We were up early again to catch the 7.30am bus to Nainital just 65kms away. On being dropped at the bus stand we were instantly bundled onto a Nainital bus that didn’t conform to any times we’d been given! We had great seats at the front so could see the lovely scenery and views. We completed the first half of the journey along the valley quite quickly and wondered why it took 2hrs to cover the further 30kms to Nainital. All was soon revealed; the road wound its way through the forest clad slopes and we steadily ascended. The narrow road hugged the contours of the Himalayan foothills and the tree cover gradually thinned; deciduous broadleaves gave way to evergreen pine needles.
We’d pre-booked ourselves a treat at Chevron’s Fairhaven though Agoda as it advertised free wifi in all rooms. This was the end of this leg of our trip in India and we had loads of internet tasks to do before moving on to Nepal. When we finally tracked down the hotel it turned out to be an old war widows / YWCA building that is being renovated. The advert describes the 3* hotel it will be but, at present most of the rooms have been gutted and don’t have the all-important wifi connection. The place has heaps of character and charm and since we’d already paid for it we had no choice but to stay. We should have realised it was all slightly too good to be true as the deal we got was fantastic; dinner, bed and breakfast for $50 a night.
The manager was excellent; very accommodating and understanding, to the point where he allowed us to use his computer in his office as he had broadband. Plus, he upgraded us to a lake view room to compensate but on hindsight, it may have been one of the few rooms habitable. To be fair he and the rest of the staff were hardly rushed off their feet; like there was only Steve and I staying there. Along with the renovations rendering most rooms defunct it was very much off-season. So other than catering for our limited needs there was nothing for them to do. What do Indians do with time to spare and a flat piece of land? Have a game of cricket of course! The front garden was temporarily converted into an impromptu test ground.
We felt we shouldn’t hog the kind fella’s office for too long so went for a wander around town. Nainital is found at an altitude of around 2000m and its streets and alley ways rise steeply from the edges of Lake Naini, hence the town’s name. The only flat piece of ground is the multi-purpose, all weather sports pitch at one end of the lake. Along with the road and path that circumnavigates same lake and that’s where we chose to wander. It was a pleasant stroll but we can imagine this town must be bursting at the seams in peak season if the number of places to stay is anything to go by.
As I have said our room deal include breakfast and dinner and before arriving we’d thought this most likely to be buffet style. Of course we hadn’t anticipated having a private hotel(!) and we were actually given the full choice of the menu. Obviously we ordered Indian and jolly tasty it was too but it did seem strange being the only two diners. The restaurant area is located in the central courtyard where you’re surrounded by wood panelling. Luckily the staff weren’t napkin flappers; they catered for our every need but didn’t hover over us.
As per usual we were early to bed; mainly because it was bitterly cold despite the efforts of the room’s little fan heater. It was just as well we were awake early as house-keeping phoned to see if we wanted bed tea. A subsequent phone call and the kitchen had our breakfast order along with where and when we’d like it served. Who said the days of the Raj are over?! The morning was chilly but bright and sunny so we opted to dine on the lawn – very civilised what?! The food was as tasty and plentiful as the previous night’s dinner so we didn’t feel inclined to rush about.
That afternoon we spent a couple of hours walking up to the top of the nearest ridge to take in the ‘snow view’. Sure enough way in the distance we could see the snow-capped peaks of the high Himalayas. Over the next few days we’ll be travelling towards them and it has whetted our appetite for trekking. We spent the latter part of the afternoon relaxing in the garden until the sun dipped behind a ridge. The instant drop in temperature saw us scurrying indoors and popping our fan heater on. Dinner was once again excellent and it was lovely not to have to settle a bill at the end of our stay. We’d bought a box of sweets to say thank you for their help and service plus, it seemed a good way to get around the awkward tip scenario.
Fairhaven turned out to be the perfect place to end our trip in India.
