A morning in Manali

It is cold this morning, colder than it has been since I arrived in Manali. I am still in my sleeping bag but I can tell something is different today. The window as always was open all night and when the first light of the day came in, I began to awake. I pull the sleeping bag over my head and cans see through a crack in the curtains that the sky is gray today. Yesterday, it had begun to rain in the afternoon canceling my plans to follow a nearby river up to the snow line on a nearby mountain. Now, I emerge from my room to find a stunning scene before me. Mist is rising off the pine trees that surround the steep slopes of this narrow valley that I am in. The clouds are high enough to reveal the peaks of the mountain tops flanking the valley that are freshly dusted with snow. It is cold today and the shorts and jacket I am wearing are nowhere near enough to keep me warm. For some reason I decide not to change into something warmer and I pick up my book, sip on my cup of coffee and enjoy the brisk air along with the beautiful mountain views.