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We had an 8 hour so called luxury bus to Dharamsala and arrived there at 5.30 am. We had to wake the taxi driver up to Mc Leod Ganj where the Dalai Lama lives. We ended up at the Pink House hotel ran by a couple of brothers from Kashmir. Javid who was the boss was running a good business and here we stayed for 12 days. The time whipped passed it is almost as long as we spent in the Andaman Islands. The hotel had a fab resturant on the roof top and with mountain views. We would wander down to the tmple and mingle with monks. We saw the museum about the destruction of Tibet by the chinese, no wonder they escape to India. We also saw the Dalai Lama drive past in his 4x4. Everyone around bowed there heads and put hands in the prayer position, except us who were more intrested in a photo of him and Keely got one. We saw lots of nice stuff to buy from jewellery to shawls to Thanka's.
From McLoed Ganj we headed to Manali another ten hour night bus journey round some of the most scariest roads ever. Luckily most of it was during darkness so you could not see. We had seat numbers 13 and 14 and they were not the most cormftable and the window did not shut but then it is to be expected as it is India. We get of the bus at Manali and take a short taxi journry to Vashisht. Once a lovely old town famous for hot spring and the temple baths around it. Now as with most plasces it is full of hotels. We stayed in a great place with panoramic views along the valley to snow capped peaks all around. All you hear at night is the sound of the rapids Beas river ripping past and the sound of Indians hocking one up from the terrace below. Checked out old and new Manali and the few temples and the fair ground attractions with candy floss and Yak rides.
We then tooka 6 hour taxi to Keylong for 2800 rp to Keylong through the Spitti valley and it some of the best scenery i have seen. We drove over a 3987m Rhotang la pass with all of the indians feeling their first snow in there crazy fur jackets and 1970's ski suits, they know how to look cool!! We stopped and had Chai here as we have never beeen this high before and laughed at the Indian tourists slip on the snow. From here we headed down a bit into the Spitti Valley poast huge snow drifts that never melt. Passed all ther Border Road Organisation that maintain the roads when they are open as this part of the mountains is only open for about 5 months of the year when the snow clears. The roads get worse and our little Suzuki van ploughs on through streams and holes. The driver has obviously done this before. We follow the river that is heading to Pakistan and arrive at Keylong.
Keylong a small little town in the middle of no where. Again great scenery and a few Gompas to check out. We see one that is 800 years old and another that is from the 17th century and the last one looked much older. The 17th century one Shashura Gompa was finely painted and had ancient Thanka's, one 15 ft, hanging from the walls. We had chai with the care taker and soggy biscuits. Then it was time to climb down. It took about two hours hard slog to get up and about half an hour down. It was a bigger climb to the other Gompa the day before and our little legs were a bit tired. We got back to Manali a few days later and next we head back to Dharamsala to get to Amristar.
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