caravahan

Our caravan build has begun. We have ripped out the seats from a Toyota Innova and are going to be installing some storage and a bed here.

#caravan #vanlife #tinyhouse #trailer #rving #gorving #motorhome #camper #camping

This metalwork will support the bed and contain the storage in our caravan.

#3dmodelling #sheetmetal #metalwork #interiordesign #caravaninteriors

This is what our route looks like. #Gurgaon to #Nako in #HimachalPradesh, and likely on to #Tabo and #Kaza. Looks like the #KMPExpressway will let us bypass all of #Delhi.
#experientialtravel #vanlife #mosttreacherousroadintheworld

The #fabrication of the base had begun.

#metalwork #welding #sheetmetal #caravaninteriors #vanlife #tinyhouse #tinyhomes #tinyhouseinterior

Here is the gear we will be taking with us to #Kaza #HimachalPradesh. Suggestions on what else to include or exclude are very welcome.

#camping #campinggear #vanlife #backpacking #backpackerlife

Last minute shopping to pick up some gear. Sandals 👟 . Walking stick. Camp light 💡. Bum pack. Caps 🧢 and bandanas. A couple of shirts for the kids to spray paint 🙄

I was supposed to be at the fabricator's by now. But I have to drop people on the way. Four kids are gonna have to sit on the floor of the Innova, because no seats 😂

Anyway. Here is a pic of our collapsible camping chair and table with umbrella. Never been used before.

#campinggear #vanlife #campchair

A late start to the day today. Was dropping of the kids and battling with peak our Gurgaon traffic.

We have started fitting the first cut structure into the back of the van. Further afield you see our metal shop's mechanical engineer, who we have commandeered to help us do this on priority.

#metalwork #vanlife #build #make #welding #steel

This is an inflatable boat with paddles etc. Should we carry this with us? Will there be any water bodies between Kalka and Kaza where we can safely use it? Safety first, after all.

#boat #vanlife #caravan #inflatableboat #Kaza #HimachalPradesh #Chitkul #Sangla #Nako #Tabo #Narkanda

Here's a whole bunch of closeups of our gear. Safety stuff, backpacks, cooking stuff, pillows, umbrellas, etc. Are we missing anything important?

#camping #campinggear #hikinggear #hiking #trekking #vanlife #backpacking #backpack

The red ones are our trusted #sleepingbag s. I think they'll hold up in #Kaza's cold. The second pic is of our spare sleeping bags. They'll probably end up as spreads over our mattress, or extra insulation if the mercury heads south.

#campinggear #HimachalPradesh #vanlife #camping

This is our four person #instant #tent. The kids want to take it along in case they don't like sleeping in the #van every night.

#Coleman #vanlife #camping #campinggear

Last but not the least, is this light weight, excellent quality #backpacking #tent we have. Let's hope we get to do some #hiking #trekking.

#vanlife

Oh wait. I almost forgot our #hammock made of #parachute cloth. We've made many a fond memories of doing nothing in it. The kids are always fighting for the privilege of hanging out in it. It let's us zip ourselves inside and keep the bugs out.

#camping #campinggear #backpacking #backpackinggear #vanlife #caravan

Our awesome #team figures out how to #clamp the #bed and #storage to the #van. Gotta be #safe and #sturdy.

#steel #make #build #welding #vanlife #caravan #caravaninteriors

Trying to keep this account focused on #caravan and #vanlife. Also trying to keep it kid friendly. But I just cannot resist some #heavymachinery porn when I see it. The folks doing out metal build are seriously industrial 😂

We are in the final stages. The bed and storage #metalwork #weld and #grind is done. Onwards to #powdercoating.

#vanlife #caravan #caravaninteriors

Meanwhile the @wood that goes on top of the #steel is being processed on a #CNC #saw, #laminator and #taping machine.

#vanlife #caravan #caravaninteriors

Things have been moving fast. At 6 we went into the #paintshop. At 7 we came out #gleaming. Then we wasted some time hunting for self tapping wood screws. At 7:30 we were assembled and at 8 we were installed.

Took us some effort to clamp the thing down. We had to remove some rubber flooring. The pictures aren't pretty coz my phone was out of juice and the flash stopped working. By 8:30 we had slotted all our gear under the bed and were rolling home.

The beautiful owners of the #Innova are testing it out. Verdict: "Love it. Gonna sleep in it tonight." #vanlife #caravan #experientialtravel #travelinindia

M1 poses for the public. Our departure got delayed because we were arranging things in the car, and my body was hurting from two days of work. Instead of 3am, it is a noon departure now. Let's see where we reach.

#camping #caravan #vanlife #HimachalPradesh

We got a royal send off from my colleagues. Or was that good riddance for them 😁

#BindooBaba has been keeping us company over the #KMPExpressway. +1 would recommend.

PS: We are now accepting endorsement requests from independent artists and struggling startups without marketing budgets 😂

#indiemusic

M2: How do you know the names of restaurants on the highway?

Me: Because it's मूरथल की दाल।

M2: What is the point of building a home van if we eat in a restaurant?

M1: Dad isn't carrying a propane tank inside the #Innova because it isn't safe.

Me: Yeah I went to Badshahpur and the 2 kg tanks were all home made not factory made. Not happening inside, or even outside on the carrier.

M2: RVs in the US are better. They have a full kitchen.

Tough customer, M2.

Instagram needs a pic with anything I say. So, candy land.

Also, table turnover times at Sukhdev are amazing.

On the road again🎸🎸 #I'mdriving🚗
(this is M1)

If we cross #Kasauli today, we can sleep in the van without air conditioning. That's another two hours of driving. And the sun would be about to set. Let's see.

#vanlife #HimachalTourism

देखो, देखो वोह आ गए

The mountains are here

#vanlife #HimachalPradesh #HimachalTourism #roadtrip #mountains

Had to drive all the way up to #Kasauli for #dinner. The weather is good. We can see things getting #chilly in an hour.

#vanlife #roadtrip #HimachalPradesh

Good #morning. We are still #sleepy. Fresh #mountainair.

#vanlife #caravan #Kasauli

We woke up like this 😁

#mountainmornings

We are leaving this behind and moving on

#Kasauli #HimachalTourism #HimachalPradesh #vanlife

Changed the organisation of our gear a bit. Let's see how this holds up on the #windingroads of #HimachalPradesh

#vanlife #caravan #caravaninteriors

Dad got us a full set of #Tintins because he always wanted them as a kid. We aren't allowed to read in the moving car so we read when and where we can. We love him. Dad things Herge is racist, but we are smart enough to not pick up on the stereotypes.

Just saw another guy who lives and works out of a bus and tent. #vanlife doesn't seem so aspirational any more. 😅🎪🚌

@fakeera_baanwra I fed the 🐒s #watermelon for #lunch. Does that make you happy?

#vanlife #Theog #HimachalTourism #HimachalPradesh #roadtrip

Our #watermelon seller is also a #vanlifer. His #caravan is built on a truck. He's got a full size cooking gas, utensils, and some gear in a gunnysack. He's got #thresh on the floor of his truck, and a sheet spread on it works as his bed. His #caravaninteriors are quite roomy compared to ours.

He hails from #Una. He can understand and speak #Hindi, but responded to my Hindi in #Punjabi. The watermelons are from Madhya Pradesh. 🍉 🚐

#vanlife #roadtrip #tinyhomes #tinyhouse #simpleliving

Someone asked for a pic of the outside of our #van. Here it is. We have made no changes on the outside (yet). Not even a carrier. Indian authorities are notorious in this respect, always picking on people who mod their vehicles. So we are playing it safe.

#vanlife #caravan #roadtrip

Yes yes, at some point we will start cooking our own food. Till then we enjoy local cuisine in a #traditional #thali.

#HimachalTourism #HimachalPradesh #SanglaValley #vanlife

Are we in #cherryblossom country?

#HimachalTourism #HimachalPradesh #cherries

I thought these boxes were used to make concrete blocks. M1 correctly identified them as #bee keeping boxes. Zoom in and see the #bees buzzing.

#HimachalTourism #HimachalPradesh #Narkanda

#trees #nofilter

Ha ha ha ha ha (maniacal laughter)

Now that I've ensnared you all into following me, I unleash my diabological plan. One of you will use your Google foo and find us a lovely campsite that let's us open camp with our own van and tent. We reach Rampur Bushahar by 4:30pm. Somewhere near there will be ideal.

Pretty please. With sugar on top.

#HimachalTourism #HimachalPradesh

Our first view of #snowcappedmountains had the kids yelping with joy.

#roadtrip #HimachalTourism #HimachalPradesh #Jakhari

Here is how our living quarters look tonight. We got late in settling in, so we haven't set up our tent or done any cooking. We did cover a lot more distance than I expected.

The bed is made up better tonight, says M2. He is always a tough customer to please, so I'm pleased. M1 is having a meal of heat and eat food. M2 and I are full.

#vanlife #caravaninteriors #Kinnour

The kids will soon wake up to this view.

The three of us squeezed in at the back tonight. M1 just snuggled in between me and M2 after we had slept. The idea always was for one kid to sleep on a fully reclined front seat. But we were quite comfortable. The 4.5'x6' bed is adequate for the three of us when it's cold outside. Inside it was perfectly warm and cozy.

OK. The boys are stirring. Gotta go.
#nofilter #Kinnour #HimachalTourism #HimachalPradesh #vanlife #caravan #roadtrip

M2 is awake. M1 refuses to rise. He slept an hour after us. Says he was looking at the #stars till the windows #fogged up. Sounds so #romantic.

#vanlife #HimachalTourism #HimachalPradesh #Kinnour

Trying to give you a sense of the fantabulous beauty of our perch. We spent the night in the newly constructed parking lot of the #Ponda Buddhist monastery. Sharing panoramas clearly isn't Instagram's thing. Just made friends with one of the monastery #dogs who was all over me. 🐶😁

The monks at the monastery saw us using their restroom and have invited us in for breakfast. Everything you've ever heard about Buddhist monastery hospitality is true.

Seen here, juxtaposition of the traditional with the modern.

Tyre burst. We moved to the left of the road to allow a vehicle coming uphill to pass. The water pipeline by the side of the road cut the tyre.

#vanlife #roadtrip #travelwithkids #kidsofinstagram

M1 asked why monks keep their head shaved. I told him it's because they want to live a simple, frugal life, and maintaining hair is a pain.

Later, I saw a girl in the nunnery who wasn't, how shall I say, conventionally beautiful. And it dawned on me. A monastery is a place where you focus on the inner beauty and character of a person. Looks and fashion, physical beauty, have no place here. It is a place where everyone is loved and accepted; where you are what you do for others, not who you are.

On the way down from Ponda, we dropped a nun and another girl. The girl was all about her phone, her sim cards, her hair, her lipstick, how she looked, selfies. She was beautiful. The nun girl was simply smiling all the time. And I realised they had almost the same face and looks. It was just embellishment which made one girl look prettier to me.

So, maybe the monks don't have hair so they can focus on their inner selves, not outer selves. And we spend our lives focusing on our and other people's outer selves.
Have one breakfast with monks and you think you've become a philosopher yourself 😁

No photos of the inside of the monastery and their place of worship and study, out of respect, even though photography was allowed.

Freshly showered.

Yesterday we started from Kasauli at day break, and reached Ponda after sunset. Since we were on the road all through, with the occasional meal break, we didn't have a chance to shower.

This morning we saw people, mostly truckers, showering by the side of the road. How could we pass up the opportunity? What's more, the water turned out to be refreshingly warm. Perhaps a hot water spring was the source.

We have been brushing and going to the loo at temples, monasteries and such. Restaurant washrooms are a hit or a miss, so we avoid them.

Thats what #vanlife is about, I guess. If we build ourselves a proper #caravan, a toilet, shower and kitchenette will be the things we will add in over and above what the #van offers.

#HimachalTourism #HimachalPradesh #Kinnour #Sangla #SanglaValley

Those of you who are following us on Insta and Facebook, would you please share the link https://www.instagram.com/caravahan/ on these mediums.

We are trying to get to a critical mass of people like minded people seeing our posts. What we are doing is highly unusual for India, and we can use all of the advice and support we can get.

We crossed Nathpa shortly after noon. We should have eaten lunch here, because we found no restaurant after this. At Karcham we turned off of the National Highway towards Sangla. The road quality immediately dropped. I had to be attentive at all times. We are carrying a lot of food, but there wasn't enough space beside the road to stop and eat it.
It's 4pm now and we are having lunch at Sangla. We will head on further after this and hopefully find a good place to pitch tent and set up camp.

I must acknowledge the very useful advice and tips I've received so far from Preeti, Rahul, Gargi, Aman, Chaitali and Priya. More advice, and warnings about road conditions, would be very useful, so do share the link https://www.instagram.com/caravahan/

Thanks much for reading.

Reporting live from the road to #Chitkul. The scenery has now left us speechless.

Instagram wanted to filter this pic 😲

Is this a good spot to camp? We are surrounded on all sides by loud cows.

And the #camp is up before the sun went down.

We are super excited. And we are missing a bunch of little things. No carabiners 😲. Time to McGyger and #jugaad.

#washbasin

#camping #vanlife #roadtrip

M1 slaughters the dinner. M2 prepares to impale it instead.

#dinner #camplife