Still trying to catch up on sleep the goal for Sunday was hang out around the hotel, match some Moto GP and World Cup while getting a load of laundry done. Now with the laundry, before leaving I had confirmed with the hotel that yes indeed that service was proudly available 7-days and that they have provided an express option with a 3-hour turn around. So I packed up my dirty clothes checked the box for express 3-hour service and dropped the bundle off at reception on my way in for breakfast. While at breakfast I met a couple of other riders, Rob and Rob from New Zealand (...I know, right?!), and we chatted you a bit. On my way back to the room I noticed that my laundry bundle was still at reception - it had been 1-1/2 hours since I dropped it off. I pointed out this fact to the reception clerk who got on the phone seemingly to take care of this. Back in my room the phone rang with the voice on the other end indicating someone was at my door who needed to talk to me... And no I don't know why they just didn't knock, heck there was a doorbell too. It was the housekeeping manager informing me that they didn't have on premises laundry and couldn't actual provide the express service advertised... With a promise of a 2pm delivery I wandered around the Connaught Place neighborhood for a few hours before getting back to the hotel in time to watch the motorcycle race and introductory tour meeting.
As mentioned previously there had been rumours of significant travel delays and indeed there were. 6 people in all following 3 different itineraries had been effected to various degrees all with the common point of having Air India flights cancelled from Europe. 1 of the effected arrived just before the meeting started but without his luggage. A group of 4 from Portugal were expected during the meeting and again without their luggage. The last would be in time for dinner but he had his luggage. Note to self - don't take Air India to India if you expect to get your luggage in a timely matter.
Monday morning we piled onto the bus a bit later than scheduled hoping that in that extra time the missing bags would show - but no such luck. And then we headed north out of New Delhi headed to Shimla. An uneventful 10-hour bus ride up into the Himalayan foothills. As we started to climb it quickly became apparent that the foothills were a lot greener than down on the flats and that a lot of that green was hemp. Yup, pot is growing everywhere up here - it literally is a weed.
Throughout the day conversations had been had with regards to the missing luggage and there was some suggestion that some if not all would be at the airport by the end of the day. Once at the hotel it looked there was a chance that 2 bags had been picked up by a courier and were now heading up to where we were with the other 3 bags slated for delivery no later than at Manali day after next.
We all went to sleep that knowing we would be riding the next day
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