Ranikhet and the Mountains calling...................

---

The woods are lovely dark and deep….but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep…and miles to go before I sleep!!!!!!!!!!



Miles………they lead you to new places…new adventures.....new experiences that make this life an enjoyable journey!



And I am one of those travellers ‘who would rather find excuses to explore new places……wherever they can be squeezed in!



Such excuse did come and I took full advantage of it……we ( My Wife,Mother and myself) were driving back to Dehradun from Lucknow (My SASURAL) when the mile stones starting showing us distance to Nainital (Close to Bareily)………



I suddenly started having an urge of driving towards the unexplored mountain roads…..towards the pristine surroundings of pine trees and tall trees!!!!



A small persuasion with my Mom and wife (who is all game for such sudden planning and adventures) and I got the Clearances required to drive into my destination!



A cup of hot Chai and full tank of diesel…and off-course a brief routing on the Google Maps…..and off headed our Cheetah (XUV 500) to the mountains again!



As I drew nearer to mountains I was feeling at home and blessed…..slowly the congested plain roads of were left behind and we entered the Hair pin bends and stretches of the Mountains…..calm and beautiful as always welcoming us into its lap! The railway station of Kathgodam passed by…..and I could see the famous Kathgodam train entering the platform ferrying in eager tourists headed for their summer retreat to Nainital!



After driving a good 2 hours through the bends and stretches…..we stopped at a small roadside Tea Shop at a beautiful location jus t prior Nainital……I don’t exactly remember the name of the place ( I am not very good with remembering names) but I can assure you it is one of the best places to have Tea and some Pahadi Bagaiti with the charming old owner of the shop…..the shop’s attraction was also the beautiful young lady (Owners daughter) who charmingly served the Hot Tea and Band-Makhan……



Over the Tea and Butter/Burger snack the owner briefed us about the tourist attractions surrounding the area…..he advised us to stay away from Nainital….which would be full of tourists and crowded….and advised us to rather head to Ranikhet for a Quiet retreat in the jungles of pine trees…….……He had used the two words that immidiatelly registered in my mind.1^st is Crowded (Which I hate) and the second was Quiet( which I love)….and without any hesitation….I decided that we were headed to Ranikhet…………to look for that Quiet Retreat we were told about……



Out came the Google Maps…and after some research and few discussions with the passer byes out Cheetah started sniffing for Ranikhet…..



After just few minutes of the Drive we took a turn leading to Ranikhet and suddenly the whole ambience started changing…the small shrubs around the road gave wa y to long Pine trees and within and hour we were surrounded by a beautiful forest of huge pine trees…..long stretch of beautifully laid tarmac…without any sign of traffic or civilisation at certain stretches…..it was really divine as we cruised through the clouds and mountain mist and intermittent showers at few stretches……..the weather too became cold and we could feel the cool fresh breeze kissing us on the cheek as if welcoming us………



Ranikhet is really a small town basically an Army base controlled by the Indian Army…..there is a small settlement of civilians here basically all engaged in some services to the army…directly or indirectly…..the land is mostly owned by the army with bits and pieces owned privately by the local population.



As we approached the main town bazaar, it was getting dark and we passed the main market (Basically a small stretch of mall Road lined with few eateries/Grocery stores/Fruit vendors/street food vendors/Restaurants and Hotels…….aiming for our hotel for the night…….yes….my newly net savvy wife had managed to book a resort online while driving in on Booking.com !!!!!!!! So we approached our resort the road opened out and we left the main town behind out into the open road with civilization left few minutes behind……it was getting a bit eerie…and we were reconsidering our selection of resort when suddenly beautiful resort rose up the horizon…..it was named WOODS VILLA….our resort for the night……



Once inside the safe confines of the resort and the beautiful ambience and warmth of our room,with a fantastic view of the TRISHUL (3 revered snow capped peaks of the Himalayas) we appreciated the choice made by my Memsaab ( my wife), which she gingerly accepted with a smile!!!!!!



It was already dark by the time we freshened up and my mom was already tired with the journey…..but I was game for a small drive to a divinely located restaurant nearby…which I had sighted while driving into Woods Villa……it had a unique charm to itself that attracted me towards it and there was something about it that was attracting me towards it…..





So after much persuasion with my mom and wife, we got over our inertia and drove to this Restaurant, in the Dark…..It was an amazing experience driving in the isolated roads of Ranikhet in Pitch dark….with no company other than the nature and tall intimidation mountains all around in the bitter cold night of the Ranikhet…..



The restaurant had a homely charm to it…..meticulously kept by a creative wife of a retired Army colonel (The owner)…..she had a keen eye and taste and with her interior designing gave an affectionate and homely air to the restaurant…or should I call it a lounge café!!!!!!Anyways I certainly felt in love with the place and ordered myself a coffee…with other setline for Tea…..later we decided to have dinner and left he place…calm satisfied and fed with one of the best foods I have had in my travels to the mountains…….



We dove back and soon dozed off to a lumber as we all were thoroughly fatigued by now and required an immediate respite!!!!!



Next morning after breakfast and a discussion with the front table…we checked out and headed for the Apple Orchard….a tourist attraction where they grow Apples and some Herbal products for exporting and local consumptions…………..about the hotel we had decided to try another one….as this was way out of the local market…where my wife and mother wanted to spend some time…buying local stuff………



The Apple Orchard was a beautifully located on the top of a mountain and we guided a personal guide who took us around and briefed us about various plants,herbs and spices grown inside with inklings of the techniques used in growing such produces…..



The fun part of trip was the guide kept the excitement high all through the tour….by narrating stories of Leopards and deer sightings in the orchard from the surrounding forests…….which offcourse never turned up during our tour…but all the more kept us in high spirits!!!!



The orchard had a small restaurant where we had some herbal tea and pakodas of some herb…all in grown stuff…..they tasted good as we were very hungry!!!! We also bought some herbal juices from the in house shop. In the restaurant we made friends with one senior smart couple….who had driven all the way from Jaipur…..in there mid 50’s this couple was young as ever full of life and energy…..in the course f talk we came to know that they had well settled business in Jaipur,well looked after by their sons, so they were free to enjoy holidays which they did every year.Ranikhet being their favoured destination they drive down each year and spend a couple of weeks in isolation and each others’company!!!!I really appreciated their zeal and the way they celebrated their life!!!!!



We immediately grew found of each other and the on their request checked into the same hotel they had checkedin (Hotel Meghdoot…their fav haunt over the years)…and as the sun set…we were out on the road parapet outside the hotel with glasses full of soda and Black Dog whiskey! I really enjoyed the company of the matured yet young at heart man…..listening to his stories and advises for leading a good life….it was really a very nice experience surrounded by family, good company and a beautiful ambience of snow clad mountains and starry night gazing down at you! It was a heavenly experience and we were blessed!!!!!



After a few downers we decided to take a ride in the dark to get a real feel of the dark mountain nights…….to which all readily agreed…..and in we entered the car….and drove atop the empty road into the darkness……the night was chilly and the darkness very dark…..it was a bit eerie but it was a memorable experience…..I specially appreciated the enthusiasm of the mature couple (now Uncle and Aunty) who enjoyed the moment to the fullest and became one with us young and merry!



After the memorable experience we rode back to the hotel and retired to our room!



The morning was lovely---very chilly and we were woken up my the clouds that had gathered around our window…..pushing to enter in to surround us……on opening up I couldn’t resist and opened the window…..and in rushed the clouds….wet and misty along with it a bone chilling air………that sent shudders to all in the room….and out came curses and orders to immediately shut the window…..



A cup of hot chai and sweet bun is all a man needs in this kind of chill…..we helped ourselves to numerous cups of chai and sweet bun…it was a heavenly experience…..sometimes at this point of time man enters a state of realisation….all you need is such simple things in life to feel happy and satisfied….and wee still keep on complicating our lives looking for salvation…..where all you have to do is sip a cup of tea….at the right time and at the right place!!



After the breakfast of Aloo/Gobi paranthas preapared by aunty (The hotel Kitchen belonged to her literally) we exchanged our good byes and off we were back on the road driving back home to doon……



The ride was really lovely and all the memories of feel of the trip made it all the more charming……during the drive back we collected lots of pine fruits (the road was full of beautifully shaped pine fruits).By afternoon we were at the Jim Corbett Park gates……we decided to halt and have some tea their….also visit the museum to enrich ourselves with the glory of the famous park……the museum is basic yet it has a charm to it which keep you excited and as you go around it and pass the various man Eater Leopards now preserved in life size the show cases…..this animal are really beautiful to look at specially their eyes…which are very intimidating…..giving you that feeling of the guy coming alive and pouncing straight for your neck!!!! Anyways nothing that exciting happened and after our chai and magi noodles…we got back on out own CHEETAH (XUV500) and drove away in ful speed towards doon!





By night 10 Pm we were in the confines of our home in Dehradun……narrating the adventures of our trip to family members over Hot cup of chai and snacks…………The chai didn’t taste the same as it did in Ranikhet amongst the clouds…nor did it have that soothing feeling of Trance that I felt their….yet it had the calmness of home….and a realisation that I have returned back to the complications of the real life!!!!!!

---

Photos

Woodsvilla resort
The Parking quite a walk from the room!!

Our own Hotel Meghdoot!!
Our room right on top....see the glass windows!!

Chai stop
A chai stop with locals.......sweet pahari ppl offered us free chai!!