Shimla to Dharamsala
We booked a night train from Shimla to Dharamsala for 415 rupees each - less than $10 bucks. We left at 9:30. Marlee said the last train she was on was freezing which freezing has become pretty standard to me here so I put on leggings under my capri work-out pants and grey socks (over my other socks) over those leggings. I looked like an idiot. I wore 2 scarves and a sweatshirt with long-sleeve shirt on underneath and wore a grey sweatshirt backwards to cover my face with the hoodie. And, I had a shaw on my legs and blanket over that.
Somehow, we still froze to death. I literally thought my toes might have to be amputated at one point. Marlee had me sitting on her toes and we were trying to cuddle for some warmth but that is easily the coldest I have ever been (coldest than the time we went snow-mobiling in Tahoe, whcih until last night, was the coldest I’ve ever been).
I couldn’t bring myself to take my hoodie off my face because I was afraid to know what time it was which would mean I would know how long we still had to go. Good news is we got here early - I’ve never been so excited to get to a foreign city in the dark before!
Marlee said it was “the most miserable night of her life” and I was strangely glad that while I felt I was freezing to death, she was next to me, freezing because it meant we would freeze together or we’d make it together and make it we did.
After a quick cab ride and a down-hill hike, we got to our guest house (Marlee has been to Dharamsala already so she was familiar). We had to wake up the owner, bless his heart, but he let us in his last room available and we hit the bed like a ton of bricks.
Now, we are up, we’ve had breakfast and we are OFF!!!
