Winter is one season which brings a smile to the face of anyone and everyone who comes from the hot, humid and tropical part of the world.  But living in the Himalayan winter is an all different ball game compared to the winter that one experiences in the cities.  

Here are a list of learnings from the winter of 2023:

Always have a backup to a  backup plan 

During winters, you will come to realise that plan A will seldom come handy and be functional. You have to keep a backup for whatever you want to achieve – be it physical or digital goals that are planned. The weather ultimately decides what goes up and what goes down. 

Stock up everything 

From food to clothes to even drinking water, stock it up so you don’t have to go out when the weather changes for the worst. No matter how brave you are, to walk or drive through the snow is a challenge. Also, the shops will mostly be closed and that’s going to end up being a major bummer. So stocking up is the best way around this. 

Firewood is key 

Surviving winter without firewood is like making it through summer without a fan. Yes, that’s how important firewood is to the existence of bare survival in the mountains. Gathering firewood isn’t going to make things happen since it’s impossible to get through peak winter by going around gathering firewood. 

Cold rain is painful 

Yes, when it rains in winter it’s extremely cold even colder than when it’s snowing. Cold rain is like ice cubes coming down from the sky. So it’s gonna hurt if it falls directly on your body.  

Sleeping bags are helpful 

The cold nights make the bed a block of ice, so the best way to get warm and cosy to avoid the temperature drop from spoiling your sleep is to tuck yourself into a sleeping bag. This will help keep you warm till your sleep is complete for the day. 

Winter joy is the sunshine 

Yes, when the sun comes out after a long spell of rain and snow, it’s the same joy that one experience after hearing the school bell ring after the final exam. That’s the kind of feeling that you will experience after five to seven days of bad weather. 

It’s not gonna snow every week 

Winter doesn’t mean it’s going to snow every day or week in Manali. It’s only when the temperature really drops that it will begin to snow. But planning a snow visit is something you need to have on a long trip during winter or the snow gods on your side. 

Having an umbrella is a life saver 

Carrying an umbrella to Manali is mandatory, since it can rain any time of the year. Even more so during the winter months. Pack a small two or three fold umbrella so you avoid getting wet and falling sick.  

Hot chocolate = winter bff 

Make a glass of hot chocolate sold at ₹100 while at Yolo Cafe Manali is the best way to get some warmth and body heat while adding some energy. 

Snow melts super fast

No matter how much it snows at Yolo Cafe Manali, just 24 hours of sunshine is more than enough to melt the snow. So in a matter of two days everything will melt away.  

Global warming is real 

It’s only when you are living in the Himalayan winter will you understand that global warming is actually real and it’s gonna destroy the planet for our future generations. So if we all don’t put in an effort to help heal the world, it’s all gonna fall apart in the next few decades. 

Staying active is very important

Winter is when your body gets lazy with the extreme cold. But the more lazy you get, the harder it gets to move around.  The more active you are, the easier it will get to withstand the hard cold. Badminton is the activity which we have here at Yolo Cafe Manali. Play some sets of it and beat the chill.

Room heater will give you temporary warmth

Yes, the room heater or blower will work till the electricity is there. Once the power goes it is gonna shut down. This will result in a massive drop in temperature in a matter of half an hour.  So it’s always better to try sleeping without a heater.  

Good shoes are mandatory

Socks and shoes to be precise with good grip because you will end up getting cold feet since your feet are the main insulators. Not having them covered when it’s winter will be disastrous to your skin and feet.  

Daily bath isn’t necessary

Having a bath daily will result in falling sick. It’s best to have a bath two times a week during the winters. The lesser you have a bath, the lesser your probability of falling sick. 

Water pipes will freeze

Basic school science, water will freeze in the pipes and that will happen every day till the pipes defrost. So before you sleep, make sure you fill a bucket of water, so you have at least one bucket for the morning.  

Nights will get extremely long and cold 

Winter temperature dip in Manali is usually down to as low as -11°C which can go to as low as -17°C also. So winter is when you have to be prepared for long nights with the sun setting as early as 16:30 hours and then the sun shows up the next day by 9:00 hours.