December 9, 2014 
LOKTAK LAKE to IMPHAL 49km by minivan 
Classic Hotel (1855Rs)
 
When we awoke early to catch the sunrise, we were greeted by mist so thick that we couldn't see our hands in front of our eyes, the lake no where in sight. We turned around and decided to go for a few more hours of shut-eye. 

After a late breakfast, we reversed our trip back to Imphal. 

By 11 am, we stood below the hill waiting for a rickshaw to Moirang. Several fully loaded rickshaws passed and, unless we were willing to hang off the back, they had no room for us. We declined. 

Then we stopped a curiously empty little van. The driver told us to get in. He was a taxi van, like the others, but this wasn't his route and he couldn't normally take on passengers. He dropped us at the winger van stand and refused payment. The winger van was full and ready to leave. No room for us and no one knew when the next Winger would come.
 
 
We walked toward to the market area where the buses to Imphal congregate. We found a large rickshaw type van that was ready to leave. Those can't go as fast as a big bus or Winger, but one was leaving soon. 

They dropped us off near the Ima market in Imphal. One of the passengers, a young woman, told us to follow he. She also needed to catch a rickshaw that would pass by our hotel Classic. So all went smooth as pie and soon we were back in our comfortable cocoon.