My Music's So Loud

View down from Dharamsala, residence of the Dalai Lama.
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In the space of just a few days it seems that the entire outlook of our trip has been enlightened and covered with the fresh feel of a quickly developing spring.

We all had our own endurance trips to finally reach Manali.  Tim and I arrived in on th 18th while Ross had to walk through snow blocked passes and change buses an inordinate amount of times to get here by the 20th.  Sick, tired, and a bit frail we all retreated into the warmth of the room and left the cold and snow outside for a few days.

spring is coming to the Himalaya

Peaks at Sunset.
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But slowly, as our stomachs get better, spring is coming to the Himalaya.  Manali is right in the center of three huge valleys (Spiti, Kullu, and Solang) and the sharp gorges give nice shelter from the wind.  Our guesthouse is set back about a half mile into a village.  Walking out in the mornings takes you past the boys playing cricket in the yard, cows and goats blocking the path and spilling into backyard enclosures, and old women weaving on their hand looms; seated on the balcony behind a wall of color.  The ring of peaks that surrounds our guesthouse provides a wonderful background to the budding mustard fields and still dormant apple orchards that fall down the valley walls to the river.

Up the valley.
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The cherry blossoms are coming out into half-bloom and the drifts of snow that blocked the roads a week ago have melted into the rushing mountain stream that flows past our breakfast spot.  Travellers are slowly flowing into the small town and shopkeepers spend their days applying fresh coats of paint.

The days are getting lost between cups of chai and endless hours on the roof gazing at peaks waiting for the high passes to open up so we can get deeper into the mountains for some isolation and trekking.

View from our balcony.
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Hope spring is coming to bloom wherever this finds you.