Pranay Pachauri: Old Manali cafés are my all time favourite

Pranay Pachauri

In another of mid-day.com's 'Travel with the Stars' series, Pranay Pachauri tells us what should be on the to-do list if you are planning a holiday at Manali. His itinerary is sure to make your blues disappear. So let's join him on the ride!

Where are you off to today?

Manali and the little Himachali villages around it, are my all time favourite, I feel so connected to myself ,with nature but mostly to the mountains, a certain serenity , certain calmness about them that makes me feel this euphoria inside.

What's on the itinerary?

My most favourite thing to do in Manali is to just wander off into the wild on a hike and sit by the river Beas whenever I find a nice spot. Indulging in day treks, camping, going off to Solang valley for paragliding which offers you a panoramic views of the mountains and it's such an adrenaline rush. I love photography so I find a lot of spots to click and just simply feel being mesmerised by the beauty of these mountains. Manali has beautiful cafés and one has to indulge in hot thukpas, momos or Himachali thali to rejuvenate your soul, it's the best comfort food for your soul.

What's on the menu?

Old Manali cafés are my all time favourite , from the quality of food to having such scenic views, you can sit and indulge either in the food or the views or meeting fellow travelers . Fat Plate and Cafe 1947 are two of my favourite places to eat and chill at, otherwise the local Manali Mall Road has some cool eating joints serving delicious food .

Your fondest travel memories with friends and family...

My friend and I had trekked over a mountain and we reached up so high that we had people paragliding below us and the entire view from the top was spectacular , gives me butterflies till date.

The craziest thing you did on a holiday…

I think my paragliding experience has been the craziest till date , as it was my first. The process is to run off a hill and your parachute pulls you up in the air and that almost made my heart drop but the view kept getting better and better and I kept soaring higher and higher, only to reach a point where I could feel the cool glacier breeze hit my face and a hawk was imitating our glide. To see the view from the top up high in the sky, it has been etched in my mind.

What are you packing for the trip?

Athleisure or Cargo pants/shorts , T-shirts , good trekking shoes , toiletries, and a cap is the basic. If in the mood for camping I carry my tent and a sleeping bag separately along with a torch.

Your holiday playlist...

Are you with me - lost frequencies, Yuhi chala - Swades, Phir se udd chala - Rockstar, Feels - Calvin Harris, Edward Maya - stereo love and Sofi Tukker - Purple Hat.