Back in Manali

I'm spending my last few hours in the Himalaya. This morning I looked out of my window at the tall, steep pine hills of Manali. I have to admit it was a nice feeling descending into the greenery of Manali after 10 days in the barren deserts of Ladakh.

It's also good to soak in the relative luxury of the Manali hotel---they treated me like a VIP because I went back there and wouldn't hear of registeration or payment until I was rested---and sample the different food here. I was so hungry when I got here yesterday evenig that the first thing I did was to eat a full Punjabi thali (set meal) and a chiken kebab.

I'm booked on a bus to Delhi leaving tonight. I only plan to spend a day there, enough to meet up with a cousin (another one, the world is full of Carnation Cousins)and, probably Shareef, who emailed to say he would be in Delhi too what a coincidence! Hopefully I'll be on the train to Trivandrum the day after that.

I might spend some time in Kerala---perhaps go for a boat ride in the backwaters--depending on how much money I've got left.

I should mention that I left the keys to my house and room in Khunder in the Nubra Valley. My first thought when I realised what I'd done was I can't think of a better place to get lost!