It's great to be back in the mountains where the air is fresh and clean. After the humidity of Thailand and Malaysia and - dare I say it - the constant sunshine in Goa (it's only really Colin who moans about the heat) it's great to be here where the weather can be unpredictable. As we arrived here at the start of May we had missed all the heavy rain and snow. The daytime weather at the moment is changeable, some days are glorious sunshine and others are overcast and cloudy. It's a bit like Scotland where you can go out dressed for sunshine and the next minute it's raining - although the sun is certainly seen more here than in Scotland and certainly a tad warmer! The temperature cools down in the evening and can get quite chilly - although Colin still walks around the house in shorts and a t-shirt, bearing in mind that there's no source of heating in the house except in the main kitchen. Me, well I sleep with 3 blankets, a hot water bottle, a bed shirt and thick woolly socks that Champa knitted me. Not exactly sex on legs but got to keep the tootsies warm.
Vashisht is generally a relatively quite place although it does get it's share of tourists. Out with the winter there is always Western tourists in Vashisht, some passing through on their way further into the Himalayas, some coming just to see Vashisht and some here to go trekking, rafting, canyoning etc. There are also the ones that you see year after year, dossing around just as Colin and I are doing. At the moment though Vashisht is really busy as it is Indian tourist season and people come here from all over India. Most of them stay around Manali, the main town 3kms down the valley, but because Vashisht has the Temple with the natural hot springs it's a day trip not to be missed by most Indians. This season will last until about the end of June and then things will quieten down again
At night, when all the Indian tourists have left Vashisht becomes a quiet place. Most places are closed very early at night and Colin and I tend not to go out much in the evening - with the exception of the footie the other night and also tonight again. Because the house here is not right in the village but is about 10-15mins along a narrow, uneven, rocky country path Colin and I have the problem of having to come along the path in the pitch dark, which appears even more uneven and rocky after a few beers - better to be at home before complete darkness and in full charge of all your senses - well, most of the time.
Vashisht is generally a relatively quite place although it does get it's share of tourists. Out with the winter there is always Western tourists in Vashisht, some passing through on their way further into the Himalayas, some coming just to see Vashisht and some here to go trekking, rafting, canyoning etc. There are also the ones that you see year after year, dossing around just as Colin and I are doing. At the moment though Vashisht is really busy as it is Indian tourist season and people come here from all over India. Most of them stay around Manali, the main town 3kms down the valley, but because Vashisht has the Temple with the natural hot springs it's a day trip not to be missed by most Indians. This season will last until about the end of June and then things will quieten down again
At night, when all the Indian tourists have left Vashisht becomes a quiet place. Most places are closed very early at night and Colin and I tend not to go out much in the evening - with the exception of the footie the other night and also tonight again. Because the house here is not right in the village but is about 10-15mins along a narrow, uneven, rocky country path Colin and I have the problem of having to come along the path in the pitch dark, which appears even more uneven and rocky after a few beers - better to be at home before complete darkness and in full charge of all your senses - well, most of the time.
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