Uttarakhand '
ascending the winding roads when we turn our head from the
windows and look outside, we see the great hazy plain below
stretching as far as the eye can reach, its greenery interse-
cted by the white line of one or two wide river channels. The
journey by the latter route is one*of endless variety and charm.
At one time the traveller surmounts passes of great height,,
at another time winds along dark gorges, with occasional
views of the great peaks, their silvery glory, bright against
the deep blue heavens, amply repaying him for the toil of the
way. The richest vagetation is always to be found between the
heights of 6000 and 10000 ft. In autumn the ground is covered
in many places with flowering plants like white anemone,,
columbine, and a kind of strawberry of delicious flavour that
grows in great abundance, as well as the common fragrance
indicating resembling a raspberry.
In rainy season the bus journey is very troublesome; there-
fore, no trekker should hazard a journey into Himalayas bet-
ween June and September. Most of the bus accidents do take
place at that time of the year.
The vehicular journey's end is normally at the end of the day-
long ride over the shrieking buses which appear and disappear
at each bend. The tired traveller encounters the coolies, por-
ters and travel agents who take care of you till you arrive at
your lodging place.
The tourist rest houses
Europeans were great trekkers, keen lovers of nature and
very particular about the places of their stay. Entire Uttara-
khand is studded with beautiful inspection houses at scenic
places. To these old inspection houses, today hordes of tourist
rest houses of the Tourism Department and tourist lodges of
the Kumaon and Garhwal Mandal have been added besides the
ever increasing number of hotels and other forms of accomm-
odation. You only need to know about them in advance or
consult those who have gone earlier. Always try to get prior
reservation. Once lodged safely in a comfortable place you can
operate suitably on your jaunts of trekking.
Most of the rest houses provide bedding. This can help you
economise on your burden of loads.