South Asia
Republic of Incredible India, the world's biggest democrazy
Himachal Pradesh
Lahul
Mandi (c. 760 m above sea level)
Click below for an interactive road map of the Hotel Partap Palace in Mandi and for directions:Overnighting in Mandi, a historic town which is built along the banks of the Beas River, known for is old stone temples and called the Varanasi of the Hills, and, the next morning, taking an H.R.T.C. (Himachal Road Transport Corporation) Bilaspur bus from Mandi via Chandigarh, the Le-Corbusier designed, soulless new capital for the Indian state of Punjab, planned in the post-war modernist style with empty dual carriageways and garden-like, huge roundabouts (later naturally amended with ubiquitous Indian alcohol outlets in one of their corners: “English Wine & Chilled Beer”), straight to New Delhi (570 km, 14 ½ hours, INR 390.- per person), thus leaving the Trans-Himalayan rain shadow and arriving during the already fully developed southwest monsoon, India’s most awaited and most crucial season, with good rains heralding a good year for economic growth.
Click below for a summary of this year's travels
