Auli 2

Hi. I am back ! not that I think anybody was waiting exactly. Well, so where was I ? Ya ! Day 2. Those drums and the holi celebrating crowd!. Ok! so after our tyre puncture was repaired we moved on to Kasauni. It was already evening when we reached,.It is a sleepy little town with the tourists comprising mostly from the so called spillover of Nainital tourists. The townsfolk enlightened us that it is best to visit Kasauni early morning when you can view the snow covered peaks and enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the ...what else the Himalayas! so we had tea there and decided to move on to Ranikhet. We knew that we will not be able to spend much time over there, but still we decided to have a go. When we descended down and out of Kasauni., a little away from the entrypoint of Kasauni at a lonely spot an SUV was parked across the road so that it blocked the road. we had to slow down to stop and then... three fellows walked up to us. they were drunk but were very civil and polite. Polite yet authoritatively they spoke to us. They first wished us a happy holi and then coolly , they asked us to pay a hundred rupees. They were so cool, so authoritative and so drunk we dare not argue and paid up silently, but not happily. Some how I did not feel happy at holi . After that they let us pass and we sped off to Ranikhet , a beautiful, neat and tidy cantonment . But it was dark when we reached and the only stop there was at the fuelling station. We drove back to Binsar had an early dinner and planned for an early start next morning to Auli. Next day was choti holi or you can say Holi minor.
Day 3. We started at around 5.30am in the semi darkness. Sunrise in the hills need to be experienced in order to feel its aura and magic. the scenery turning bright from the grey. Everything fresh and pure! Nothing can make you feel more optimistic then the morning mountain atmosphere hence we had no absolutely no idea how the day was about to end that day. People were still sleeping as we passed by small villages. The first major town that came was Bageshwar and then Baijnath ...or was it the other way round??? well but Bageswar and baijnath were the major places famous for its temples. But for me, what still remains etched in my memory is the picture perfect scenery. It was amazing. I use to think this type of places existed only in movies or abroad. The snow covered peaks and next to them the black or dark blue mountains, followed by the wave of green smaller mountains and after that came the undulating fields and farmed land and then the road where we were standing and admiring everything... taking in everything..I insisted that we have our breakfast there itself so that we can spend some more time there. I felt so invigorated and so carefree that i started hopping around and playing Ringa ringa roses with shinu my niece in law.. i hope i can say that. After the breakfast we set off again with a light heart , off to Auli- a skiing destination . Next only to Gulmarg and Pahalgamb in Kashmir... but, but. I am in a hurry so will turn up again in Auli 3. I know i have the talent to give the tv soaps a run for their money the way I am Extending my trip report but hey I am busy!