Himachal Pradesh 7 - Kullu & Manali District

I got ready from Sojha to leave for Kullu and Manali.. One of the most famous tourist destinations in India.. well it is in top-5 names when people think of touring on mountains in India.. So - it was needed to check that What-is-this-all-buzz-about? :)

Seeing the same valley in day is pretty much different view than in evening.. it was no fog that time..

and the greenary was much more bright..

Tall and taller trees throughout the valley and those voice of chirping birds was melancholy

Kullu wasnt so far but on mountains even 10km is quite a distance to cover..

Lots and Lots of farms of apples.. Pink and Red..

And River Vyas was much calmer than my experience with Satluj :)

Finally I reached Banjhar and from there the chaos of traffic towards starts - all going to Kullu and Manali :)

And a tunnel of 3km came on my way.. The smell in it was having lots of aroma., :)

And I reached Kullu.. but there was nothing as such stopping me hence I chose to go towards Manali.. :)

And then it was lunch time.. Pizzaaaaa., it was yummmmy,,,

And there was traffic in river - hell lot of Rafts :: hell lot of tourists :: and dust and honking were hell-alot :(

Lots of stalls were looking for tourists eager for water-sports,, these stalls, hotels & shops of silk are the majority running the businesses..

People were getting crazy seeing low level of water..

But I couldnt stop at one place for longer due to heavy dust in air..

But the farms on the roadside were beautiful and shall say - eye-candies..

River Vyas was catching up more speed and turbulence.

And there I saw another sport - River Crossing.. Can you see ropes tied on both the ends..??

And I was on the door-step of Manali.. but HEAVY traffic jam pissed me off..

Interesting thing was - even the Police Station Sign board was sponsored by a HOTEL :) :)

And the best statement ever seeeeeen... :) I am a nice man and I too understand that one should be gentle on curves.. :) Its a State Roads sign board alarming people of driving safely.. please dont think dirty :) :) :)

The traffic jam started 2 villages before manali and was there till I crossed 3 villages after manali.. a tourist told me that to reach 6km last day he spent 2.5 hours in traffic.. why dont people buy 2 wheelers instead??? Why do they all come in same season?? and what am I doing here during this time???? :( :(

Finally I reached somewhere where I could see the important destinations and their distances.. :)

And Hot Air Baloon reminded me of my friend - Terje.. :)

One of my best clicks.. :)

And time for me to pose aswell... :)

I got to know that they were not using Nitrogen but using LPG gas to heat the balloooon.. What the Helll??  Its bloooody dangerous but this is what in India we all call as - JUGAAD :) Anything and Everything can be Fixed just dont ask How? :)

Poor people still in line..

It was soooo tough to find a room anywhere.. it was almost all booked but I was lucky to find a group of young boys who asked me that If I am comfortable in spending my night with them & ofcorse I actually enjoyed my time with all those young guns.. :)

I didnt go to LEH, I didnt go to Rohtang Pass,, I didnt wished to see anymore tourists but I seek to find sometime for my self and I chose to go towards Kangra Valley and that was my last 2 days in Himachal Pradesh.. :)