How would you react if you were told “We are going hot air ballooning at 5:00 a.m from the Delhi airport” in the third week of May? Would you shake your head in disbelief, go ballistic, think that the man in your life is dangerously insane and wonder what ever got into the Tourism Dept of Delhi. I did all of that and much more.

“And where are we going to land – at the Qutub Minar for breakfast in the crisp Delhi air ?” I quipped back, trying to drip sarcasm. Only that it evaporated in the hot smoggy air. Like Cinderella’s pumpkin, the hot air balloon turned into a jet plane and landed at Simla instead of Qutub Minar. The airhostess announced the safety regulations – “This plane to Simla has a back side and a front side”. The disbelief continued.

 A hot towel and a cool welcome drink later, we slid into the Prada. “Where are we going – for the last time, tell me!" His eyes focused on the folder sitting in the back pocket of the car seat. Wild Flower Hall grinned at me – my grin turned much wider. The drive from Simla to Mashobra is a blend of passing through small villages, quaint homes with slanting roofs with missing tiles and vibrant dahlias. The hutments thin out into thick forests – the smell of conifers mixed with a sense of luxurious suspense.

Overlooking the Western Himalayas, Lord Kitchener’s love for the mountains translated itself to reality – he made Wildflower his home. The building was razed down in a fire – then the Oberois took over. Mashobra is situated on the traverse spur, known as Asia’s largest watershed.

A soothing calmness and warm vibes run through the rich teak wood paneled lobby and colonial sofas to the rooms that let you breathe in the air from blue pine, cedar and spruce – the forest is just a finger away. We settled into the most natural way to be in Wild Flower Hall – the pampered mode. A lunch out in the sun, where you could here birds twitter, the bees buzz and peep into tree tops to see tiny rose-shaped cedar cones.
I lived each moment on the brink. And you’ll know exactly what I mean if you walked into the Italian style indoor swimming pool with glass windows letting the hills inside, warm water and discreet staff. Living on the edge means you dip yourself in it.

Inviting jacuzzi
The Jacuzzi is on the mountain edge, has the blue skies and cotton clouds as a natural ceiling, a wide expanse of hills, pure crisp air and the aroma of the fruity-floral bouquet from my wine glass seemed borrowed. A heady mix like this doesn’t leave you surprised when you order a Chablis at tea time and that too with a plate of French fries!!

A three-hour walk on the wild strawberry trail at 8230 feet overlooking the Indo-Tibetan highway initiated by Lord Dalhousie, made me slip in and out of a time capsule. Mashobra is situated on the traverse spur, known as Asia’s largest watershed. The ridge divides the waters – on the left, the waters feed the Ganges and on the right they go down to the Indus and Sutlej. The British used to come up on mules and horses for summers along this trail. No small wonder.

Nature trail
We walked among wild red strawberries dotting the grassy margins along the path. Strawberries are sweeter if the blossom is yellow, my guide told me. The smell of earth, soft moss and slivers of mist made me lose myself into the deep mysteries of the forest. I learnt to distinguish between spruce, cedar and pine trees by just looking at the formation of their leaves and shapes of their cones.

 A white buttercup, a leopard spotted butterfly, a Tibetan striped one pranced along with an orange sunrise and a black lady. Their names as enticing as the colours on their wings. Fallen acorns from wild oaks, lady birds sitting on raspberry bushes, footsteps falling on a  crunchy, crisp carpet of pine needles was like taking an IV shot – nature rushed in the blood stream. 

Local folklore says that someone who didn’t quench the thirst of a tired traveller turns into a babbler. To hear the calls of the Himalayan Thrush, parakeets, and the steadfast tak-tak of red crested wood pecker and delve into tales of a wild mushroom that grows in seconds once struck by lightning – I felt trippy, light-footed and happily tipsy on this rhapsody.

When a bear is angry, he digs a hole at the root of a tree, hhrmphs and bites into the roots which dries up his mouth and makes him feel calmer and better. The music of birds, the silence among the breeze, walking into cobwebs which glinted as a teasing sun ray passed by, white flowers like a lady’s purse and an unwavering gaze at a larva covering itself to become a butterfly in a slow dance… I smiled inside. Another meal made me drag a beach bed’s mattress to the front garden, lie under the immense blue skies looking up at the tree tops to fall asleep to the chirping of birds and buzz of friendly insects. It was the lull before the toss in the waves of Sutlej.

Rocky rapids
The road meandered down to Chabba where the adventure guide awaited us with the raft, life jackets and a list of instructions.

The first rapid is the worst, I was informed nonchalantly. The waves crashed over the boulders, rose up in playful, frothy whoops of laughter, drowning my gasps and squeals into silent awe.

The deep gorge carved out by Sutlej grabbed my attention. Cliffs and rocks, rugged and clefted even in pretty cobalt blues and salmon pinks, made the earth go silent with their grandeur.  I was lowered into Sutlej waters just to get a feel of the freezing cold temperatures but I didn’t risk letting go off the boat for the proposed swim. We broke journey on the banks where a four course meal was laid out or us. For a first timer at river rafting, the experience was blissful - eventually.

The guide chatted incessantly, telling us incidents of how he had rafted in swelling water levels. The ultimate came as we finished the day at the spa luxuriating with a body massage, scrub and a milk-rose petal bath. The common factor – the view of thickly-forested hills.

We settled at the Cavalry bar by a crackling fire, a book, some quiet and a glass of wine… while someone out there took care of us… the cup brimmeth over!