Nov 11 – The Search for Sanctuary
Sleep gud again, dorm quiet. Rise 850, guy talking on phone. Make cafe in common room. Walk to construction bridge area, try new spot 150rs Bengal Thali ok. Walk across bridge, hike to Totla village, no other hikers. Find Livefree Hostel-better lockers and cheaper, nice dog too. Reset at hostel, hit handstand again, not as good 1/10. Reg PU 1x30 feels tough got soft. Grab BK again 2 burgers x 103rs. Find Urban Loft Hostel-better lockers, only 250npr. Walk up north to secret waterfall, try to hit Shiva cave but trail stopped. Hike back down, get BK again same. Find Soul Hostel finally but no entrance. Book Livefree Hostel for tmr. Chat w GPT. Shwr, rest. 8p chill bit downstair. Head back to river area for thali, try place beside morning spot 170r special thali, no refills unlike street stall.
Nov 12 – The Uphill Loop
Sleep gud again, rise 850. Reg cafe downstairs. Checkout Bluejay at 1010, real nice hostel just flimsy lockers. Chill bit more in common, leave at 11. Grab same thali spot 170r extra nan. Checkin to Livefree Hostel, took ID this time, pay 330rs on card. Dorm bottom bunks taken. Chill bit on patio before power cut. Hike over bridge to back up same trail, this time all the way to Simhaldhandi and Khairgal Pass-longer than thought, ~4hrs. Hike down other side loop. Grab samosas 40rs. Same thali stall by bridge 70rs. Sit in hostel cafe, work on new Ghost Chronicles page, bit of pain w background art n GPT changing stuff-the relentless technical fight. Order falafel sandw 150r, pay w card.
Nov 13 – Obsession
Sleep in till 10am somehow. Chill in cafe, decide to book another night-prices increased on booking and decreased at Bluejays-annoying. Argue for same price 330rs. Get Eng Bfast w cafe. Bit ripped for bfast 350rs, extra 100rs for cafe. Keep workin on Ghost Chronicles, finalize homepage and post 6 most recent weeks-the main push. Walk around to Laxmanjula area, BK again 2 burgers. Agility WO on terrace: crawls 5 back n forth across terrace, handstand 2 hold. 2 more crawls, 1 more handstand tougher while tired. Chill in cafe, keep workin on site, feel pretty good. 445 sunset walk across Ganges, cross other bridge, another fire festival, cross 3rd bridge, walk thru bazaar. Grab BK again 2 burgers. Chill in hostel cafe, work on blog11, order fried noodles 180rs.
Nov 14 – Haridwar Fail
Rise 850, groggy. Make insta cafe in hostel restaurant. Checkout Livefree at 10am. Walk across construction bridge, get reg stall 70rs. Walk all the way to ISBT, catch local bus to Hardiwar 55rs. Arrive Hardwar around 1230, walk around chaotic, tough to find decent hotel-all either dingy af, don't take international tourists, no lights or no wifi, or washroom stinks. Eventually decide to take bus back. Grab local lunch no meat 70rs thaili. Catch bus back at 330 for 68rs back to ISBT in Rish. Walk back to Livefree Hostel at 6pm-wasted day: a costly logistical defeat. Book Bluejay Hostel again only 306rs. Order chk wrap 150rs, chat w GPT about travel plans-try to buy bus tik to Dharamasala 4 sites all failed. Walk to Blue Jay, super ez checkin, pay 305rs on card-cheapest so far, gr8 deal. Keep drilling at e-ticket to Daramahala, finally got it on Makemytrip 522rs cost 8.3cad. Walk to Burger King chilly, get 4 chicken burgers. Book Guesthouse after longer search. Chat w contact 15min.
Nov 15 – The Night Voyage Begins
Dorm quiet, slept ok, rise 10. Make insta cafe, chill upstairs by dorm, work on Ghost Chronicles. Leave Bluejay 1pm another gr8 stay. Walk across bridge, eat at reg stall 70rs. Walk back to Livefree cafe, order papaya juice 150rs, work on site, falafel 150rs. Leave at 330. Walk to Rishi station again, arrive 430, catch local bus right away to Nepali Farm 40rs. Arrive Nepali Farm, no station just ppl standing around waiting by highway. Ram Dalal Holidays bus arrive on time 533pm, got better seat than paid for. Stop at 1020 at crappy veg spot 220rs for wierd beans w roti n rice.
Nov 16 – Dharamshala: The Web of Friction
Nap ok on bus. Arrive Dharamsala gas station 6am. Walk awhile up hill twd Mcleod, stop at cafe 60rs milktea n omelet. Arrive at Mcleod, hard to find Guesthouse, meet guy by alley. Checkin room huge black spider behind nightstand. Pay 520rs cash for dingy room. Walk around sunny morning, town not great, find laundry places all 80rs/kg. Drop laund at Tumble Dry, only 2.8kg for 10 days. Walk around, eateris have no chicken till noon. Get egg n toast 100rs. Book crazy cheap dorm 159rs 7km away. Nap about 1hr, room NG, damp n musty. Get chk momos at same spot 130r not as good as Nepal. Walk around loop, lotsa GHs and hostel, nothin good, another shit hippy town. Decide to move upstairs room so shit. Agree to pay extra 280rs, tell them not to advertise rooms wo shower. Chill bit in new room. Pray at Hindu temple. Grab laund only 220rs for 2.8kg not bad. Withdraw 10k rs from HDFC bank, 10k INR limit cost 169cad. Try small stall by hotel veg thupka 100rs, walk down to Mcleod square n cable car area, 3 pairs sox for 100rs. Get combo carbs roti samosa n fried thing 90rs w chk from 2 places 150rs solid meal. Pay guy extra 280rs for top room, took 1hr to get change, annoyed, tell hiim off again for no shwr. Dog barking hard, can't sleep awhile.
Nov 17 – The Dog Bite and The Escape Ticket
Rise 920, make cafe using glass and bottled water. Checkout of guesthouse dump at 11. Start 7.2 km hike twd Sortby Stays. Grab bfast around noon beside Galudevi Temple, paratha n french toast 150rs. Decent hike till got bit on left thigh by shitty white barking dog. Hit river, lost trail due to landslide, jump over rocks n climib up dirt cliff, wiped out couple times-high exertion and risk. Reach sortby kaeri hostel around 330, agitated, guy asked for ID and e-visa, can't find evisa on phone, got pissed and told him to cancel and delete photo. Start hiking back twd highway on small paved rd. Walk about 9km before catching local bus to Dharamshala ISBT only 20rs. Enquire at station tix for 1660inr. Walk to Bee Cafe, buy 9pm night bus tik to Delhi for 715rs Makemytrip again-pickup at adjacent gas station Bharat Pump-coincidence or town telling me to leave? Chill at cafe chk wrap 179rs + chk pizza 250rs. Pay cafe 430rs cash, no international card. Board bus at 850. Leave 9pm right on time. Stop for din at 1130 at veg place at Katuhar Kalan, thali 180rs, buy snax for 100rs.