Mission Spiti 2015 - Day 09

Manali – Ambala – Delhi

Like the previous day, we could keep our target again and left on time at 04:05. And so happy was my brother because he could skip all the traffic. As soon as the light dawned, he pressed on gas to further his ambition of reaching Ambala by 13:00 for lunch. Cruising through Kullu Main Market (not taking the bypasss) at 60kmph, I sensed a puncture and yes the rear tyre which we had got tubed at Recong Peo got its first puncture. I felt amused that the problems we face in the cities are really the result of urban settlements. They are really urban problems and not rural so our fears of visiting rural places is totally uncalled for – since the facilities we fear we will not get there are required to solve only urban problems not rural. What the infinite number of pebbles and pointed stones could not do, was done by a small nail thrown on the main road of Kullu.

Outside of ACC Cement factory followed by Swarghat, we came across traffic snarls as usual but our early departure from Manali helped us a lot and we were at Ambala before time at 12:30. I had already re-filled our rear tyre once at the Toll Plaza before Ropar so we took help from my brother-in-law to get the tyre replaced from the shop at Ambala-Zirakpur road. The drive from Ambala-Delhi was eventless and non-stop since both of us dreaded the thought of going out of the car in 42°C.