Manali, June 13, 2017

Chintu Travels Day 5. 

Last night after writing the post, me and Shivam started talking, about how he ended up opening a hostel, he pitched a tent on new years eve and paid 2000 Rupees for that, and he remembered the spot. He wanted to take a franchise of Zostel, but then they had too strict guidelines and standards, and he decided to open one on his own. 

3 weeks and he is always short of beds, with almost all the guests overstaying and some even willing to sleep in the common room ( I'll be doing this tonight ), this is probably the best hostel I have ever stayed in, amenities don't make a place, it's the environment and the people.

A rest day?
There is no such thing as a rest day when you're on the move, I ended up walking about 18 kilometres as per google fit. It doesn't feel much any more, the legs are used to it.

late afternoon I was roaming around Old Manali and heard someone talk about a wooden bridge across the river to reach Vashisht, and I took path, 3 kilometres longer than the highway but a lot quicker and passing via beautiful villages.

I ended up meeting Jose at the base of the waterfall and we ended up taking the path back.

I just ended up with a virtual pre-birthday dinner at this nice restaurant in Old Manali, which we chose after we saw the menu at a really expensive one.

The crowd being:
An Adventurous Australian guy,
Two shy Canadians guys,
An excited French guy,
A snappy American woman,
A cheery British girl,
A couple of geeky-funny British guys.
And a calm German guy.

And everyone gelled like a family, sad that we'd all be parting ways tomorrow, I am leaving at dawn tomorrow. And everyone else later in the day.

I am pretty sure Shivam would miss us. I'd miss this place, and the walks around.

In Picture, a cow-herd walking on ahead of me on a trail today.