A Journey Through the Hills, Chill, and Unforgettable Thrills!- Part 1

 Shimla Diaries: Hills, Heritage & Happy Vibes

A Journey Through the Hills, Chill, and Unforgettable Thrills!

~By Chitrakshi Chaudhary

Shimla—often called the Queen of Hills—had always been on my travel wishlist, as we had already visited it 9 years ago, making it very nostalgic and this trip finally turned that dream into reality. With winding roads, tall pine trees, and charming colonial buildings, the town welcomed me with open arms and sunny skies. From the moment we began our journey to the last look at the hills fading in the distance, every moment was filled with fun, laughter, and unforgettable memories.

From waiting excitements after report card day to enjoying this unforgettable trip in my session break was one of the most stress free trips of mine as our shoulders ain't have that burden of studies which is usually there. Being a 3 day trip, we experienced the Queen of Hills to the maximum. 

Starting the journey we got up early and left by 6 in the morning. The highway let us experience the sunrise to its beauty. With an essence of sleep in the mind, the scenic views just couldn't hold. We stopped at a dhaba by heart and soul, which is a luxury dhaba restaurant in Murthal serving and specializing in delicious North Indian cuisine. So, coming for the first time, I knew what the hype was for. The toothsome Parantha topped with a chunky piece of butter along with hot milk tea truly gave a boost to the day. After taking my medicines, I definitely wanted to sleep after the breakfast. After an hour or so, waking up, we played online games, had a gala time and were waiting for the wait to be over.

But no thing happens too easily. The driver being overconfident took such a road which later was blocked from ahead. Because of that, we had to go around the streets of Chandigarh where a redlight of 2 minutes was present on every 200 metres. Due to this, an additional of 1 hour was added to the already long 6 hours. Though we did spot some new things along the way.

So long after the struggle of car sickness in mountains, we slowly started seeing the little red and green cottages in the valley. We reached our hotel by 3 o'clock, Royale Retreat. Having a forest view from the windows, and a town view from the terrace. You wont believe, but the 6th floor was the terrace and the main road having the reception in it. Basically we were inside a whole mountain.

The hotel although being the closest to the Mall Road, with just a 3km distance which was a stone's throw away, but indeed was a mountain to climb. We shopped on the way up, and landed on the Ridge, where the Christ Church is located. Visiting a church for the first time was great and made me realize that god is one. We have a tradition to light up diyas, they have candles. In every religion, whether it be Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Christianity or Islam, having the head covered is a must.

After having softies and popcorn, getting photos clicked and enjoying the horse ride, we experienced the sunset on our way back home. 

To be continued in part two