We had spent a good time near
the stream. The sound of stream is the only thing you hear here in the
hills other than the human visitors. We started as usual after our
breakfast. The climb began across the boulders. We climbed with care.
The boulders were huge, Naveen and Sharat instructed me to take the
smaller steps. I followed the instructions to a tee and after some time
at one place I bent low with my bums towards the sky and I walked like a
baboon to reach the other side. My sun glasses fell and I tried with my
walking stick to pick it up. I was unsuccessful. Javed went down one
step and bent down to pick them. I put back the restored glasses in my
bag. I continued climbing up and higher.
As I climbed up I was gasping for breath. My legs felt heavier than usual because they had swollen. Bending became difficult. I was dressed in layers, so, I decided to remove two layers - the thermals and the waterproof trousers. Looking for some cover to change my pants I climbed higher. I told my guide, "Shamim, don't look behind. Just keep an around if there are tresspassers."As I started removing my pants, Rachna blossomed in close view in orange windcheater. She offered to help me and kindly folded my stinking thermals. I resumed walking in my ordinary trackpants. It felt lighter and easier.
While I climbed higher, the young girls were struggling to cross the boulders below. Jahangir pointed at me "Look! Auntyji had climbed up there. Come on! You can also do it." I carried on. My 17 year old guide was a smart boy. He led me along the tracks of the horses and mules and we covered the distance faster than one could expect us to cover. Then came the snow patch. Holly, the snow white was responding to the untimely and unwanted nature's call while Aidan stood in guard like a gentle knight without a shining armour.
We crossed them. I religiously followed the footprints of the trekkers who had traversed the trails before me. However, the snow betrayed me. It gave up under my weight and I went down till my knees unwillingly. Shamim laughed but controlled himself looking at my expression. I told him, "I prefer the stones to the snow". I will step on the stones rather than the snow. He agreed to my deal and we continued through the rocky stretch avoiding the snow. But the last lap to the ascent of the peak, was full of snow. I invoked Allah and Kali and held Shamim's hand tightly and hurriedly crossed that long steepy patch of snow. We parted till we placed our foot on the rocks. The view was pleasant from here - the blue lakes were a pleasant sight. I clicked few pics here. Next we started descending.
On this long patch, Megha looked like ancient Socrates. She stopped to watch even a caterpillar. I live in North Kolkata in a middleclass neighbourhood with lots of caterpillars invading us everyday. We are tired of dropping them outside into the shrubs from where they come back to our bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms. I continued my walk while Megha was busy interacting with the local kids.
After reaching the tent I dropped flat in my tent. The next day was our holiday - rest, rest and rest. But the group had too many youngsters who were too excited to play games than rest like an old woman like me. I enjoyed watching them from the tent. During the dumb charade, the Raghu, the doctor took all for a ride. If you thought doctors are a serious species, you are mistaken. Their lighter side can be seen in Raghu. Dumb charades ended up in evoking a lot of fun and laughter among the trekkers. Dipesh entertained us wholeheartedly with his sign languages which no one understood.
I hijacked Megha for some chitchat while Shilpa and Shanthala filled the air with their giggles and laughter. The wind became chillier and I let go my Socrates, Megha. Then I walked towards the lake with Viral. Viral and Mahi, the cook seemed to be soaking up the calmness and the beauty of the lake. We spoke about fishes in the lake and the deceptiveness of the ice on lakes. How the ice unwittingly gives up under mild provocations were discussed with horror. As we walked back towards the tent, the moon shone brilliantly but it was not a full moon. Everyone had their cameras on to capture the moon, but only one man had the privilege of enjoying the full moon and that was Ramky, as his Poornima shone brilliantly right before his eyes.
Photo courtesy: Kunal
Next day, I got up early to avoid the queue before the toilet tent. I was surprised to find none awake. I enjoyed my time alone in the toilet tent without interruption. Walking towards the tent back felt heavenly with the clear blue sky and the gushing stream on the left. This was what I dreamt of as a child. Living by the stream like R.L.Stevenson amidst nature. I bent down and poured water on my head. It felt cold and soothing.
Photo courtesy: Harshal
Sureshbhai was the most happy-go-lucky guy in the group. But now he seemed quiet. He enjoyed riding on a horseback. Like a child he wanted to be photographed at every corner. At the lake, other men seemed to enjoy swimming in the ice-cold water. Kunal and Tarak looked like water horses as they swam forth and back with perfect strokes. There was no sign of the chill till they spoke about it. I ambled here and there with half a mind to go up to see the other lake. My stomach churned, so did Holly's. Her TPs were in safe custody of Aidan who had happily crossed the stream. Holly's urgency made her fly across the stream. I waded through the water carefully and reached the other side safely.
Photo courtesy: Kunal
We headed back to the tent for lunch while Holly, Naveen, Aidan and a Swedish guy tried fishing in the lakes. I spent sometime on the rocks watching the waters gushing down. The waves frothed in anger as they rolled down through the spaces between the rocks, resumed calmness in the arms of the placid deep blue lake, and then resumed the fury at the other end as they continued their journey down. Waves formed on the other end of the lakes and each waves seemed to compete with the others. The waves hurried down fast as if they picked up the competition that Suresh bhai had started.
The bonfire was lit. Our young guides danced while Holly tried to catch few steps, and she successfully ended up innovating the steps. We played antakshari but I was too tired to sit till the end and crawled back to the tent.
As I climbed up I was gasping for breath. My legs felt heavier than usual because they had swollen. Bending became difficult. I was dressed in layers, so, I decided to remove two layers - the thermals and the waterproof trousers. Looking for some cover to change my pants I climbed higher. I told my guide, "Shamim, don't look behind. Just keep an around if there are tresspassers."As I started removing my pants, Rachna blossomed in close view in orange windcheater. She offered to help me and kindly folded my stinking thermals. I resumed walking in my ordinary trackpants. It felt lighter and easier.
While I climbed higher, the young girls were struggling to cross the boulders below. Jahangir pointed at me "Look! Auntyji had climbed up there. Come on! You can also do it." I carried on. My 17 year old guide was a smart boy. He led me along the tracks of the horses and mules and we covered the distance faster than one could expect us to cover. Then came the snow patch. Holly, the snow white was responding to the untimely and unwanted nature's call while Aidan stood in guard like a gentle knight without a shining armour.
We crossed them. I religiously followed the footprints of the trekkers who had traversed the trails before me. However, the snow betrayed me. It gave up under my weight and I went down till my knees unwillingly. Shamim laughed but controlled himself looking at my expression. I told him, "I prefer the stones to the snow". I will step on the stones rather than the snow. He agreed to my deal and we continued through the rocky stretch avoiding the snow. But the last lap to the ascent of the peak, was full of snow. I invoked Allah and Kali and held Shamim's hand tightly and hurriedly crossed that long steepy patch of snow. We parted till we placed our foot on the rocks. The view was pleasant from here - the blue lakes were a pleasant sight. I clicked few pics here. Next we started descending.
On this long patch, Megha looked like ancient Socrates. She stopped to watch even a caterpillar. I live in North Kolkata in a middleclass neighbourhood with lots of caterpillars invading us everyday. We are tired of dropping them outside into the shrubs from where they come back to our bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms. I continued my walk while Megha was busy interacting with the local kids.
After reaching the tent I dropped flat in my tent. The next day was our holiday - rest, rest and rest. But the group had too many youngsters who were too excited to play games than rest like an old woman like me. I enjoyed watching them from the tent. During the dumb charade, the Raghu, the doctor took all for a ride. If you thought doctors are a serious species, you are mistaken. Their lighter side can be seen in Raghu. Dumb charades ended up in evoking a lot of fun and laughter among the trekkers. Dipesh entertained us wholeheartedly with his sign languages which no one understood.
I hijacked Megha for some chitchat while Shilpa and Shanthala filled the air with their giggles and laughter. The wind became chillier and I let go my Socrates, Megha. Then I walked towards the lake with Viral. Viral and Mahi, the cook seemed to be soaking up the calmness and the beauty of the lake. We spoke about fishes in the lake and the deceptiveness of the ice on lakes. How the ice unwittingly gives up under mild provocations were discussed with horror. As we walked back towards the tent, the moon shone brilliantly but it was not a full moon. Everyone had their cameras on to capture the moon, but only one man had the privilege of enjoying the full moon and that was Ramky, as his Poornima shone brilliantly right before his eyes.
Next day, I got up early to avoid the queue before the toilet tent. I was surprised to find none awake. I enjoyed my time alone in the toilet tent without interruption. Walking towards the tent back felt heavenly with the clear blue sky and the gushing stream on the left. This was what I dreamt of as a child. Living by the stream like R.L.Stevenson amidst nature. I bent down and poured water on my head. It felt cold and soothing.
Sureshbhai was the most happy-go-lucky guy in the group. But now he seemed quiet. He enjoyed riding on a horseback. Like a child he wanted to be photographed at every corner. At the lake, other men seemed to enjoy swimming in the ice-cold water. Kunal and Tarak looked like water horses as they swam forth and back with perfect strokes. There was no sign of the chill till they spoke about it. I ambled here and there with half a mind to go up to see the other lake. My stomach churned, so did Holly's. Her TPs were in safe custody of Aidan who had happily crossed the stream. Holly's urgency made her fly across the stream. I waded through the water carefully and reached the other side safely.
We headed back to the tent for lunch while Holly, Naveen, Aidan and a Swedish guy tried fishing in the lakes. I spent sometime on the rocks watching the waters gushing down. The waves frothed in anger as they rolled down through the spaces between the rocks, resumed calmness in the arms of the placid deep blue lake, and then resumed the fury at the other end as they continued their journey down. Waves formed on the other end of the lakes and each waves seemed to compete with the others. The waves hurried down fast as if they picked up the competition that Suresh bhai had started.
The bonfire was lit. Our young guides danced while Holly tried to catch few steps, and she successfully ended up innovating the steps. We played antakshari but I was too tired to sit till the end and crawled back to the tent.
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