4400km & Beyond: Entering the World of Oberoi

Shimla was the jumping off point for the next section of my Indian Adventure. From the Dharamsala bus station, I was seen off by a group of young Punjabi men who had taken it as their mission to make sure I was on the correct bus. It all started with a photograph and the next thing I knew I had 4 bodyguards and a free ride down to the bus station from McLeod Ganj. We communicated through a smattering of English words. They knew just enough to ask "Do you like Sikh men?" "Sure" I reply as I looked at the four men smiling at me. "I mean was there really any other answer" I thought to myself. We quicly discovered the common like for Punjabi music and before I knew it an earphone was handed to me and favoriite songs played from a cellphone. To the beat of the music made popular in the West by the likes of Jay-Z, we wound our way down the mountain as the bus kicked up a cloud of dust in its trail and the sun set over the Dhauladhars.

9 hours later I arrive to the once summer capital of the British Raj. At 2,270m (7,450ft), 500m (1,640ft) higher than McLeod Ganj, the next step in acclimation begins. I also have now entered the luxurious portion of the trip and step into the world of the Oberoi. The point is to experience it all, right?

And more importantly, I haven't had a shower in 10 days and really appreciate running water from a showerhead by this point. The choice of pillow to rest my head isn't bad either.

Reunited with two of my cycling cohorts from our first India Adventure trip, we spend over 2 hours at breakfast catching up. Long gone are the TdA grab-and-go affairs. The endless cup of espresso and the view was hard to beat as well.