session with the hotel owners , soon it was time for dinner for which we went to the main bazaar .
Fresh trout was thoroughly enjoyed and on our way back we engaged a local 4x4 to drop us off at our hotel , a unique experience especially for Peter . Meanwhile , the hotel staff had arranged 20 litres of fuel for us . We ’ d asked for their help as we didn ’ t know what the fuel situation would be with the influx of tourists this season . We filled the Vespas and called it a night . The following day we expected greater challenges .
We had all been looking forward to this part of the journey as it required us to ride over a high mountain pass called Babusar which peaks at 13,691 feet ( 4,173 metres ) while starting from Naran which is at a height of about 8,202 feet ( 2,500 metres ).
Started our ride at around 6am , we had to cover 113 kilometres . The weather was on our side as , although there was decent cloud cover , it was dry .
From Naran to Gittidas , which is a small village just before the Babusar Pass , the scenery was spectacular , the road in good condition . The Vespas took us effortlessly to a small restaurant with an open seating area near Gittidas , where we had our breakfast an hour after starting . The place was reasonably crowded and hence a fanfare followed .
Quite a few people had their pictures taken with us and the Vespas which , was quite a humbling experience .
We sat for quite some time as the views were simply breathtaking , long lush green valleys at the foot of mighty mountains .
From Gittidas until the peak of the Babusar Pass , it was a very steep incline but luckily the road continued to be in perfect condition , allowing us to comfortably make it to the top .
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