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The day dawned crisp and clear and partying outside the hotel began at 6 am. January 26 is Republic Day, celebrating India's ratification of their Constitution (1950). A national holiday, liquor sales are prohibited and a good thing. The roads would be more than treacherous.
We left in our three small vehicles to head up the mountain stopping first at an otherwise peaceful Sunday morning spot. The first view of the high Himalayan peaks was stunning, clouds shrouding lower peaks and valleys. The tallest peaks range from 20,000-25,000 feet. Our overlook, Snow View, was way too busy with Indian tourists, many trying to take selfies with us! We moved on through switchbacks, icy snow along ravines and roadsides. Spots where locals were posing in front of dirty, icy snow, refreshment stands set up at turns of the road. We finally managed to attain an area that was nearly void of people and trash and saw a couple of birds. That spot, Pongot, the tour usually can't get to because the road is too icy.
Heading back to town for lunch was a nightmare. The narrow one lane road was packed with cars going both ways. Everyone must have wanted to see snow and mountains and party along the side of the road. Our driver did a remarkable job squeezing between traffic; lots of honking but no one seemed impatient or upset.
Later in the afternoon we walked a steep path getting past houses (and persistently barking dogs) into more mixed pine forest. Kids played basic cricket along the path, fascinated with us. Men worked at repairing some water? line hammering rocks, patching cement. Not terribly conducive to attracting forest birds, but had some good views of a pair of Kalij Pheasants, their bright red eyes popping out of their heads, some stunning Yellow-breasted Greenfinches. The climb back up to the road was a challenge; even the modest altitude affected us making us feel out of shape.
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