So after those dreadful 2 years of high school I'm finally emancipated. What better than to celebrate in the lap of Himalayas in our very own sweetheart town Manali?? So finally after days of sulking and coping with the 'Bored High School Passouts Syndrome', finally on a breezy dawn we jet setted off to Himachal on our cute little Swift. I gotta say, on a ride of about 9 hours with all the dizzying twists, eat really helps to carry a lot of biscuits handy.
It helps also to learn a few things while you travel and eat, you wouldn't want it to get all runny.
1. Whatever your parents might suggest, never go anywhere beyond the good ol' butter sandwiches on the Dhabas. Hygiene concerns apart(hotels have filthier kitchens,we know), you wouldn't want to see the semi-digested version of Dal makhani and the Kadhai Paneer you just ate an hour ago when you throw up on the road.
2. However tempting they may seem, NEVER dine in those floating dhabas where you eat with your feet in the cold water of the Beas. It seems thrilling at first bt even on a hot June afternoon it can give you the kind of cold that lasts days.
3. Ahh even when the 10 km gap b/w the milestones seemed like 50, imagine the relief of finally seeing 'Welcome to Manali' board. Oh wait, there's a hot-air balloon! While I became a balloon myself with joy it only flew upto 50 m. Thats it. Waste of money. And don't forget to grab your 10 rupee per cup Strawberries and cherries on Manali entrance. Dont mind the strawberries not being sweet. Nowhere in India will you ever get sweet strawberries.
4. Continental food sucks in Manali as much it sucks here in Ambala or anywhere else.
Yes we did dine in a really fancy restaurant on the Mall Road. And after that I swore never to touch Mashed Potatoes or Spaghetti again. I had Lasgna al Pomodoro in what was called the best Italian joint in whole Manali, and it was real good and I bet I'll have to jog about 20 days 24/7 to burn off the fat it gave me. Thats where the first pang of nostalgia for Mommy's food struck.
5. The good points:
There's a little bakery there near the temple on Mall that has the best strudels ever. Can't recalls the name but its adjacent to a grocery shop. Check it out.
Johnson's Lodge despite being one of the most expensive hotels in Manali(I actually drank strawberry juice worth 200 bucks), serves excellent Veg kebabs. Despite having my doubt over their Himachal Night, I did relish the elegance of the traditional food they served which summed up to be one of the best meals of my life.
P.S. Try avoiding food near any of the tourist spots. They can be pretty pricey sometimes. And the only way u can survive Manali shopping is by bargaining heavily. I remember a guy selling something at about 120 bucks near Vashisht temple that cost only 25 bucks on the Mall .
P.S.S. Nati dance around the bonfire was way cool..!
Well so what are your food/travel experiences ?? Don't forget to mention them in the comments section.
Love ya'll!!
XOXO Deeps
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