Today we traveled with Happiness

Well, today was the first time I felt a little nauseous, and not because of the food, but rather because we signed up for a roller-coaster ride without seat-belts or any type of safety feature, unless of course we count the magical horn. Which in this case was actually quite useful, in signaling to other drivers that another vehicle was approaching the curve. In most cases this worked like a charm, although at one point it seemed the bus horns cancelled each other out, since there was an emergency braking situation. I think we were in the right, (or at least on our side of the road), since the other bus backed up.



I have to say that the views out the windows were amazing. In fact, you could almost forget that the edge of the road dropped away, just below your window, and the road was barely wide enough to accommodate two cars meeting on straight sections, (I think there might have been one), never mind two buses meeting on blind curves. I maybe should have taken some Gravol, to make my ride more enjoyable, but I do know that there were some on the bus, who definitely needed some.

Our "ride" started just after breakfast, when we caught a cab to the elevator at the bottom of the mall. Since it was Sunday, the mall was not busy, so we were able to take some pictures without the crowds. I even took one of the local landmarks, "Christ Church", which could be the starting point, if we wanted to walk to the highest point in Shimla. I am not sure if this is a valuable way to spend a day, but if I get bored with sitting in the sun, and enjoying the +25 degree days, I may reconsider.

On a side note, while I was taking pictures, I am sure a few were being taken of the "big white guy in shorts and a tee-shirt in winter", in fact; I posed with a couple of them. What I should have done was ask the family that was wearing winter gear, if I could take a picture with them in their parkas and ear muffs.

From the tourist office, we had to walk down to where they have a skating rink in winter, who knew. On the way down, we passed shops which used to sell smuggled goods, I guess prior to the opening of the Indian economy, if you wanted to impress the ladies, (this may even be the case today for the young), you had to wear western clothes. I think this meant blue jeans, but who knows it might have included big belt buckles and cowboy hats.

When we were discussing philosophy over a drink or two at the side of the road in Chandrigrah, (one of two laws broken), it was pointed out that all Indian names have a meaning. I suspect this holds in all culture. for example, Two-Dogs, wait, stay on target. Anyway, at Fuga it was pointed out that one of the little girls' who was traveling with her family was named Khushi, or Happiness. About Fuga, this is where I had to use the rest facilities, on the way out Ruby, asked me what they were like, and I don't think it gave him confidence that I and the other guy who were using the facilities both laughed. I guess turning on the water only happens at certain times of the day. Without getting too detailed, I think I found an entry for that web site which makes little boys laugh, and lose their dinner at the same time.

The other two stops were quite interesting, first we stopped at the Ski Resort, where we had dinner, picked up a few souvenirs. We also had the opportunity to travel on horseback into the valley, or a drop of 4000 feet. There was no interest in taking this excursion, and not only because we may have gotten fleas, but the size of the horses, (I would call them ponies), gave me pause. Because, even if there was no problem going downhill, I would not have inflicted this on them on the way back up the hill. This brings us to our next stop, the highest and maybe the oldest golf course (and probably the toughest) in Asia; I have to admit, that in terms of view versus effort, Fuga wins hand down. I am sure there were good views, at that other side of the forest, but not from the hill and pathways we were on. And even though we stopped at one other place, we never left the bus, as we could take pictures of the apple orchard (??) from the windows.

Next: The Monkey God and the chair Queen Victoria sat in.