Just when I started to chronicle my first ever Solo trip, I came across this 1 year old draft. Headline - 3 years after marriage.
Amazing weather. I took a sharing cab from the rainy Dehradun. 6 people stuffed in an old Ambassador with just one wiper - driving on the winding roads leading to Mussoorie. amidst heavy downpour. Wow... It was a marvelous experience.
Anyway... Once in Mussoorie, I met with Amit. He really is a gem of a person. Very thoughtful, gentle person who plays great music. Here is a picture of me and him at the Chick Chocolate (this amazing old English fashioned Cafe at The Mall Road.- Serves delicious Hot Chocolate and plays very good music).
I will always remember the walk I took alone at The Mall Road at night after Amit left. Not only because of the pretty curves of the road or the street vendors selling the steaming hot boiled corns. But because, this was the first time in life when I was all on my own. But both happy and sad. A constant tussle between my 2 minds. One with same old questions - why did this happen? And the other pushing the first to shush, enjoy the moment and forget the past.
Life can really change in just one moment.
Anyway, not the mood to talk about the tornado that came and ruined the "married" life.
So... On 16th June'17, I embarked on this journey to cut loose from the daily mundane life and give myself a break. Some time to think about how to heal myself and prove to myself that I have the ability to make things happen.
Work brought me to Dehradun and a friend's guidance took me further on 'ToP of the Hill' as they say.
 |
| On way to Mussoorie |
The best part of the journey was getting drenched in rain twice. That feeling I can't define. The carefree, right in that moment, free from sadness, filled with excitement feeling. In all this I almost forgot that I was carrying my laptop with me. But! Worry not! My Nike backpack came to the rescue and saved my precious precious data.
Anyway... Once in Mussoorie, I met with Amit. He really is a gem of a person. Very thoughtful, gentle person who plays great music. Here is a picture of me and him at the Chick Chocolate (this amazing old English fashioned Cafe at The Mall Road.- Serves delicious Hot Chocolate and plays very good music). 
I will always remember the walk I took alone at The Mall Road at night after Amit left. Not only because of the pretty curves of the road or the street vendors selling the steaming hot boiled corns. But because, this was the first time in life when I was all on my own. But both happy and sad. A constant tussle between my 2 minds. One with same old questions - why did this happen? And the other pushing the first to shush, enjoy the moment and forget the past.
I guess it will be some more time before the two minds become ally and let me live in peace.
Anyway... I am determined to take things one at a time.
Its 9.45 am on 17th June. I have half a day in Mussoorie. Then I will leave for Dehradun after lunch to catch my train back to home sweet home.
--- Now writing this after coming from the trip. Sitting in office as I write.
17th June was indeed a very beautiful day. Sun was shining bright. The breeze was cold yet comforting. I started my day with stroll on the Mall road again. Looking for Pandit k Hot Gulab Jamun, chewy toffee and a few other things that were recommended by Ankit. Ankit spent his childhood in Haridwar and was a frequent visitor to Mussoorie.
I met Amit and we took long walks on the roads of Mussoorie. He took me to the internal or the less frequented roads to show the localized version. I feel its very important to see a place from the eyes of a person who has lived there for quite some time. Gives you a perspective that you won't otherwise get if you visit like a tourist for a day or two. We went to Camel Back Road, saw far flung villages, Indian Scientific Telescope station, Old Mussoorie (where Mr. Ruskin Bond lives) etc. thorough Binoculars. Also... ate wild leaves, plucked right off the mountain, that tasted sour just like the Tamarind leaves.
Just a little down the road and on a cliff, there is Cafe Teetotaler. So beautiful with perfect landscaping, red bricks and blue doors. white table and a see-through roof to gaze at the clear blue sky. To be honest, I got drawn to it because of the music they were playing.
Another Cafe worth mentioning is Cafe By The Way. The entrance is easily miss-able. But once you notice it, you cannot unsee it. You would be drawn to climb the steep steps and explore the small and out-of-the-box decorations and furniture. We spent good amount of time playing Djenga. Eventually Amit won. But only because he distracted me and I ended up spilling the blocks everywhere.
Finally once in train, I was all ready to spend a blissfull time reading "Thanks for memories - Cecilia Ahern". But was distracted (or rather entertained) by a chatty co-passenger. Who, just like me was excited to share his tales of DDN and Mussoorie travel.
*************************End of my first of many Solo Travels**************************
--- Now writing this after coming from the trip. Sitting in office as I write.
17th June was indeed a very beautiful day. Sun was shining bright. The breeze was cold yet comforting. I started my day with stroll on the Mall road again. Looking for Pandit k Hot Gulab Jamun, chewy toffee and a few other things that were recommended by Ankit. Ankit spent his childhood in Haridwar and was a frequent visitor to Mussoorie.
 |
| Pandit k Hot Gulab Jamun at Bengali Sweet Shop |
I met Amit and we took long walks on the roads of Mussoorie. He took me to the internal or the less frequented roads to show the localized version. I feel its very important to see a place from the eyes of a person who has lived there for quite some time. Gives you a perspective that you won't otherwise get if you visit like a tourist for a day or two. We went to Camel Back Road, saw far flung villages, Indian Scientific Telescope station, Old Mussoorie (where Mr. Ruskin Bond lives) etc. thorough Binoculars. Also... ate wild leaves, plucked right off the mountain, that tasted sour just like the Tamarind leaves.
Just a little down the road and on a cliff, there is Cafe Teetotaler. So beautiful with perfect landscaping, red bricks and blue doors. white table and a see-through roof to gaze at the clear blue sky. To be honest, I got drawn to it because of the music they were playing.
Another Cafe worth mentioning is Cafe By The Way. The entrance is easily miss-able. But once you notice it, you cannot unsee it. You would be drawn to climb the steep steps and explore the small and out-of-the-box decorations and furniture. We spent good amount of time playing Djenga. Eventually Amit won. But only because he distracted me and I ended up spilling the blocks everywhere.
 |
| Amit, Djenga and Chocolate Shake |
 |
| Cafe By The Way |
Finally once in train, I was all ready to spend a blissfull time reading "Thanks for memories - Cecilia Ahern". But was distracted (or rather entertained) by a chatty co-passenger. Who, just like me was excited to share his tales of DDN and Mussoorie travel.
*************************End of my first of many Solo Travels**************************
