THE TICKET: MUSSOORIE MUSINGS

There are two Mussoories. One is the quickie Mussoorie, with the the usual suspects-the Mall, Gun Hill, the mandatory trolley ride in the cable car, the overcrowded and overrated Kempty Falls.... I take the road less travelled.

My first stop at the end of the picturesque climb from Dehradun is the Surya Hotel in Mussoorie. A 10-minute drive from the Mall, it nevertheless seems a world away, affording spectacular views in Landour and of the Mall. The sunset point is ideal for romance. At Captain Young's bar, named after town's founder, regulars include Tom Alter and Ruskin Bond.

Settled in, i decide to give Kempty Falls a miss, and drive instead to the quaintly-named Jharipani Falls. The denselywooded path the leads to the falls makes for an easy 1.8 km trek. Only bird calls break the soothing sounds of silence, till you hear the roar of the water. The best time to trek is morning to noon; this is leopard country after dusk!

In the late afternoon sun, i drove down a gravel road to Everest House, home of Sir George Everest, the first surveyor general of India, after whom the mountain is named. Although the house has been in ruins for many a year, it was here that great mountains like the Everest and rivers like the Brahmaputra were mapped out for the world. On the way to Everest House, i stop at what the locals call a wishing well, frequented by local newlyweds and politicians.I too, toss in a couple of coins and advance a wish list of my own. The well's location, amidst teak and deodar trees, makes it a must-visit.

As evening falls, i decide to make a concession to the mundane and stroll down to the Mall. What the Mall in Mussoorie lacks in style as compared with say, the Shimla Mall, it more than makes up for in simplicity. piping hot coffee is available at the Garhwal Terrace Restaurant, which offers a great view of the pine forests and hills. If you must shop, the Tibetan Bazaar offers smuggled goods, perfumes and clothing.

One Day Two, i visit picturesque, quiet Landour, the first residence in Mussoorie of the East India Company when Captain Young set it up in the early 1830s. A half-hour taxi ride (at Rs 100) takes you deep into the deodars. Ruskin Bond has penned many a story against this background. A 30-minute walk to Lal Tibba affords you a great view of the snowcapped Trishul range of the Himalayas on a clear day. Deodar Woods, a 75-year-old English cottage, is a great vantage point for the snow peaks and boasts an incredible bakery, where the pizza chef Raju is known all over Mussoorie for his cheese sausage pizzas.

Then on to Mussoorie's most exquisite destination-Clouds End. A little lower than Landour, and built in 1838, clouds End is one of Mussoorie's four original buildings which is still standing. The wooden main hall is imposing and has some of the oldest photographs of the Mall and surroundings areas, the establishment also boasts trophy heads of local game and an 80-year-old tiger skin inside. Clouds End is located on a hill top and offers a great bonus for visitor-Echo Point-in its compound.