Dear readers, how is the stock market in your part of the world doing? In this part of the world, the stock market is increasing the blood pressure of many around me. We have just returned from vacation and are still looking to get back on track with our work schedule. A vacation to get on with usual life, post an actual vacation, should be acceptable 🙂 This time we visited Shimla.
This was our second successful trip with the entire entourage, ranging in age from 3 to 72. Both sets of parents, my siblings, and the four members of our family, a total of 10 people, went on a small vacation and came back with precious memories for life. This was one of my dreams growing up: taking my parents on vacation and spoiling them with choices like they did for us.
It is kind of a ritual that we have started with, where both sets of parents visit us to celebrate Holi together. It is a yearly occurrence when all of us meet, and we decided to take this a step further by planning a mini getaway. A couple of years ago, we went to explore the southern region of India, from Madurai to Kanyakumari, but this year, due to the elder one’s examination, we didn’t have much time on hand. A mini getaway was planned just a month ago, and we are glad it materialized well.
How to Reach Shimla?
We tried booking a toy train; however, after two unsuccessful attempts, we gave up. For future reference, the booking site opens at sharp 8:00 a.m. and seats get over in 10 minutes, if you want to book the Shivalik Express to experience the scenic beauty via toy train, then make sure to be ready at sharp 8:00 with multiple devices or else find an agent to help you with it. After we couldn’t get the seats in a toy train we decided to travel to Shimla via bus in an overnight journey.
We booked our seats via the Laxmi Travels app and got the confirmation instantly. We left Delhi on Friday night and reached early morning. The journey started at 11:00 p.m. and we reached our destination at 8:00 a.m. Was it comfortable? To be honest, the train would have been a better option had we not made the plan hastily. With elders travelling with us, the night travel wasn’t too comfortable, especially in the mountain region where sleeper buses aren’t an option.
Where did we stay?
After much research on hotels, we narrowed down to two properties in the center of Shimla, which were easily accessible, and early check-in was considered. A lift in the hotel, which will open up to a few minutes away from Mall Road, sealed the deal for us, and we finalised Hotel Landmark for our stay. The hotel is beautiful and has all the necessities for a comfortable stay. The staff was very cooperative and well-mannered. The food of the hotel was average however, there were plenty of places nearby to experience the local food. From the bus stop, it took us just 5 minutes to reach the Hotel via cab. The bus stop in Shimla, where we disembarked, doesn’t even look like a bus stop. It is just a small shop with a lot of cabs nearby. Our check-in time was around 2:00 p.m. However, they managed to get the room ready a couple of hours early for all of us. We booked a super deluxe room with a mountain view, and it was quite spacious. We paid approximately 6000/- per night for a room with breakfast.
Places we explored
Saturday morning, when we reached, instead of going to the hotel straightaway, we decided to take a bit of a detour and visit the famous Lakkadbazar. We tried a few famous delicacies of Shimla for our breakfast and explored the market a bit. We kept the first day relaxing, and once we were back at the hotel, it was a rest day.
Kufri: After speaking to the travel agent from the hotel, we decided to visit Kufri on day two which was Sunday. It took us half an hour to reach Kufri, the driver suggested we visit the newly opened snow-world. Per per-person ticket was 1000/-, but it was worth every penny. All of us had such a fun time there and experienced the snow, which I had wanted to do for a long time. There are plenty of rides and games to play within the premises. We got jackets, gloves, and boots from them.
Zoo: The Kids wanted to visit the zoo, and it wasn’t a big one, so we knew walking wouldn’t be a problem. The facility is well maintained, there is a hotel right at the entrance of the facility with some simple yet soulful food options. After having lunch, we walked through the Zoo and saw bears, leopards, vultures, and many more animals. Kids were entertained and kept hugging us as a thank you gesture out of love, thats when I knew we made the right decision.
Jakhu Temple: On day three, which was a Monday, we started our day a bit late. At around noon, we left the hotel, and within 30 minutes, we were at Jakhu Temple. There was no queue and no rush whatsoever. The best part, there was an elevator to reach the temple, which made my father happy. There is a 20/-rs ticket per person for the elevator and one can buy prashad as per their pocket for the temple.
One thing which we need to be mindful of is monkeys, no eatable or water bottles should be in your hand. Leave your glasses and phones either in the car or keep them inside your bag.
Craignano Nature Park, Mashobra: After visiting the temple, we decided to visit a nature park in Mashobra, of course on the suggestion of our driver. It was a beautiful time to visit the nature park because the whole place looked serene with tulips all around. The calm surroundings and greenery all around, with a breathtaking view, are a USP of this place.
Nalderah: Our last stop was Nalderah. Upon reaching, we got to know that there was a horse riding option available for us to explore the place. The name of my horse was Tufan, and believe me, it walked like one.
The trip was an absolute fun and we all came back with so many memories. As I am nearing my forties, these vacations have started to feel a bit extra special 🙂
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