Paravati

Paravati Valley is a long narrow valley with a road which winds up for about 65 kms and then ends. Along the road are about 4 or 5 villages with Kasol being the tourist center and the tourists being about 90% Israeli. Kasol is in fact the only real foreign tourist resort while Manikaram, about 4 kms up the valley draws the locals in great numbers. Away from the road, after
Varasani, the last village on the road, you have to trek up in to the hills to get to the various tourist destinations which are a few tiny villages high up in the mountains which make the valley a valley.
After much persuasion I agreed to accompany Gingi to Tosh, the nearest of the mountain villages, about a 90 minute walk from Varasani. We took the bus to there, my first experience of a "local" bus and of course I had the drunk leaning over breathing on and and trying to talk to me during the entire 40 minute ride (another reason I'm so happy to be riding a bike) through one of the most beautiful valleys I have ever seen. There is a raging river, beautiful waterfalls, green forests, quaint villages and of course the ever present possibility of the bus going off the edge of the cliff.
At Varasani we got off the bus and headed up into the hills and of course got lost, took the wrong way and ended up walking an extra 45 minutes. But "no worries mate" it was, except for a bit of climbing (quite a bit actually) a stroll in the park and like the bus ride it was through
beautiful scenery and the extra walk was if anything, a pleasure. Along the very narrow path we came up behind a herd of sheep and goats and had to wait till the whole parade reached a wide spot on the path so that we could pass. But the whole way was breathtakingly beautiful.
Tosh seen from afar is beautiful too but up close it is a filthy collection of filthy, broken down hovels, some of which have been converted into guest houses and restaurants to cater to the tourist trade which is quite brisk, again, mainly Israelis. The view around Tosh is indescribable, suffice that I mention green forests, towering trees, herds and herdsmen, villages and villagers, blue skies, pouring rain and of course the ever present snow covered peaks. But for me nothing can make up for the shortcomings of the village which is torn between the 12th and 18th century, internet and washing machine notwithstanding. And it is cold, fucking cold so after one night I was quite happy to walk down again - 40 minutes - and get on the bus back to Kasol.
We were very lucky to come down just as the bus was about to leave but the conductor waited another minute for us and we were off. Which was quite strange as we had come down at 3:15 and the bus was supposed to leave at 2:30. A nice German tourist explained to me that the bus had been delayed twice because the srteering was not working! Now he tells me! But the drive back to Kasol was without incident and the steering held out and all was well.
Next I'm off to Manali and then Kashmir and Leh but not before I send a longish description of Kasol and Paravati - when I get round to it.