hill. We checked in and found that we had been upgraded to a room a short walk from the hotel itself which was a bit strange. The next day we woke to a few things; amazing views across the hills, noise from a building site next door and worse of all that Craig found that he wasn't feeling well. Typically just as I'd started to finally be able to eat meals again Craig now had an upset stomach. We managed a walk up the very steep hill from our hotel to the town and got some medicine from a pharmacy as well as food that the pharmacist suggested, bananas and water mostly. One positive thing that we noticed straight away was the temperature, it was so much cooler yet still lovely and warm. It felt like a treat to not be red-faced and sweaty within minutes of leaving the hotel room. Craig rested for the rest of the day while I admired the views.

Inside Tsuglagkhang Temple in Mcleod Ganj, India

Prayers Wheels at Tsuglagkhang Temple in Mcleod Ganj, India 

The following day Craig was feeling a little better after his banana, water and medicine diet so we ventured up the hill into town to have a little explore. The town was very busy, as a site of pilgrimage and a tourist hub there were a lot of people around. Tibetan monks in robes sat and drank coffee in a café window, dreadlocked backpackers haggled with market stall owners over bracelets and locals went about their day; picking up groceries, attending appointments and chatting while dawdling along. Though we were still in India it did feel like a completely different atmosphere, a little more familiar from our days backpacking in Southeast Asia several years ago. We went inside the Tibet Museum where we saw heartbreaking photographs of the Tibetan's struggle against oppression and read stories of refugees that had to make the extremely dangerous journey out of Tibet across the Himalayas in order to survive. Reading the tales of terror endured put into perspective how lucky we are to have not ever had to face such horror in our lives. I felt a surge of anger each time I read about what the Chinese government is doing to the Tibetan people and how their human rights are basically non existent, I really wish that the west could do more to help but what with the world being as it is i'm not sure there is much hope. I read a beautiful passage written by the current Dalai Lama about compassion and left a note in the visitors book. It had truly been a moving experience to see the photographs in the museum. We wandered to the Tsuglagkhang Temple which is the Dalai Lama Temple and noticed hundreds of colourful mats laid out with names of people on, presumably reserved to sleep on. Craig spun the prayer wheels and we looked into the beautifully decorated rooms of the temple from the doorway. 

Walking To Bhagsu Falls, India

The next day we took the scenic route to walk into town which was longer yet just as steep! Luckily the views over the hills were beautiful which made up for the breathlessness. We had a delicious dinner of veggie burgers at a little café which appeared to be a bit of a tourists hangout. We had managed to go quite a long time without seeing many other tourists but it appeared that they were all here and not silly enough to be travelling in Rajasthan like us. 

Walking To Bhagsu Falls, India

I was quite glad to leave the hotel the next day and head up the road a bit to the town of Bhagsu. Our room next to the building site had been noisy and it turned out that our upgrade wasn't an upgrade at all, it was simply because they had double booked and needed to put us elsewhere. Our manager had kept insisting that we had come to India at the wrong time of year and though he was a little over-the-top friendly, his constant criticism of our travel timing had got very irritating. Bhagsu was a short taxi ride away and felt quieter, smaller and cooler than Mcleod Ganj. It was also raining when we arrived, feeling the cool air and droplets of water on my skin was something that I had missed and really reminded me of England, I guess I was starting to really miss home after nine months away. Our room was brightly painted and had balloons in it, was it somebody's birthday? We walked up the slippery hill to a restaurant, running slightly to dodge the downpour and ate with a view of trees; lush greenery had also been missing from my life since being in India. We spent the next day in our room as it was much easier to relax in with no noise, we left to get meals and had a wonderful breakfast at a café a short walk away. They advertised hash browns on the menu, we were very excited. The hash browns arrived and were not at all what we were expecting. Instead came a dish with chunks of potato, green peppers and onions in a spiced sauce, though they weren't what we were imagining they were delicious. 

Our Hotel View In Manali, India 

Beas River In Manali, India 

We'd booked a night bus from Mcleod Ganj to Manali and so had an entire day to kill with no room to hide away in. We left our bags and went on a walk to see Bhagsu Falls, a popular waterfall and picnic spot. We didn't seem to be going in the right direction at first but after a bit of a scramble uphill and around the backs of buildings we needed up on the right track, one away from other tourists too. We wandered along the narrow trail with a steep drop on one side and pipelines running under our feet. We could see the main pathway which was full of walkers and felt glad that we had a little bit of peace where we were, with amazing views of the valley to boot. We climbed a steep path and came across the pretty stone building that serves as a café with the waterfall just behind. We ordered some drinks and sat on the terrace for a while before it started to spit spot. Craig suggested that we make a move as if the rain persisted it would make getting down the steep hill pretty challenging. We passed people on their way up and goats randomly milling about on the path before getting back to town and our hotel seconds before the heavens opened. The wind and rain was so strong that we had to retreat from the roof terrace where we were planning to sit and find a cosier spot in the communal reception area under a shelter. 

Craig Walking Through Cedar Forest In Manali, India

Cedar Forest In Manali, India

After a long wait, a hot chocolate and a piece of banoffee pie it was time to leave Bhagsu, we caught a taxi back to Mcleod Ganj where our coach was waiting for us. Luckily blankets were provided for the overnight trip so at least it was warm if somewhat uncomfortable. We arrived in Manali extremely early, the sun had not quite risen and we had all been dropped off in a muddy field seemingly in the middle of nowhere. A 4x4 arrived and we grabbed two spots and were taken into town where we had reserved a room. Of course as it was so early there was no one to be seen but there was a tiny reception room with sofa's to rest on for a few hours until somebody arrived to check us in. A girl we had met on the coach walked with us and we had a nice chat, it had been a while since we met anyone to talk to. I was pretty glued to my phone all morning because it was the UK General Election results day and I was pretty keen to see the results. While the UK was sleeping and results were coming in we were in a perfect timezone to watch events unfold. We found a café devoted to Bob Dylan to eat breakfast at and then had a chilled out day catching up on lost sleep from the journey. In the evening we ate at Riverside Café, as the name suggested it was right by the beautiful fast flowing Beas river. 

Our dinner at Riverside Café had been so lovely that we decided to go there for breakfast the next day. After breakfast we walked to Hidimba Devi Temple, a simple structure built in 1553 and surrounded on all sides by forest. We didn't stay long at the temple as it was so crowded with tourists, we found the small national park to walk through which was peaceful, a sweet dog decided to accompany us on our wander. It was lovely spending time in the company of trees and being somewhere a little out of the way. In the evening we ate dinner at a restaurant called Renaissance and it was delicious. 

We had jumped from one town to the next in Himachal Pradesh, our time wasn't particularly exciting but it was memorable as the views were superb and we were finally able to enjoy being outdoors without the burden of the heavy heat. We hadn't finished with the state however, our travels would take us off the beaten track next, to the mountainside village of Tosh. 

🎥 India video:

Have you been to Himachal Pradesh? If so, what did you think? Maybe you're planning a trip? I've got tonnes of advice and tips I can share. Let me know in the comments below. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them.

[If you are receiving this via email firstly thank you for subscribing! Secondly please click 'read in browser' to leave a comment and click the heart if you would like to. If you're not subscribed and would like to be, head to the contact page and leave your email.]

Amritsar and the Golden Temple, India

A long journey awaited; from Jaisalmer in the heart of the Rajasthan desert to Amritsar, a sacred city in the state of Punjab; home to the world's most important Sikh site; the Golden Temple. We boarded a train headed to Delhi, after a ticket mishap we had to disembark one stop before the one we wanted and hailed a taxi to take us across the bustling city to Hotel Su Shree for a few hours of sleep before our early morning train to Amritsar. Delhi had been our first stop in India, it had felt so overwhelming at the time, but now, over 20 days into our travels in India we had become used to the noise, the haze, the smells and the cows. I was disappointed to still have no appetite after several days of sickness as the food at Hotel Su Shree had been some of the best we'd tasted, I wouldn't get to enjoy the aloo gobhi this time. 

Joyous Sculpture In Amritsar, India

The Entrance To The Golden Temple, India

We woke and walked to the station, our journey to Amritsar wasn't too long, so we decided to give the seater carriage a go rather than the sleeper. Included in the price was breakfast served at our seat like on an aeroplane! We arrived in Amritsar and at our hostel, it was a little underwhelming and as the city is an expensive one we had to settle with a dorm room. After leaving our bags we went out in search of food, I still wasn't up to eating much but Craig tucked into a thali, a platter with an assortment of culinary delights including daal, rice and flat breads. We moseyed on to the Golden Temple, from the outside we saw a bright white building with a square and fountains to the front. To the left was a row of window booths taking shoes and socks from people to look after as none are permitted inside. We removed our shoes and walked along the hot stone surface to the entrance where we washed our hands and arms with soap and waded through a shallow water bath to clean our feet. I wrapped my trusty green scarf around my head and Craig was given what looked like a large white handkerchief to wrap around his head by a smiling guard. With a crowd of people, we slowly walked barefoot down the stairs. There before us was the man-made pool and magnificent Golden Temple in the middle, accessed by a pier-like walkway. The temple shimmered in the sun, a shining beacon for the Sikh faith. Gold reflected off the water, it looked as though the buildings beautiful facade was melting into the pool, a perfect mixture of turquoise and gold. Queues of worshipers and tourists were gathered in rows waiting to get into the temple while others including us marvelled at it from across the water. There were fish swimming in the pool and after a minute we noticed men and boys in trunks sitting on the edge of the water before sliding off, reaching for a chain and dunking their heads. We wandered around, feeling at ease and most welcome. All people can visit the temple, no matter what nationality, religion or social standing. Over 100,000 people visit the temple daily and amazingly all are entitled to a free meal served at the site by volunteers. A volunteer approached Craig for a chat, he had no agenda and after a few minutes of talking said goodbye and walked on. We found a spot under the shade of a gnarly tree to sit and people watch, despite a few sneaky school kids trying to take our photograph without us noticing we felt at ease and peaceful. Guards patrolled the pool, using long sticks to keep everybody in check and tell off anyone splashing around, I liked the order. In a country that feels so chaotic most of the time it felt like a novelty to see some discipline. 

Turquoise and Gold, The Golden Temple in Amritsar, India

We left the temple, retrieved our shoes and socks and had lunch at a small café close by the Jallianwala Bagh; a garden and memorial to the hundreds if not over a thousand innocent lives that were murdered in a massacre there led by British Colonel Reginald Dyer in 1919. We had seen a dramatisation of the massacre while watching the Richard Attenborough film 'Ghandi', seeing it onscreen had been shocking. A crowd had gathered at the garden for a religious festival and peaceful protest, the gates were locked and a tank brought in, on the word of Colonel Dyer troops began firing at the men, women and children. The horrific attack on innocent Indian lives was led by the British and in defence of British rule. As a British person I felt sickened and ashamed. We wandered around the gardens and memorial to pay our respects, in my mind I couldn't help but say sorry for the wrong doing of my countries past leaders.

A Sikh Man At The Golden Temple in Amritsar, India  

After a sobering experience at the Jallianwala Bagh we caught a collective and very overcrowded tuk tuk to the Indian/Pakistan border to see the Wagah border closing ceremony. With two families including children crowded on the back of the tuk tuk, Craig and I had to sit up front with the driver; me on his left side and Craig on his right. The journey took longer than expected and as we whizzed past cars and mopeds the driver kindly kept reminding me to keep my knees and elbows in. We arrived at the chaos of the border and walked with one of the families to the entrance where we had to go through several security checkpoints. Inside was a road to the border gate and on each side was stadium style seating. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to sit with our new friends as we were ushered to what looked like the 'white zone', a corner of benches full of white tourists. The ceremony took a while to get started, the place was buzzing with music and loud speaker commentary, spectators flowed in wearing colourful outfits. Eventually something started to happen, first lines of visitors gathered on the road and after some enthusiastic dancing were given an Indian flag to run with, doing a bit of a lap of honour, this went on for a while before guards marched up and down. They seemed to be aiming to reach their legs as high as possible, Monty Python's Ministry of Silly walks did spring to mind. With some marching and loud shouting the flag was lowered, the guards from each side of the border shook hands and the gate was closed. It had been a surreal but fun experience to encounter, we felt a little sorry for poor Pakistan who barely had a person there to watch and cheer. 

I Love My India Merch At The Wagah Border, India

Impressive Hats And High Kicks At The Wagah Border, India  

We walked a couple of kilometres back to the tuk tuk meeting point, it felt like when a band finish playing at a festival and there is a mass exodus back to the tents. There were swarms of people everywhere. We found our happy driver and sat waiting for the two families to show up so we could return to Amritsar. Every person who glanced our way started staring when they saw us and we had A LOT of photographs taken, I can only imagine that it was a bit like being Robert Pattison and Kristen Stewart during the Twilight years. Our driver had our back and started shooing people off when it got a bit much which was rather endearing, he was like our friendly bodyguard. As night fell we headed off, I was feeling so drained after such a busy day that I could feel my eyes getting heavy while we drove along but I stayed as awake as possible for fear of dozing off and falling out of the tuk tuk en-route. Once back in the city we gave our driver a good tip for being so kind and walked with our new friends to the Golden Temple to see it lit up at night. We went through the same procedure of covering our heads and washing our hands and feet and walked in. It was a totally different perspective and atmosphere, the lights made the temple physically glow, the water sparkled and the crowds were much livelier. A teacher with a group of students stopped us for an impromptu interview which was highly embarrassing, I left Craig to answer his questions. We said goodbye to our friends and headed back to the hostel.

The Golden Temple At Night, India

The next morning we had breakfast at a 100% vegetarian McDonalds located close by the temple. Usually I'd prefer to support local businesses but I hadn't eaten in such a long time and the hash browns were calling my name. It was the first meal I'd finished since Jodhpur. Our time in Amritsar was hectic and it was up, we caught a coach to McLeod Ganj in the much anticipated state of Himachal Pradesh. 

🎥 India video:

Have you been to Amritsar? If so, what did you think? Maybe you're planning a trip? I've got tonnes of advice and tips I can share. Let me know in the comments below. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them.

[If you are receiving this via email firstly thank you for subscribing! Secondly please click 'read in browser' to leave a comment and click the heart if you would like to. If you're not subscribed and would like to be, head to the contact page and leave your email.]