Albert Sebastian Antony

traveler | photographer | blogger

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A perfect place to backpack with friends or for a solo journey. Manali is where I began my backpacking journey. The serenetity made me fall in love with the place. The journey made me intoxicated to an extent that I traveled thousands of miles to keep myself high. Reminiscing those moments during these #quarantinedays.⁣ ⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣I was pretty much broke when I took the journey but I am good with numbers fortunately so I was able to have a long 10 days backpacking journey all across Himachal Pradesh ata very low budget. I couldn't cover all the places but covered a good enough number. You will see more of them in coming posts. Wait for it! ⁣ ⁣ I would love to settle somewhere like Himachal. And my dear Himachal once the dust settles down with #COVID I'll come to you to have fun with you again.⁣

[albertsebastianantony]

A perfect city amidst the mountains and the deodar trees. Every season in Manali has its own flavor. I was only lucky enough to reach there by the end of winter and let me tell you I won’t forget it ever. The cold mist filling down the city from the Himalayas gives out an awesome vibe unmatched by any place I have ever been. The only time I saw something like this in my life was once in Agumbe, Mangalore and another one in Idukki, Kerala but still the Manali experience stays at the top.

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The perfect marriage of wildlife and nature that's what you witness in Manali. The whole of Himachal Pradesh is like that. Wildlife and even humans won't feel strange when they make their way through these places. We always feel that we are in sync with nature. You won't feel like a stranger.  I felt the love and warmth every second I was there. That's why people visit Manali or why I visited. It feels like #home.⁣

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The small walks I had along the forest and the hilly areas gave me unforgettable memories. I never felt like being inside a tourist hotspot. Within these sweet spots, chirping of the birds and the gushing sound of Beas was the only thing that surrounded me. One of the best places I have been where I could enjoy solitude more than anything else. Even with drizzling, I made sure to spend some quality time there and I did experience the love of nature. Sometimes so intoxicating even the memories can make you smile.

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A glimpse of the mighty Himalayas from Old Manali. Manali might look as though tainted by the tourism culture but the core of it is untouched. When we move closer to the people living in Manali one can easily witness a different spectrum of Manali. If you want the core of Himachalis then go and meet them. And the best way to do that is by always choosing the local shops over the ones with fancy arrangements. It is hard to get away from the tourist culture.

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If you love the greens then Manali must be your next destination. You won't see a single barren land down there. And those cute little houses peeping out in the dense forest is a delight to watch.

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Nothing can refresh you from the tiring journey you took to Manali. The cold Beas flowing down from the heavenly Himalayas took me to the heavens in an instant. After reaching from Delhi early morning, a nice walk along the banks of the river was all I needed.

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We flock to Manali to escape into the mountains. But the crowd I saw on arrival was too much for me to take. Like you, I too thought that I won’t be able to find a peaceful spot. But fortunately, I was wrong this place is too vast. Despite the huge count of vehicles, there is a whole new world beyond those deodar trees. Each step taken towards the mountains brings you closer to serenity.

[albertsebastianantony]

Make sure to spend some time roaming around Manali before starting your adventurous treks. There is a lot to see out in there. Sceneries like this will be worth your time. I took this one while taking a quick breakfast break on my first day in Manali. Mountains can sometimes be far too appealing when seen from different places. And this spot was one such place where the city blended in with the mountains.