On our second day in India we woke up and boarded a plane to Dharmashala at 6:10 AM. This was my first time in a propeller plane and I was conveniently located on the window seat. For the entire plane ride the plane was flying low enough to see the buildings below, which allowed me to look out the window for the entire flight. At first I couldn’t see anything; just the usual Delhi smog, until sunrise when I was able to see clusters of houses in an almost infinite expanse of flat grass. The longer the plane ride went on the less smog there was and the more rural and mountainous the environment was.  Soon I was seeing huge rolling hills and large river beds. At the end of the flight, before we landed, the Himalayas were visibly towering over the plane. 

Upon landing in Dharamshala we were all awe struck by the large jagged peaks of the Himalayas. While everyone else grabbed their checked baggage I started to wonder where my bag was. That’s when I was told that last time someone had tripods in their suitcase their bag was also delayed. 

I should probably mention that I spent a lot of time preparing for the Dharmashala part of the trip because the in-country flight had to be less than 33 Ibs while the weight for the international flight can be 50 lbs. Since it was very important that I bring home at least 5-8 yak wool blankets, I ended up packing 24 Ibs. Which meant that I “voluntarily” decided to carry the tripods, not knowing of the fate that would soon endure…

However, it was hard to stay upset in an environment like Dharmashala. Everywhere you look you  see rolling hills covered in brightly colored buildings, as well as an assortment of animals including stray dogs, monkeys, cows, goats, and even some yaks. I must confess animals do bring me joy and make me smile a little bit. The  best part, however, is probably the blue sky and crisp thin mountain air. I really enjoyed the rich Tibetan culture and the history behind it.

Today, I am writing this blog on the plane back to Delhi. I am returning with multiple items I bargained for including 7 yak wool blankets. I really enjoyed this segment of the trip and I hope the rest of the trip is as great as Dharamshala. 

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Serkong House: Dharamshala 

Serkong house is a hotel once owned by the Norbulingka Institute, a group committed to preserving Tibetan culture and art. The rooms are comfortable and a good size for western standards. The main piece for these rooms is the furniture, they are made mostly with cedar, and have designs on them. Three of which I believe I’ve correctly identified after speaking with our guide and having gotten to see where the furniture was made. One, a circular design with a flycatcher bird and its feathers spiraling out from the center, two, the “infinity knot” and three, leaves and a few flowers of the rhododendron. The rhododendron is a woody tree with large flowers ranging from red to pink to purple based on altitude, native to the Himalayan region including Tibet. These designs paired with detailed woodwork I think really display what the feel of this room is like. Every choice clearly had some meaning to it. 

           I’d also like to say what I know of the hotel’s management and location. The current owner was a manager at the time of earlier trips. He purchased it  just last year. The hotel also has a restaurant staff that make very, very good food. All of it is available for room service by phone or you can just walk down some stairs and order. Its location is about a ten minute walk from the Dalai Lama temple and has many good street vendors along the way.