The road to spiti

Bus stand in kullu

And so, energised by the arrival if a group of Israelies who immediately annexed the balcony and created a cauldron of noisy cliché..I set off in the road to spiti... Part one new manali to kullu where I caught the bus to Ani...and, upon this bus realised the flaw in my plan...I had no idea of what the bus journey would actually entail, only vague maps and flickers...the bus left at 1400, arrived Ani around about 2030...the distance, about 130km...

The road wound up, through small town, streets etched upon stilts clamouring upon slight roads, which climbed and narrowed, switchbacks were taken in parts, tarmac became a rarity...we climbed...flanked by woodland we reached the jalauri pass at 3300m and began the scramble downhill, through woodlands and alpine meadows, random dhabas at the roadside....day became dusk became dark and still winding in descent we passed...until, following a river, lights in the distance, ani.

It had taken twelve hours, only the shadows of the hills against the stars offered definition...and my next bus was at 0830...no desire for food, sore of bump after a day of solid seats upon, at points, farm tracks upon a mountain side...time for sleep....