March 16

We awoke early yesterday morning in Agora and watched the sun light up the snow-capped peaks. After saying tearful farewells to Suman’s mother, grandmother, and sister/ our fellow traveler, Madhu, we hiked down to the trailhead. We ate a delicious breakfast in Uttarkashi and then wound our way through the mountains to Mussoorie, a former British hill station on the edge of the Himalayas and a place where the Alter family has a long history and legacy.

In Mussoorie we ate Tibetan food at a quirky, comfortable hotel where most of the group spent the night. Then we walked down the steep, narrow streets and explored the heart of the town as the sun set and the air cooled.

Now we have made it down from the mountains to the plains, and we are on our way back to Delhi. We hope to have some time to shop before boarding our 4 AM flight to Abu Dhabi and then home!