Day 160, Mussoorie [Saturday 10th May 2008]
Previous day: Day 159, Rishikesh [Friday 9th May 2008]
Next day: Day 161, Mussoorie [Sunday 11th May 2008]
We get a bus to Dehra Dun, and from there another one up to Mussoorie, which stretches in a long, crooked line along the crest of a Himalayan foothill. As we ascend the air gets cooler, more comfortable. We check into Claridges, a posh hotel which used to be the maharaja's summer residence. It's nestled amid forest about 3km from The Mall, the allegedly pedestrian main road running the length of Mussoorie. The hotel is a low building with a corrugated iron roof, set around a courtyard. Our room has a veranda overlooking thick forest which is full of noisy birds and monkeys. When we order some sandwiches to our surprise they arrive accompanied by a man with a gun. It is his job, apparently, to scare off any wildlife.
The hotel provides a free shuttle to the near end of The Mall, so we go and have a look around. The views over the plains are far reaching. We're 2km above sea level. The Mall is an amusingly tacky tourist magnet, full of Indian families buying paper cones of popcorn, ice cream and wooden knick knacks. We pass a bookshop which has a sign up saying "Meet Ruskin Bond", next to man who is, evidently, Ruskin Bond, a local writer. I buy his "Best of..." and get it autographed.
After a coffee we go back to the hotel, sit on the veranda and watch the rain bucket down. It pounds on the roof. The sky is full of thunder.
In the IPL Punjab lose their first match in 6 games, against Chennai. Dinner in the hotel is absolutely delicious. Ir's a buffet, and we pick form soup, salads, pickles, butter chicken, paneer, fresh nan, and they even have 'truffle' for pudding.
We sink into deep, deep pillows and get a great night's sleep.
Next day: Day 161, Mussoorie [Sunday 11th May 2008]
Previous day: Day 159, Rishikesh [Friday 9th May 2008]