Shimla

Usually we get bangers without seat-belts, so we were both surprised to find that our prearranged car for the trip to Shimla was in good condition. The eight hour trip was rollercoaster-like, similar to the journey from Dalhousie to Mcleod Ganj. We finally reached a damp and gloomy Shimla in the late afternoon.  I was still feeling the effects of Mcleod Ganj’s evil onion quiche, so went straight to bed after checking-in to our hotel. Noticing that I wasn’t well, the hotel wallah made me some kitchari (grain broth); apparently particularly nourishing and easy to digest, so good for the Delhi Belly.

view from our room

As a treat towards the end of our trip, we booked a room at the five-star Oberoi Shimla for the next couple of nights. Rising early, we checked out of a temporary hotel and made the short walk down the hill to the Oberoi. Top-end hotels in India are known to be amongst the best in the world, and the Oberoi didn’t disappoint. We spent the afternoon relaxing in our room, and rounded the day off with a badly needed western style buffet at the restaurant. The injection of something familiar finally put my stomach back in order.

Breakfast was great, the first fry-up we had in three months. We spent the rest of the morning admiring views of the surrounding mountains and valleys from the comfort of a hot Jacuzzi. After Shejal’s afternoon spa treatment, we headed out for a walk into town. Shimla is the undisputed king of the old British hill stations. By the mid-1800’s Shimla had become the official summer capital of the Raj. Until 1939, the entire government of India migrated here annually to avoid the soaring heat of the plains. Many of the old British administrative buildings remain functional, now housing agencies of the Himachal Pradesh state government. Shimla resembles a 2205 meter high version of a large English market town strung out along a 12km ridge (with added monkeys). Having both gotten used to the chaos, colour, vibrancy of the standard Indian town/city, being here felt like we’d arrived home early.

We decided to spend an extra day in Shimla, so checked-out of the Oberoi the next morning and walked back to the nearby hotel that we’d spent our first night at. After checking back in, we headed out to visit Shimla’s main sights. First stop was the Viceregal Lodge, built as an official residence of the British Viceroys back in the day. In 1947, the decision to partition India and create the new states of Pakistan and East Pakistan (Bangladesh), was taken here. Included in the entrance fee was an interesting guided tour of the building.

After the Lodge, we walked to the town centre, visiting Scandal Point, The Ridge, and Christ Church. 

The weather had improved since we arrived, overcast, but no rain and relatively warm. We spotted a few snug looking Indian tourists; obviously not used to anything colder than 30 degrees.

The start of the steep thirty minute trail to Jakhoo (Shimla’s highest point) is marked with this handy sign offering guidance on fitness levels. Congratulations to anyone over 70 who makes it to the top!

We spotted this vehicle parked near to the Jakhoo path, perhaps waiting people in the ‘need improvement’ fitness category.

We rounded off our time in Shimla with dosas at the Indian Coffee house, a restaurant/old boys’ club where the waiters wear uniforms and turbans; felt like we’d been transported back to the 1940s.

The penultimate stop on our tour offered a rare chance to relax, exactly what we needed considering the hectic schedule of the last month! Shimla is unlike anywhere else we’ve visited on the trip so far, being quite distinct from standard Indian towns/cities. The weird ‘out-of-place’ Englishness of Shimla combined with surrounding Himachal Pradesh scenery makes for a very interesting mix.