India, June 26 -- Come summer vacation, my memories take me back to 1982 when, as a curious 10-year-old, I made my first sojourn into the Himalayas. June 6 would be the D-Day, so to speak, as my father announced on a sweltering May afternoon, flashing a Himachal Pradesh Tourism-owned hotel's permit that confirmed our reservation at Manali. Those were the days when there was no internet and hence, no online booking. For the minutes that followed, I was lost in my own thoughts, wondering what a hill station looked like and if it was as beautiful as those in the movies. I was thrilled beyond words, counting down the days every morning until our departure.

We were scheduled to catch the 5.20am Punjab Roadways bus from Jalandhar. On the morni...