Its again only us, Anshul, Ankit and Tanu Didi 6 months after Jaipur trip. Dedicating our next 4-5 days to Dehradun Trip.
There’s so much happened in between these 6 months.
- I joined my college, made several awesome and fantastic friends.
- Stuck my life between college practicals and assignments.
- Traveled 3 times to home without reservation in train (it should also be called as an experience).
- Took one of the important and hardest decision to drop out of college, so that I can go solo.
I Shouldn’t Go
Trip planning is the responsibility of Ankit and Didi, I just review it and give feedback on it. While the trip is at its planning stage I was indulged in the process of TC and Ankit is in his semester exams.
I was having a hard time on how to get along in life now and there is no case to go on a trip. I want to reflect upon myself alone while Ankit will be on the trip. But it didn’t happen because I am not able to communicate my thoughts.
Also I have decided to go to next trip with my sister and that is not happening.
In the Trip
Almost 2 hours before the train to NZM, I was convinced to go on the trip. I packed my couple of clothes and put my shoes and got ready for the trip because it was the time to not get bored by enjoyment. I forgot the past and lived in the moment. I sacrificed my past and future to live in the moment.
Again I don’t have reservation but I bought one general ticket but when the TT checked it isn’t the valid general ticket as the train was superfast and I’ve taken Mail/Express ticket. The TT told to get the penalty ticket but when it was my time he was distracted by another and forgot to charge me. Again, I got lucky. (I know this isn’t good but there’s no choice)
Day 01: Awesome Chhota
From NZM, we are going to Ankit’s uncle’s place to stay till 21:00 so that we can catch the 23:00 bus to Dehradun from Anand Nagar ISBT.
I met an awesome, artistic, creative girl named SHNY and her older sister PRNM. I specially want to talk about SHNY. She looks very similar to one of Didi’s friend.
Approx 2 hour after we reached, she brought some paper made stuffs like bag, birthday diary, spray, laptop, and many things. At first thought she would have made these from YouTube videos but I was totally wrong and it’s amazing that a girl this small can create these crafts on her own just by looking and observing things :salute:.
I was astonished by her Laptop, Birthday Diary, Spary Can and I want to demystify each of them and you will also tend to appreciate her creativity.
Birthday Dairy
It consists of four pages each saying a sequence of story.
- Cover page says “Happy birthday to you”.
- A cutout of cake depicting the celebration.
- A cutout of flower to bring color and happiness in the life.
- Last page stating the smile on the face of the birthday girl.
Laptop
Her sister helped her to create this but the most important and nuanced part of this is creation is built by SHNY. The keypad of the Laptop where anyone of us would just thought to draw the keys but she is different and a nice observer. She created a spring mechanics by folding the paper for the keys and this detailing is fantastic. The laptop also has icons of files, folders, YouTube, Settings, etc.
Spray Can
Once her cousins were playing with some spray and they are not letting her play with it and that’s when she decided to built it her own. She built it with proper detailing like the Can Cap, Tip, Spray foam.
She is just awesome and I wish she would do or create something even more awesome things.
While leaving, she cried out loud but there’s nothing we can do but leave.
Day 02: New City, New Experience
Its time to explore the city from ground by searching for a good hotel with reasonable price.
I thought we can find it with the help of Google Maps but it is quite difficult without any guidance and wheels. A auto driver approached to show some 2-4 hotel with reasonable price in around ₹50. We accepted the offer and after 4 hotels we reached a reasonably good hotel with affordable price.
Hotel: Aryan Castle Homestay, Shimla Bypass, Dehradun
We took the single bedroom at ₹2k for one day stay around 07:30. Gave ₹100 to Saheed Ahmed the auto driver.
After changing and resting in about 2 hours we came out to search the bike rental shop to rent 1 bike for three of us which is quite risky. We asked Saheed Bhaiya (Auto Driver) and suggested “UK07 Bike Rental Planet” but at that time it was closed. So we searched for another on Google Maps, it was 2.5km far, took auto at ₹80 but couldn’t find a right bike so we fallback to previous bike rental.
We took “Apache RTR 200cc” for ₹900/day and “Royal Enfield Hunter” for ₹1300/day.
After a nice list of traveling point from Bike Rental wale Bhaiya, we first moved towards FRI college. It is well known for its Bollywood film shooting place. After reaching there we came to know that it was closed for tourists for almost 6 months. Without wasting much time we moved towards Tapakeshwar Mandir, we just have to face traffic for couple of minutes. After pray before Lord Shiva and other Gods, it was the first time we touched flowing water on the trip. It was so cold and mesmerizing. It was a moment. Although we (everyone there) are busy taking pictures and videos but no-one not even me tool a moment to live the moment or try to thank the calmness of the flowing water.
I believe, traveling is not capturing the moment instead it is a way to live in the moment by forgetting each and every of your thoughts and problems.
It is hard to follow up on this thought because I had already tried it on Jaipur Trip I couldn’t hold it even there. So I just go with the crowd and did what others are doing.
After playing enough with slow stream, we ate a little in nearby Dhaaba and moved towards Robber’s Cave (Gucchu Paani). It also has stream but it was speedy and longer. Also it has small waterfall in the end after 300 meter of walk but we couldn’t bath because we didn’t plan it and the water was too cold but we walked till the end, it was awesome.
After enjoying there, we are planning to meet on of Didi’s friend who study in Dehradun. But first we stopped by on roadside to take some cinematic and photos. In the middle of the shot heavy rain and thunder came due to that we stopped at nearby bus stop shade. Just after 5-7 minutes to standing, a guy on scooty slipped on the road because he was speedy and couldn’t control himself on the slippery road. Its good that he was alone on it and with helmet. I think he got a small injury in his leg. People at the bus stop bring him in the shade and told him to rest till rain stop but after 5-8 minutes he’s gone with his injured leg.
As the rain slowed down, we also moved and reached hotel fully soaked. The rainwater was traveling from head to underwear, even the shoes got wet and the cold weather was cherry on the cake. We changed clothes and took some rest. It’s 7:30, rain has stopped, we are hungry, and Didi’s friend is also up for meetup so we decided to ride again. But there was a problem I didn’t bring spare shoes as my shoes was soaked, so I wore the bathroom slipper given by the hotel. If you are worried about Ankit and Didi then do not because they brought three pairs each.
Didi’s friend was 12KM away from hotel, the weather so cold but it wasn’t raining. We eventually reached and we all sat for dinner. At the dinner table we discussed whether should we ride to Mussoorie because of this rain I was worried so much and at the same time rain started again outside. After finishing the dinner the rain stopped, so we quickly moved towards hotel. We are also searching for shops to buy warm clothes for next day. I was feeling even colder after dinner on the bike with the slippers.
We are going to check out from current hotel and take new in Mussoorie to stay at night there but we have one suitcase which can be quietly cumbersome in the ride. We decided to drop the suitcase at Didi’s friend’s hostel although it might cost us 24KM more but it was better to leave the suitcase behind.
Day 03: Ride up to Mussoorie
We woke up at 08 AM, everyone is getting ready one-by-one we planned to check out by 10 AM. Before getting fresh I gone to check upon the bikes, they look good. While returning the owner of the hotel called me asked when did you checked in yesterday? I didn’t know. He checked the register and told you did at 07:34 AM and now it is around 08:10 AM which is more than 23 hours. I was confused because yesterday receptionist told that we can check out by 11:00 AM. But the owner explained and accepted his mistake and asked for penalty of ₹300 and then we can check out by 10 AM. I got up in the room and explained the situation. We thought don’t get involved in this, just pay and move.
We learned a new experience that before check in asked about any penalty and the time of check out, clearly.
We changed the plan to drop the suitcase to Didi’s friend’s hostel instead we are going to drop it at Bike Rental Shop which is 800 meters away from our hotel. Now we gear up the Map to Mussoorie on phone and triumph the bikes towards Mussoorie.
Took multiple stop while climbing and took awesome pictures. Stopped at a Lord Shiva Temple. We also stopped at a cafe (Green Valley Cafe) on the roadside for Maggie and Momos and a nice look of view which have climb. After 1.5 hours of ride we reached the top and now we are looking for Hotel. Just where we stopped a woman approached us and suggested a hotel to look. We thought start from this if we not like will move to other.
We parked the bikes just below the hotel, yes below because you have climb almost 50-60 steps to reach the hotel. They showed two rooms one has no view and one has very nice view. We like the second room which has view so we asked the charges and for a second I thought what is it, what have I listened does he (owner Nitish Bhaiya) said only ₹3000. I thought this will be around ₹5k-₹7k because of the view and facilities it has fridge, hair dryer, gas-stove, geyser, and it was a big enough room. After bargaining we settled down to ₹2,700.
Hotel: Beachwood, Near Mall Road, Mussoorie
We were so excited about the room and view. It was too exotic. We take some rest, clicked many pictures, made a funny video. Then we moved for Dalai Hills and Buddha Temple. Although road was in maintainance and slant, but we ride through it easily. We reached and park both bikes for ₹100 at paid parking facility.
You need to climb more than 200 steps to reach the Buddha Statue. Although we reached but I was not feeling well because of my ear pain. I didn’t enjoy that moment, didn’t took any picture of mine. After stepping down we ate Corn, it was delicious. Stand by there for heat. Then we moved and reached hotel. Now we are tired, and I am in severe ear pain. I talked with Dr. Arvind Uncle as insisted by Papa. He told to take pain killer medicine (Zero Dol SP).
At 08:30 PM, we are ready to go to Mall Road of Mussoorie by walk. We asked the path from Nitish Bhaiya (hotel owner). Didi and Ankit bought blanket for themselves for ₹200 each and I bought my painkiller. After wandering about 30-45 minutes we rollback to the room and slept.
At night around 12:30 AM, the electricity gone down and now we worried about our Bikes because it was parked below the hotel and we couldn’t saw it because of no light. Me and Ankit both are worried and continuously peeking through the window to see the bikes but couldn’t. Although my pain was vanished by then because of the painkiller. Around 02:30 AM lights came back, I quickly jump from the bed get near to the window to peek the bikes and they are there with no hindrance. We all got relief and slept.
Day 04: Last Ride to Rishikesh
Before check out, we had decided to visit Landour and came till 10 o’clock and check out. The roads to Landour is too slant, it just there is almost no traffic that’s why I am able to ride it easily, otherwise it would be harder. We returned before 10 and check out. But before riding to Rishikesh we ordered food at hotel because it was too good to be true. After having the breakfast we moved. It is even harder to go downhill than riding uphill because you have to constantly keep your fingers on clutch and break.
After passing the Dehradun city you will get a very nice highway that’s where I touched 113km. It was terrific and awesome. After this speed I got overconfident and started overtaking couple of cars and taxis. Once I increased to 50+ and try to overtake and just then a curve came up where I flicker a bit and rubbed into the middle wall of the road but thankfully I didn’t crash. No one’s got hurt not even me. Just my shoes got damaged which belongs to Ankit. We stopped nearby and checked if there’s any major damage in the bike but there wasn’t.
We reached Rishikesh and we need to find a hotel. There is too much traffic and heat. While searching for hotel I lost Ankit way and stopped and wait till they found a hotel. When got it at ₹2,000. I started moving with Map in my phone and phone in my shirt’s upper pocket. It took me almost 30-40 minutes to reach hotel. There was too much heat that I have to take bath, can you believe it? We take rest of 1 hour before exploring Rishikesh.
I have only one shirt left to wear which is only for warm climate and I got it in Rishikesh. We visited Triveni ghat by Auto because of the traffic and the decision was actually right. Attend the Ganga Aarti and sang Hanuman Chalisa there. Then moved towards Ram Jhula but we didn’t walk on it because we are out of time and the bridge was shivering too much while walking. Then we walked to hotel and slept.
Day 05: Trip Hangover
We packed and check out before 9 o’clock, we reached bike rental shop just before 11 and returned the bike. Bhaiya asked have you crashed anywhere but we rejected.
Now we have 5 hours before our bus to ISBT Kashmere Gate, Delhi. We found a cafe where we ate Aaloo Pratha and sat till 03 PM. Then we took our trolley from bike rental shop and moved to Bus Stand. Got into bus and slept. Then we dinner at the bus stoppage and reached Delhi on time. We took Cab and gone to NDLS railway station. We waited for 5 hours there in waiting room.
Sat on train at 06 AM morning and reached Bhopal on time at 02:20 PM. We took Cab to Dosa shop because hostel has no food at that time. We ate Dosa and slept.
Miscellaneous
There are stuffs I wanted to share regarding this trip.
An Expense Tracker
We are three but only one pays in whole trip and at the end every spends splits and the amount was returned. In Jaipur trip, I paid all the expense and in this Tanu Didi paid. At first I was not going that’s I thought about creating an Excel sheet to track our expense. The next day of return I made an Excel sheet, and entered all the expense which was noted down in Notes app by Ankit.
Dehradun Trip Expenses - Excel Sheet
A Chatting Group
It will be very helpful if you create a chatting group for the trip. You can share important common information there. We have created a group on WhatsApp.
Backpack
In my opinion, you should only keep the essential things in your backpack also keep it manageable so that you can carry it easily for long time without fatigue.