Aarti Chhabria chasing the clouds in Kulu Manali

After actress Aarti Chhabria was declared winner on a stunt reality, she took off with her parents and family for a vacation to Kulu-Manali. “It was a good way to cut off and relax after the grueling schedule of the show,” says Aarti. “We banned all mobile phones and the only thing I carried was my laptop.”

In their new retreat in the hilly confines of Manali the family stayed in a four-room private cottage. “The view of the valley was breathtaking. Amid the mountains and the greenery, a mist would arise every morning which was visible during our early morning cup of tea,” recalls Aarti. They could hear the sound of mountain streams gushing forth and the waterfalls tripping down the slopes. “I also persuaded my father and the rest of the family to go white-water rafting with me since I love adventure,” says the actor. While her father was not exactly a fan of the sport, he did it to oblige his fun loving daughter and they rafted down a 14-kilometre stretch specially meant for the purpose. She also went paragliding in the Solan valley and experienced both the short and long flights, the latter which involved a “crazy run off a steep cliff” with an instructor in tow. “I felt like what a bird in flight must experience with the wind in my hair and a feeling of absolute freedom.” She also took pictures of her flight from mid-air much to the consternation of her instructor who was worried about safety. “I’ll never forget the sight of the thick jungle, of the Beas river undulating gently in a silver stream and of snow-capped mountains,” she says.

Aarti’s a complete foodie and enjoyed the food in the valley tremendously. “It was different from what we normally experience what with the dhabas by waterfalls serving a reddish rice and chaat. “We ate egg puffs, noodles, local pizzas. Everything tasted different,” she says. The family also dined at a la-di-dah Italian restaurant on one occasion and that remains her most memorable meal on the holiday. “It was awesome,” she says.

Shopping is one thing that Aarti is extremely fond of and Kulu-Manali was no different. “There were shops selling lovely silver ornaments. I bought a pair of gold earrings from the Tibetan market, a couple of bags and we also had a look at the Tibetan blanket called chingu made from rare fleece though we didn’t buy any.” Old Manali has small shops selling suede bags, shawls, artifacts and clothes. “It has a warm, laid-back feel to it with narrow roads,” she says. “There are also cafes and bakeries.” Aarti particularly fell in love with the Dog Cafe; and couldn’t stop herself from having endless cups of ginger-lemon tea, she says.

Aarti’s strongest memory of the vacation is of the time spent with her family. “It is of sitting in our cottage with the phones off and admiring the spectacular view outside the villa. With the clouds around us it felt as if we were in some wonderland. And I don’t think I’m ever going to forget my white-water rafting experience for the rest of my life.”