First stop of the day, Sobby met us at Azadpur Mandi and we decided to take a stop for a breakfast.

Near a place called Ladwa on the Delhi Chandigarh highway, a absolute dream to drive on

Starting for the hills, ahead of Kalka

Regular photo stop

Dusk time, on way to Chhail. We decided to skip Shimla and settled for calm Chhail. Drove thru clouds to reach Chhail

A little out of Kufri, after Chhail. While waiting for Preetam.

At Kufri

Sunset time, after crossing Jalori pass in the evening. Sun playing hide and seek. My panniers broke for the first time at Jalori.

Enroute from Jalori to Banjaar

On way from Jalori to Banjaar, where we would get my panniers welded, and also the place where I had a minor heart attack :-), but that's another story for another day..!!

View before reaching Manali

View after crossing Manali. I'd overtaken Subash and Meher who were waiting for me at Nehrukund, while I reached all the way to Kothi and then had to turn back.

On way to Rohtang Jot, Rohtang does not qualify for a "La" title.

Subash and Meher trying their hands to capture the first images of snow. Subash met a friend of his here, coming back from the Him Oddy, who told us that Baralacha La was -8 in the day. Fat Claim, that we later found out was totally untrue.

at the same place

On way to Rohtang

First sighting of Snow - Rani Nallah, it was full of dirt and the snow had turned a dirty brown colour, tourists coming to and from Rohtang would stop here and get their pics clicked in the "sofa sets" carved out of snow..!

Meher coming in towards Rani Nullah

Subash comes next, we stopped here as it was our first close view of snow. the first in Subash's life :-)

Meher a.k.a Headlight Mamu posing

Before Rohtang Jot

Before Rohtang Jot

At Rohtang Top - our gateway, there was hardly any snow here and yet most of the tourists were moving around in those artificial fur coats and gum boots. Quite a sight :-) We started from Rohtang at 5 in the evening.

First sighting of the Pir Panjal Range range which demarks the southernmost ramparts of the Himalayas and the road then descends into the Chandra Valley