Come on England

After 17 peacefull nights in Kasar Devi we are back in Almora, in a room with a TV to catch the England game. Will be the first one Ive seen in total (electricity supply willing) How exciting. What will happen tomorrow is unclear but is conected to Mori's teeth. Could be Delhi, Could be up heading further up into dem mountains. You'll see!

Mohan's Guest House

We are still settled in Kasar Devi, cooking, reading, lounging. A good life. Picture shows our lodging on the hill (lower left) Why it also shows our niece FUKO giant sized will have to remain a mystery. Some things just are. Yesterday's big occasion was the passing of some Monkeys. Today we are in town, Almora, stocking up, so it looks like well have another week or so before heading somewhere. No rush, we've been travelling a fair while now so we are looking for beautiful spots for comfort rather than rushing round seeing everything.
Viva Argentina for the Footy!

PS, Ben who replied to a previous post, is that cycling Ben? If so where are you these days? Mail me berusplants@yahoo.com If not and its another Ben, also mail me!

Kasar Devi

With all the anniversary business done and dusted, we have found the perfect hideaway in the mountains, away from the hustle of town, full of green mountain side views, small villages as far as the eye can see. The eye can’t see so far this season compared to others, hazy skies proceeding the yearly deluge, but the distances available are still measured in kilometres, and while the view maybe not be perfect (the snow topped giants to the north are rarely visable) its certainly not ugly. The icing on the cake is the room we have. Complete with bathroom and good kitchen, the room has a high wooden roof, alpineish. its gotta be one of the most pleasant we’ve found. At well under $10, it makes doing very little a pleasure. Just sorting out our food, keeping clean, the essentials in and around our room is plenty fulfilling, cooking especially we miss so are now revelling in it. Tis a comfortable vacation within a wander. Comfort like we had in IBB (and the landscape is close enough to draw a connection between the two spots as well), atmosphere similar to what Gregor and I found in Vashist all those years ago although the village is smaller than Vashist, a few houses, hotels and cafes strung along a hilltop. So again a departure from Vashist which is towards the base of the valley. Both places are at about the same altitude though. Plenty of charras floating around, which I have sipped a little, but I’m staying out of the chillums this time around, tis a young mans sport, unless you be baba.. Also here Full Isreali, as their connection tends to end up in some of the best spots. A place for reading, the café above has books and I’ve picked up some good ones (Vonnegut, Murakami) from friends here about.
So let it be known that the Milner’s are chillin’ in the Himalaya
World cup distant
Shanti Shanti.
Hope you’re getting some too!

Bareilly

The class to take on Indian Railways is First Class non-AC. True it costs a fair amount more than normal sleeper class, and lacks the cooling of AC class which costs a similar amount, but what it affords one, which makes the crucial diference, is privacy. If you are travelling as a couple you can have your own little room which trundels across India, affording you all the views, smells and food that India by the tracks provides. OK, I could leave some of the smells, but as a package it works. We left Varanasi on this class of train 6 years ago and by the time we reached Clacutta (10 hours late) we were married. This time we took the train in the opposite direction, as this time we have more time in the country, and given the season it is wise to head into the mountains. Our orriginal destination was Lucknow, but reaching there at dawn, we thought it better to ride this train as long as possible whilst it was heading to the mountains so after a morning which gradually changed our private room into our own private sauna, we eventually arrived in a place called Bareilly. Not much of a place, but we found comfey beds and have spent today re-charging our batteries. Tomorrow we will head for Almora, Himalaya Bom bolinaught, on the Bus.
Yallah. Bombaclat.
PS, picked up a wee blim in Varanasi before the journey which eased passage.