Helen and Randall on the road

The drive to Shimla from Dharamsala, although it took the estimated 7-8 hours, was a revelation compared to the previous car journey, partly due to a competent driver and partly to the brand new Toyota Innova belonging to the Pink House.

As we arrived late we booked into a guest house of which we will not speak as it was horrible – have duly slated it (with photos) on Tripadvisor! Luckily we only had to sleep there, so in the morning after a middlingly successful breakfast at a hotel on Mall Road and a complete failure to find somewhere to do our laundry (more on this later) we summoned a driver from our next port of call, the Cecil Oberoi:

The atrium around which the hotel is set, with a piano bar/lounge.

Detail of the bar, with grand piano tinkled every second evening as entertainment.

Pool area – we had it to ourselves as no-one else seemed to be interested. Lucky us!

Sunny lounging by the pool.

The sitting room of our suite.

Randall and I were upgraded to a suite for free again (after I complained about some minor communications issues regarding our arrival) – that makes us two for two on the 5* hotels of this trip because we were upgraded in the Taj Lake Palace too…so it’s down to the Imperial in Delhi at the end of the month to make it three for three!

Because we had loads of washing and hadn’t found anywhere to leave it we availed ourselves of the (horribly expensive) hotel service. It was *almost* worth the expense to see our scruffy t-shirts, socks and pants returned folded into tissue paper and placed gently inside two beautiful wicker hampers.

The chocolate pudding at dinner. Worthy of a photo, we thought.

The next morning I felt a bit rough so sent Randall and Tamsin off to climb up to the Jakhu / Jackoo temple (a temple to the monkey god Hanuman).

It’s a short but very steep climb – apparently the hotel was horrified that they were going to attempt it and tried to insist on sending them in a car with driver. In the end they were furnished with a couple of stout sticks (necessary monkey-proofing) and allowed to proceed as planned.

Lots of teeny George W. Bushes

Randall at the start of the walk.

Short pause

Ringing the bell of the temple at the top.

Shoes must be removed to enter the temple, so imagine Tamsin and Randall’s delight when some monkeys stole one shoe each of a couple who had decided not to make use of the proper storage facilities.

Annoyed monkey.

The shape of things to come?

Tamsin peering up Hanuman’s skirt.

Huge Hanuman statue on top of the hill.

Classic upskirt shot. Perez Hilton would be proud.