28th January: McLeod Ganj, home of the Tibetan government-in-exile

After a six-hour drive from Amritsar, through Pathankot, we arrived in McLeod Ganj at around 5pm. The scenery for the last two hours was increasingly spectacular. The narrow road snaked up from the plains of Punjab to the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, as we gazed out from the window over cedar-covered hills and steeply terraced valleys.

We were dropped off in the middle of the small village, beyond which cars were unable to proceed, so we were left to struggle fully laden (and regretting our recent book purchases) down a narrow lane towards our hotel. Thanks to some directions from friendly bystanders (and grudging touts for rival hotels) we eventually made it down the hill to Siddarth House, our lodgings for the next few nights.

The cheerfully orange building had a view over the mountains that was as stunning as promised. We were met by Sahera, who showed us to our "themed room". She had picked out the "Romantic" room for us (others included "Arabian Nights", "Jungle", and "India"). The walls were decorated with paintings and tapestries of Indian princes with their lovers, as well as a copy of the Kama Sutra. The only thing missing was a heater (which did not fit with their environmentally-friendly ethos, we presumed), but we were at least provided with several large blankets. The sun was setting and the air was already turning bitterly cold.

Siddarth House

View from our balcony

Interesting room choice

With my beard I felt right at home

After a quick coffee at the top of the hostel, enjoying the view of the distant mountains at twilight, we set off to explore the village. McLeod Ganj has been the home for the last 50 years of Tibet's government-in-exile (including, most prominently, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama). Walking through the village you meet as many Tibetans as Indians, with plenty of the Tibetan refugees wearing the maroon robes of a Mahayana Buddhist monk. McLeod Ganj has become increasingly touristy over the last decade, and is full of hostels, restaurants, and cybercafes, but still manages to retain considerable charm. The stunning views certainly help.

The first place we tried for dinner, a highly recommended Tibetan joint, was closed, so in keeping with the bicultural tone we headed for an Indian restaurant called Ashoka. There we huddled by the heater and enjoyed the warmth of a curry and some tea. Then it was back to the hotel and into bed, under several layers of blankets and dressed in thermals, thick socks, and a woolly hat to keep out the cold.