Back in June this year, my husband looked at my spiritless personality and decided that I needed therapy. He took me to the nearby hills so I could soak in the fresh air, admire the colourful landscapes, look at the clear skies and spend time in nature. And therapeutic it was!

This place was Nainital in Uttarakhand where we split our time between Nakuchiyatal & Bhimtal.

Waking up to the sound of flute:

The best part about visiting the mountains is waking up to the rising Sun and the sounds of birds. But on that first morning in Bhimtal, I woke up to the sound of a flute. There was live music at breakfast, and someone was playing old melodies on the flute. I stepped onto the balcony of my room and was greeted by the familiar sight of healthy, happy trees, with birds nesting on every other branch. Out the breakfast hall, I spotted two cute dogs who seemed tired of chasing things & decided to spend that morning in Zen mode.

Oh, I was in a hill station and I was so happy. I took a quick bath and ran down the stairs to grab some breakfast. The food was average but I had no complaints because we were changing hotels and would drive to Nakuchiyatal that afternoon. That’s our thing – we change hotels every alternate day when we travel, to keep changing our views.

If we stay in a hotel for more than three days, either the property is outstanding or we have been kidnapped. 😁😁 The latter is more likely!

By the lakes and touristy spots:

You know every hill station has a lake that looks quite like the ones you have visited before – nothing unique. And yet, people like me still spend time by those lakes doing all the typical, touristy things to make the most of their vacations: buying cotton candy, slurping Maggi noodles, devouring momos & snoozing on a boat ride.

I stopped by the few lakes along our way to the new hotel & clicked pictures. I folded my hands outside the temples and made a few stops to admire the blooming flowers along the path. About ten minutes from our place was this beautiful pond full of lotuses (No, not water lilies – I mean Lotuses). It was truly extraordinary really in the middle of nowhere.

That is life – extraordinary things often happen amidst the ordinary.

It became my favourite place to visit and I spent time by that pond twice a day, gazing at the lotus blooms amidst the water.

Rains, Chai, and Pakodas:

We checked into our villa. Yes, my husband booked a villa because he wanted to exorcise my negative vibes and cheer me up. As I changed into more comfortable clothes and picked up my book, it began to drizzle.

We ordered in Chai and Pakodas to enjoy the rains. Soon after, it began to pour cats and dogs. For hours, I stayed out on the deck, looking at the swaying trees & clouded sky as it rained. By the time I finished, it was already 5 pm, and I had gulped down three cups of tea. 😱😱

Evening walks and dimly lit Cafes:

I don’t know what’s so romantic about evening walks and slipping into a cafe for a cup of Hot Mocha in hill stations, but these walks almost always turn out to be beautiful.

I notice everything on these walks: the roadside vendors, tourists talking to each other in loud voices while locals ignore them, friendly pets wandering around, and the irresistible cafes filled with books by authors like Ruskin Bond & R.K. Narayan.

Over the last 10-15 years, I have spent countless such private evenings that have never made it into my travel blogs or journals.

These are the best memories – the ones that keep you smiling on difficult days, give you stories to share with your grandkids, and keep that sparkle in your eyes alive!

Dinner, served with a side of Night Jasmine fragrance

We spared no dish and ordered everything that we liked on the menu – two of us with ten dishes on the dining table. The food was delicious that night. Or was it the sweet fragrance of night-blooming Jasmine? Hard to say. I love Raat Rani (night-blooming Jasmine). It’s a common tree in North India and many households with a garden grow it.

The intense fragrance at night is so intoxicating that some of us don’t need fermented beverages to smile – the smell is enough to keep us happily high.

It must have been close to Poornima (full moon night) because the moon was shining brightly as we took a walk through the garden after dinner. That was our last night in Nakuchiyatal. My husband picked up a bunch of Raat Raani flowers (that had fallen from the tree) and handed them to me as we returned to our villa. I placed them on my nightstand and went to sleep. That night, I slept like a baby.

Goodbye Hugs:

I woke up the next day feeling lighter & better. It felt, as if a weight had been lifted off my chest and there was a spring in my step.

Before leaving for home, I looked back at the property, and noticed the tree right outside the villa’s patio – the same tree that had swayed in the rains a couple of days ago.

I put my luggage in the car and walked up to the tree, giving it a tight hug. “Thank you for bringing a smile to my face.”, I said and then we left for Delhi NCR.

It was one of the best trips of 2024, and I came back home all happy and healed.