Head Count:

The Skinny: Kausani is a relaxing little town in the hills primarily known for its good views of the Himalaya and close proximity to a important Hindu pilgrimage spots.

What Thar Be: The town itself is very small, and most of the nice places to stay are outside of town a bit in the pine hills. There are a few good restaurants in town, a Shiva temple with an impressively large, blue statue of the god himself towering out front, and a number of small shops and cafes. An ashram that Gandhi stayed at in his adolescence is accessible off the main road.

Digs: We had the good luck to stumble upon accomodations not in a hotel, but about 1 kilometre outside of town in a structure right next to a family home-- 30R a head/night for two bedrooms, a kitchen, and attached bath. The man who rented it to us was very friendly and so was our French writer neighbor, Bernard. We had a porch facing a big valley and on a few occasions glimpsed the peaks of Trisul and Nanda Devi through the clouds.

Vittles: The Natraj restaurant with friendly staff is down in town and only a short walk from the foresty hills, serving very professional, delicious food at reasonable prices.

Hooch Factor: A 34 kilometre drive and 220 rupees were necessary for a night of whiskey and Cokes on the porch.

Navigability: very easy

Sliding In and Out: The road from Nainital to Kausani was windy and paved. We came down from the hills to follow a river for a few hours, then climbed back up through the town of Almora on small but nice sealed roads. The pine trees around Kausani provided some shade and coolness at the end of the ride.