of admonishing looks will bring respite. While beauty may be entirely lacking from walking the Mall, it is an amusing and interesting pastime to observe all shades and manner of tourists: grown men sporting cowboy hats and shooting air balloons, tattooed hipsters and scantily clad diva wannabes shivering in the name of vanity, and children pushing each other up steep inclines in prams. You can walk the entire length of the ridge, from the bandstand at the western end of the Mall to the old churches and cemeteries at the quieter end of Kulri. Above the town is Gun Hill, from where the British punctually fired their noonday guns. Today, visitors reach the summit by means of a ropeway; you could also walk up (1/2 hr.) or rent horses for a 15-minute ride from the central police station. Along Mussoorie’s upper ridge, Camel’s Back Road is another fine place for a stroll. Farther east of Kulri Bazaar is Landour, which is quieter and better-preserved than touristy Mussoorie, primarily because the rich and famous of near-by Delhi have their summer homes here. Even though there are no hotels in the area, it is lovely and worth walking through (1-hr. walk from the main Mall). You could start with Lal Tibba, where the lookout point provides sensational views of the Himalayas depending on the weather, as well as the litter that has sadly begun to make its way up the mountainside, with tourists happy to add colorful packets of chips to the otherwise gorgeous scene. Farther still is Sisters’ Bazaar, a wooded area named for the nurses who attended to convalescing soldiers, and where you can explore an empty colonial mansion, said to be haunted. Speaking of which, the Graveyard with tombs dating back more than 200 years is a great atmospheric place to explore. You will probably find it padlocked but the caretaker lives inside—you just have to shout out and request him to open up in exchange for a small token of appreciation! Make sure to have him show you the ancient cypress planted by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1870 which has withstood storms, changes in power, dwindling soil, and numerous visitors whose stab at immortality has left their names etched in the yielding bark and rampaging tourists looking for bark to etch their names on. And when you’re done with diving into the past, walk on to explore Woodstock—no this is not an Indian version of the festival but one of the earliest international schools which is popular even today with the diplomatic crowd.
An Office in the Clouds
There are few places within the Mussoorie district which can still be said to retain their charm and one of them, believe it or not, happens to be what was once a workplace—Everest House, or the office of George Everest, the first surveyor-general of India after whom Mt. Everest is named. Thankfully, most tourists don’t go there because it involves a fair amount of walking, but the trail is lovely, winding through sudden meadows, abandoned roads made for ferrying timber, Nepali hamlets and finally leading to an open tabletop with the outer shell of the office, the grandness of which one can imagine going by the arched gate. The only sound you hear is of the Tibetan flags fluttering incessantly in the chilly breeze. This has to be the most wonderfully located office in the world! (For directions, consult the tourism office next to the cable-car starting point.)
Where to Stay & Dine
Set on the outskirts of town, Claridges Nabha Residence ( 0135/263-1426, -1427, or 011/2301-0211; fax 011/4133-5133; www.claridges-hotels.com; doubles from $250, breakfast and dinner included; ask about off-season discounts) is Mussoorie’s best option, though not in the same class as its Delhi namesake. It is located on a serene and lovely estate (ca. 1845), once used by the Maharajah of Nabha for his summer escapades, and surrounded by cedar forest, where langur monkeys perform acrobatic feats watched by visitors lounging on the terrace—a welcome break from the buzz of Mussoorie. Accommodations are large and comfortable but fittings (particularly in bathrooms) looking a little tired;