Day 6, Day 7, Day 8 – at Ghangaria:

We wandered around ghangaria, acclimatizing for a day. Tha and Gi rested, while Vc, appa and me went off reconnoitering. We saw some beautiful Himalayan redstarts, white-cheeked bulbuls and other birds (Vc has the snaps!) We also discovered the Himalaya Hotel next door had a fantastic cook – he even made us masala dosa. Tha had to teach him how to make the potato masala though!!
The best day yet:
The next morning, after breakfast next door, we set off to the Valley. It’s a steep climb through the village, up to the gate where we got passes for ourselves and cameras. Then, the most beautiful 6km walk in to the valley through the Nanda Devi National Park. The path winds across the river, goes over a small landslide, crosses a jungle-y patch of moss, ferns and lichen covered boughs and then through the evergreens, cedars and cypresses. We collected the bark of the birch – or ‘bhoj patra’ as it is called here – to write letters to friends and family. Definitely made a change from the usual picture postcard!
The first view of the valley is from the side, and we nearly missed seeing the mostly melted snow-bridge, which was dusted with mud and dirt.
Apparently 256 varieties of flora. Grave of Joan Margaret Legge (1805-1939) where appa left his spectacles. Misty clouds float up while we are at brunch, and we put on raincoats in a rush
Feesl like a tiny tiny speck in all of creation
Walked to the valley again. Had the most amazing lunch of Cheese (panner) omlette and bread on the banks/ dry bed of a tributary of the pushpawati river. Ji and tha trek with the pilgrims to Hemkund sahib and collect Brahma kamal (the state flower)