Dharamshala, briefly

Up at this hour? Scarcely credible!

The Jammu Mail is slightly rickety and rarely fast, clearly not the pride of Indian Railways. But as a fully-fledged online member of the Indian Railways Fan Club (IRFCA) - www.irfca.com - I must praise it for arriving in Pathankhot on time, despite its fortuitously late departure. We are awarded the "coupe" compartment, the two berth variant of first class, with lockable door, discreet curtains and silent fan. I am not a squeaky fan fan. Despite the excitements of the day, we both manage intermittent sleep, and it is just getting light as we alight at Pathakhot. Note the time on the station clock. In the car park is a taxi office, already open, and we are are soon on speeding our way towards Dharamshala. The road skirts the base of the lower hills with a rugged wall of mountains behind. After about 90 kms, we dart off up a narrow and pot-holed side road with death-defying blind bends and hairpins. Our driver negotiates these with the nonchalance of one assured of his place in paradise. We don't ask "are we nearly there yet?" lest we tempt him to an untruth or give any hint that we'd prefer him to go faster.

Balcony view, south facing

After a two hour drive we arrive at Upper Dharamshala, usually known as McLeod Ganj, and the Annex Hotel. We are in time for breakfast on the rooftop terrace with a backcloth of high peaks to the north and misty valleys below. "Honey porridge", made with recognisable oats and no grit, is delicious. One of the lesser legacies of the Raj, perhaps.We decide to more-or-less stay put in our suite room (separate sitting area, comfy chairs), catch up on sleep and emails, take in the view from our balcony, and watch a bit of telly. Glad we brought our warm coats, though.

McLeod Ganj viewed from the temple roof. As you see, it's built on a very narrow ridge.