Gujjugirldiaries

  Mountain Views, Mischievous Monkeys & a ₹600 Food Disaster! There are three things you should know about my first day in Shimla: the mountains were breathtaking, the monkeys were tiny little thieves, and a ₹600 apple-walnut pie nearly ruined my relationship with food. Welcome to Shimla! A place where the clouds look close enough to touch, the mountain air makes you forget your city-life problems, and a simple food outing can turn into an unexpected adventure. Our first day was a mix of peaceful mountain views, temple visits, street-food discoveries, and a few experiences that left us either smiling or questioning our life choices. So, if you're planning a trip to Shimla, here's how our day unfolded. 5 AM in Shimla: Sleep First, Explore Later We finally reached Shimla around 5 AM after what felt like an endless journey. And after spending so many hours travelling, I had absolutely no desire to become a tourist just yet. My only goal? A comfortable bed and uninterrupted sle...

  Day 3 in Manali: Snow, Cancelled Activities & The Coziest Day It had been raining nonstop since morning, and the weather was so cozy that we stopped for hot chocolate and a banana Nutella crepe. ☕🍫 Finally, we left for Solang Valley! The temperature was in the minus, and it was still raining. Before heading into the snow, we rented boots and jumpsuits to keep ourselves warm. Our driver dropped us a little before the main area because there was way too much traffic and the crowd was getting heavier ahead. So, we had to walk towards Solang Valley because the road was extremely crowded. But as soon as we reached and saw the snow, we completely forgot about the cold. 😂 🎥 Want to see how this snowy day actually looked? You can watch my Day 3 in Manali vlog here: 👉 Watch the vlog on YouTube It had snowed the night before, so the mountains were completely white and looked absolutely magical. ❄️🏔️ But there was a twist. Because of the weather, all the snow activities were ca...

  Day 2 in Manali: Rain, Momos, Tibetan Butter Tea & Cozy Mountain Weather So my day literally started with momos . 😂 And thank god these were actually good because yesterday's momos were so disappointing! After a good start to the day, we headed to Hidimba Temple , one of the most famous places to visit in Manali. The temple is surrounded by tall cedar trees, which make the whole place feel peaceful and almost magical. Built in 1553, it is dedicated to Hidimba Devi, the wife of Bhima from the Mahabharata. The wooden architecture, quiet forest surroundings and cool mountain air made it feel completely different from the busy streets of Manali. We spent some time exploring the temple and the nearby area, taking in the beautiful views and peaceful atmosphere. Unfortunately, my camera battery died at the worst possible time, so I couldn't capture any of it. You'll just have to believe me when I say it was beautiful. 🎥 Want to see how Day 2 actually looked? You can watch ...

  Day 1 in Manali: Rain, Cold & Another Hotel Disaster! Finally… Day 1 in Manali! Yeeeppie! 🥳🏔️ After such a long journey, I was finally here—the mountains I'd been waiting for. Honestly, just reaching Manali felt so good. We had travelled so much to get here, and now I could finally see the mountains with my own eyes. 🎥 Want to see how this day actually looked? You can watch my Day 1 in Manali vlog here: 👉 Watch the vlog on YouTube But of course, my trip couldn't begin that easily. 😂 Yes, I had booked a hotel. And yes… that turned out to be another bad decision. The hotel looked perfectly fine online, but in reality, it was a completely different story. So we had to make another last-minute hotel change. And this time, it wasn't exactly pleasant. It was around -2°C, it was raining, and I was already completely exhausted from the journey. We were standing there in the cold with our luggage, trying to figure out where we were going to stay. I was literally freezin...

  Delhi at 4 AM to Finally Chasing the Mountains Finally, after spending almost the entire day on the train, we reached Delhi. Thankfully, the journey was smooth and safe. After being on the train for so many hours, though, all I wanted was a bed and some proper sleep. But there was one small problem. We reached Delhi at around 4 a.m. , and we didn't have a hotel booked. Yes, I know. Very smart planning. Thank you. 😂 Since I hadn't pre-booked a hotel, we now had to find one in the middle of the night. So there we were, tired after a full day of travelling, carrying our luggage around and searching for somewhere to stay. Looking back, I have no idea why I thought booking a hotel after reaching Delhi at 4 in the morning was a good idea. But somehow, after searching for a while, we finally found a decent-looking hotel and decided to just rest. I eventually woke up around 11 a.m., feeling much more refreshed. And obviously, the first thing on our minds was food. We went to Sita Ra...

Every Mountain Trip Begins With Excitement I've always been excited about visiting the mountains. There's something about them that holds a special place in my heart. Even though I haven't traveled to many places yet, every mountain trip feels magical to me. This time was even more special because I was finally going to one of my favorite destinations—Manali. The moment the trip was planned, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Every day, I found myself counting down, waiting for the day to arrive. I was so excited that I could hardly wait. Finally, the day was here! There was just one small twist—my train wasn't from my hometown, Pune. It was from Mumbai, so the journey actually started before the real trip even began. Taking a bus from Pune to Mumbai was the best option since it was both convenient and budget-friendly. As expected, I packed my bags at the very last minute. No matter how much I promise myself I'll pack early, it somehow never happens! Once everyt...