Rain started at about 5:00am and continued throughout the day – flying was out. So we decided to take a trek down to Manali and take in the local scene. On our way downhill we turned on the main street to find out the only road in and out of town had washed out due to rain. Only enough road was left for small motorbikes and pedestrians. Cars were parked on both sides of the washout with no where to go. Heavy machinery was working to try and repair the road. It looks like it may take weeks to fix and we’re told we will need to have 2 vehicles to shuttle us to the airport on Saturday while carrying our luggage from one side of the washout to the other vehicle waiting to take us the rest of the way. We made it to Manali Market to find they were celebrating India’s ancient Hindu spring festival Holi. We walked around and watched kids and young adults slap paint on each other’s heads, faces and clothes. We found a monastery on the edge of town and paid our respects. Even in the rain Manali is a vibrant, beautiful and interesting place to experience.
