Independence Day Trip to Dalhousie, Chamba and Sach Pass
Day 6, 20th August 2008: Pathankot - Jalandhar - Ambala - Delhi (it’s not over till you reach home…)
Continued from the previous page...
We woke up around 5 in the morning and packed up our luggage and finally left the hotel at around 6am. Both of us were really hungry and decided to stop at the first dhaba that we find on the highway, however once we got going, it was another story.
With Varun riding ahead, we rode past the place where I had stopped the last time and had some delicious paranthas and lassi. Didn’t think much if it since there were plenty of dhabas en route, however almost every place we stopped at, hadn’t started cooking anything and only tea was available, Which neither of us wanted, so we just kept riding.
Finally at 8am, we came across Lali Bawa Dhaba at Tanda Unmad and both of us stopped. While there were no customers there at this time and staff was cleaning the dhaba, they agreed to serve food, which took a long time to arrive. In the meanwhile I decided to click a few photographs of the place since it looked really nice.
After breakfast, we decided to ride at our own individual pace, since it was getting quite hot and Varun was thinking of visiting his grandmother, who lived a little off the route. After the single lane highway was over, Varun decided to overtake me and that was the last I saw of him. I rode slowly since the front brakes weren’t working properly and took plenty of butt breaks due to hot weather.
Thinking that our little adventure was over, I rode in a pretty relaxed manner. However ~50kms before Ambala, there was a huge traffic jam and due to which police had decided to redirect the traffic to village roads, which were now reeling under the heavy traffic. Total mismanagement meant that apart from the locals, no one knew where to go and people were just driving aimlessly. After wasting almost an hour in the mess, I was finally back on the highway, thanks to a local who helped me with directions.
Took a small break at a dhaba after Ambala for cold drink and water and called back home to let them know that I’ll be home in the evening. All the heat was really getting to me, especially after riding in rain and snow for the first four days and I was at this moment praying to god for some respite in the form of rain!
But sadly the prayers went unanswered and I had to ride to Delhi in hot weather, only get stuck in utter chaos at Azadpur Mandi, where I wasted a little more than half an hour. I finally reached home at 5 in the evening and knew that the adventure was finally over.
This had been one of the most adventurous trip of my life, where a lot of things went wrong, but I got the opportunity to accomplish not only what I had set out to achieve (photograph beautiful landscape and conquer Sach Pass), but I also had to opportunity to learn and experience a lot from not only the locals I met and places we rode through, but also from my co rider and friend, Varun.
Overall it was the best trip of my life and if I had the chance to do it all over again, I don’t think I would like to change anything. Because it was due to the hardships that we encountered, that we came back with fond memories (photographic and otherwise) that will remain firmly etched in our hearts and minds forever.
Expenditure:
Breakfast: Rs.60
Water and cold drink: Rs.25
Total expenditure (for me):
Petrol: 2100
Food, accommodation and STD for 6 days: Rs. 995
Kilometers covered: ~1650kms