We were off to Sarahan and we awoke 06:30 jumped a taxi at 08:15 after breakfast and goodbyes at Aapo Aap. I wasn't feeling 100% but was much better after Anti-biotics. Having to wait 1hr plus in an Indian 'queue' for a ticket for Rampur I did not need had my patience wearing thin. Boarding a 10:30 nearly full sweaty bus and THEN having to climb on to the roof of said bus to put on 40+ Kg of our bags had me steaming... Thankfully it was just 146Rp (£1.70 - cheaper now we get 85Rp not 75Rp to £1 as we did in Feb) each for the 146km. We were, as usual the only whites on the bus - as most Europeans and Delhi-ites pay for a 4wd and guide. I sort of relaxed and we started off through Shimla (2100m) and up to 2800m through some interesting narrow unmade roads creeping ever higher. The views were breathtaking - as was the driving! Our bus driver was a seasoned pro... but several 600cc car drivers had to slam on when attempting overtakes on blind corners. Common sense here seems to be as rare as a scented cube in a urinal. Anyhow on we went enjoying views of small villages and then orchards and further to snow capped Himalayas. After the heights of Narkanda we took a stop for crisps, bananas and water. Then we descended hitting the valley floor (990m) and felt the 25degrees rise to 35... even Indians took their tank-tops off! It was lovely seeing the huge 3km mountains and narrow roads clinging to their slopes - often with evidence of previous avalanches/rock falls below. The valley floor had a large river flowing quickly down. Eventually after 5hr 30 we reached dusty Rampur new bus station - I had to get Bags off - losing a handle off our new case straight away! Then Sheryl dived on our bus 29km to Sarahan while - I - yes you guessed it - restocked the roof with our bags... 45Rp each (55p) Off again we travelled to Jeori about 12km away and stopped for a 'break' - more water- then onward and upward via a very narrow single road to Sarahan. We had awesome views of the Himalayas, snow capped peaks between the lush green apple, cherry and fruit orchards and farms of Himachal Pradesh. After 2 hrs the bus finally reached Sarahan - thankfully right in front of the Shrikhand HPTDC Guesthouse. We dragged and carried the bags the 100m or so to reception. I could see the Mountains and felt my humanity returning... Unfortunately a problem when booking meant our room was booked in Rampur not Sarahan - no problem - they had space ... but at 1500-2700 a night plus tax for a decidedly average hotel when I agreed 1200 wasn't going to happen. Negotiation and common sense was again useless - we were staying 5 nights+ so when a hotel is empty why not sell me 5 nights at 1200 and make some cash....no we paid 600 for their cheap cottage for 1 night! A common theme in India appears to be Indian 'business-men' really do NOT do business very well at all, unlike say in S.E. Asia! The room was 'basic' but had a shower and spare duvets (at 2300m it gets really cold at night!) We grabbed a simple meal at Shrikhand and had an early night. Lucky we did - 05:00 as Bhimakali Temple, some 250m away start their early prayers/music... it was like a cross betwen Tibetan and Country & Western.. neither genres I like and definitely not at 5am. It stopped at 06:00. We got up 8-ish then breakfast at Shrikhand - as there are Very few eateries here. Porridge made with water - yum - then I had mushrooms on toast (in tomato-chili sauce), Sheryl had Parathas. We then rushed over to Bhimakali Temple (yes the noisy 5am one..) to see if they had some rooms. Success! We secured rooms for 4nights - 1 at 300Rp (£3.50) and 3 at 450Rp (£5.25) - see the video! We checked them - both were OK. We moved in after check-out and we were literally within the Temple Walls! (see pics) We had a rest then off to explore. We went into the village looking at buses and saw some guys playing a board game (see pics!) they use a circular 'puck' and try and knock black or white discs into one of four corner holes. I asked for a game and got one.. it was harder than it looked - but I scored quite a few ... before losing. It was caled 'Karin Board'. We then took a road out of Sarahan for 3-4km or so to around 2450m elevation. Again the views were beautiful and I have captured many of them in the pics. It was quiet, peaceful and cool 70-ish. We both really felt relaxed with no hassle of any sort. My humanity really HAD returned. I even photo'ed 3 young guys who asked - usually I just ignore them as it is some ruse or other... but not today. We both walked - sometimes even holding hands - smiling. Priceless. After the 2hr plus walk we purchased some necessities, then relaxed. I took some more later photos when a flash thunder storm hit - as the skies were interesting (again see pics). We waited until 8pm for dinner in the temple 'cafe'.. no, nothing like you are imagining.. We took their only meal (saves on printing menus) a veg. thali. It was delicious - rice, dhal, aloo gobi, more vegetables, chapati. Flavoursome and only 46Rp (53p) each! We even got top-ups of veg and dahls. We returned, stuffed, for another early night fearing another 5am chorus... Lo and behold another 5am alarm call.. same tracks and that after an abysmal sleep due to the concrete hard 'mattress' and Sheryl had broken sleep due to some 'hammering noise' in the night. It had rained again overnight which left us with clear blue skies and temps in the cool mid 60s (20 degrees). A lazy brekky then switched to our 450Rp room - bigger but same 'facilities'. We sorted our emails etc. out and other bits and bobs then a lunch of tasty hot spicy soup and momos (Tibetan steamed veg. dumplings - like Siu Mei) in a local eatery 40Rp (45p) each! We relaxed awhile then took a 6km walk down hill and back along the main Sarahan road - or track - basking in the cool sunny weather and enjoying the quiet snow-peaked mountain views. Back for dinner and a cool beer - our first of this trip - cold and very welcome now I am 100%! Back for a relaxing early night before the usual 5am muzak. And wow - 5:15 and muzak plus a huge tribe of kids all screaming and shouting, playing, running and playing ball! The noise was unmerciful - all in the temple courtyard area. We moaned to each other, after yet another rough night of 'sleep'.. then awoke around 8:15 with silence.. they had all left. We creaked and groaned as we arose aching and waddled to breakfast up the hill like two old pensioners... Pleasant brekky at Shrikhand - porridge/cornflakes and toast - tasty, cheap and plentiful. The views were - as ever - beautiful - blue skies, cotton wool clouds and temps in the 20s (70s). We relaxed afterwards then took a walk towards Gharat. Bizarrely we could see Gharat beneath us at breakfast around 1km down a steep hill - but it was around 5km via the VERY winding road. That gives you some idea of the winding, brow creeping roads here that descend slowly. The waiter had given us directions which we took past the Srikhand and down a steep, stone stepped walkway down through orchards, trees, small temples and Mariju@na patches... the smell of skunk was overpowering. As we got lower we got higher! We reached the road then followed it towards Rampur for maybe 5km. It was Idyllic - little traffic - quiet - sunny, warm and a faint cool breeze. There were friendly locals who said 'namaste' or hello or giggled as we passed. The scenery was dramatic - see the pics! We bought 5 bananas 20Rp (23p) for lunch and walked back - taking more pics - then a short cut up a steep incline to Sarahan - as it was we came out directly behind our temple! We were wacked - grabbed some crisps and water and had a 'picnic lunch' in our room. Then a relax. We awoke to drumming and shouting - I just got a few photos of the parading of the God (see amazing pics) but I was told to stop by the entourage.... anyway enjoy. Better sleep with cushions as mattress (see the video)! 5am muzak was shorter and quieter - hardly anyone staying here - hurray!

Today we visited the temple after brekky (at last - it is only 20m away!) no leather no cams etc. We both wore little yellow/orange caps - Sheryl looked like 'Snap' from snap, crackle & pop of rice krispy fame! I looked like a huge version of a 'Tracy' from Thunderbirds with my pimple sized cap on! up 3 floors of the allegedly part 12th century temple - all wood - and saw the gold/silver idol. Later we took a 5km hill walk - warm and blue skies again.... Lunch was a superb 46Rp thali from the temple cafe - rice, bean dhal and a mutter-paneer gravy (filled up twice!) each. After a rest of our eyes..we walked down to Gharat down the steps and 5 or so km towards Juori taking photos as we went - we saw charboys (loungers used as beds) by poor families living on hills - with and an amazingly attractive cow with a fetching wig - see pic! Around 17:40 we grabbed the upward bus back to Sarahan for 10Rp each... Momos for dinner and later chips/vodka-cokes a relaxing finale. It was a nice mountain sunset with snow etc. falling on the peaks. It grew cooler and breezy down to 15degs-ish! Early night for our trip to Kalpa further north way into the Himalayas of N.India. Sarahan had been a little gem!