A shopping jaunt to the centre of Khaplu this morning. It's a good 20-25 minute walk, plus an uphill section. So we decide to take the bikes. But as it's a short distance and slow roads we don't wear our full protective gear, in fact I don't even wear a helmet, which is a very new experience for me. But I don't wear a helmet when cycling and often ride faster than we did today. At slow speeds I totally get it, but for faster speeds I would feel very vulnerable.
In town, I get/obtain/have/procure a haircut, complete with razor blade, massage and rose fragranced talc, all for 300 rupees (about 1 euro!). I also buy a dapper hat to blend in with the locals... 🤣We then visit the Khaplu Fort. Like the one in Shigar, this has be turned into a Serena hotel. It's quite a good idea as the heritage is largely preserved and the building earns an income for the locality. We tour the fort and have lunch there. It's a wonderful mixture of stone and old wood, with ornate carvings and magnificent views from the windows.
Then on the way back we meet a group of three fellow bikers in matching gear and motorcycles, the "North Liners", who have ridden all the way from Gujrat in Punjab. They are teachers and always go on a tour in the summer. 
Before reaching the hotel, we stop to take a few group photos. Unfortunately Steve is not with us as he's on his own photoshoot in town.
