When Saom, our guide, suggested that we get to bed early so we could get up at 3:45 and leave the Cedar Inn at 4:00 to drive to Tiger Hill to watch the sunrise, some of the group wryly inquired as to whether or not there was a possibility that the sun would NOT rise the following morning. However with a minimum of grousing, all but one of us arose and bundled up best we could to head to the hills. For two members, Pete Miller and Nancy Davis, that was a bit of a challenge, since their bags were still on the airport at IGI in Delhi.
We met Saom and our amazingly skilled driver and set off on another adventure. We were promised a hearty breakfast, if in fact we survived this adventure and returned to Cedar Inn!
We were none too early, either, in our departure, as we encountered Jeep after Jeep and other vehicles, heading in the same direction we were going. Evidently, these people had also be given the word that the sun might not come out today and they too needed to go to the vantage point at Tiger Hill. Since the journey snaking up the steep and winding roads would require ALL the power of our vehicle, we could not have the car heater on, so in order to defrost the windshield, and if we insisted upon breathing, the windows of our Jeep had to be open. Guess this was also a way to get us acclimated to the impending windy ice cold conditions at Tiger Hill.
When we arrived at the entrance and our driver paid our entry fee, we proceeded up the narrowing road toward the summit. Our driver chose not to take us up to the summit, but rather to turn around and park on the side of the road, precariously close to the side ditch and headed downhill. Our guide explained this tactic would ensure a more efficient and speedy descent. We remained huddled in the vehicle, staying out of the cold, and with windows closed. At about 5:15, it was suggested that we should disembark from our chariot and climb to the viewing site. MAN was it cold!!!
Already at the summit were a few hundred devotees of frigid temperatures. We were also pestered constantly by tea and coffee walas as well as hockers offering to sell us scarves, hats, gloves and SELFIE STICKS!!! Little did I know until well into this process that I should have brought mine! I actually have several photos of the sunrise with at least a half dozen SELFIE STICKS blocking the sun and distant hills and snow capped mountain peaks!
As the sky began to lighten and the stars disappeared, the eastern sky turned pinkish orange and we began catching glimpses of the mountain peaks opposing the rising sun. I had switched my vantage point to be facing the mountains and after a while, as clouds began to drift away from the peaks, a loud WHOOP went up from the other side... Evidently the sun did, in fact, rise and show its flame color.
We lasted in very brisk winds, but finally relented, returned to our vehicle and proceeded down the mountainside, behind several dozen vehicles whose drivers evidently had the gift of forethought and parked further down the hill. We came back to Cedar Inn, and my grandson and I retreated to our room, jumped under layers of comforters and blankets and fell sound asleep for nearly an hour before walking over to the dining room for breakfast.
Then it was off to the bussette for a ride to yet another busy day, beginning with a ride on the TOY TRAIN.
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