First Halt - Kufri

 19th September 2022

The drive in the plains was 2940 kilometers.

Left Sonepat at 0600, after much convincing by daughter that check in is only after 1300.

It is the same road all the way to Chandigarh.

Traffic is different from the earlier stretches. Number of private vehicles increases dramatically. Heavy vehicle traffic remains the same.

So, we have mad drivers from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh and Himachal jockeying for position.

The bikers country wide seem to be the same, except, I can say this with confidence, in Tamil Nadu.

Main reason is that the highways in TN bypass most populated areas or fly over them.

This run, the highway wanders thru every city - Panipat, Ambala, parts of Chandigarh.

As I passed the first toll gate on the run, I glanced at my phone. A auto recharge of my fastag account was due. 

Saw a Vahan notification and a number - 7000. Stopped and checked.

The one manual speed check which had been hidden in the bushes in Odisha had tagged me. Cursed and cursed, but then, done was done. Decided to pay as soon as I got to Kufri and debit travel account.

Got to the foothills in good time. Traffic thins down. As you start the climb, there is a well hidden speed check. Saw a couple of cars stopped. I had been driving safe, as I was well ahead of check in time. And, it is pointless jockeying with there guys.

The drive up is about 90 kilometers. Roads are great 2 lane either way till Solan. Then the roads become standard single lane, except where widening is happening.

Had my first traffic jam.

And, time to get a shot of the hills. Did not last long. Just some rubble clearance.

Reached outskirts of Shimla well in time.

The last 40 kilometers thru Shimla to Kufri took me two hours of crawling traffic. 

Once I got out of traffic I passed a 6 kilometer line up of vehicles, waiting to head in to Shimla. Bloody hell. Madness. 

Fortunately, my drive out of Kufri is in the opposite direction.

The clouds had started coming in. Expected it to rain, and it did. By the time I parked at Sterling, it was drizzling.

Current altitude 2289 meters.

Not a concern as I had no intent to get out of the place for the day.

Nice property. Good courtesy at reception. Room with a view.

 

Sat down to sort out Vahan. Checked the chalan. Saw that I could reduce the amount by 5K is I mailed my driving license copy. Did that. Got an almost immediate response, saying that the amount now stood at 2K. Paid up, and sent the receipt to the mail id.

The fun is being taken out. Agree with the need to limit speed. But, there should be some sanity to it. On a three lane low traffic density road a limit of 80kmph is stupid

By the time I headed for lunch it was 1330. Spoke to the chef and convinced him to get me some local vegetables. 

Negotiated a home made Mutton curry with stir fried greens for dinner.

As the food was getting prepared, stepped out into the drizzle.

 Had a good hot lunch.

The serving staff told me of this great local brew in the Spiti valley. And, gave me a deal on food. Explained that if I went a la carte I pay twice as much as I would pay if I went with a package. And, they would still give me what I wanted.

Thought the weather had cleared when I saw the view from my room, but, no such luck.

Had a large mug of coffee, a shower. 

Tomorrow is an easy day. 

Acclimatization.