Kedarkantha -The Beginning!
Sankri, a village with very few shops and limited transport, here we starting our first-day trek. Everyone grouping up in front of the hotel after breakfast. Here I am again checking my bag to confirm that I packed all the necessary things for five days. Yes! I am all set, but there was a little fear in the corner of my mind. Fear is there at all the point of our lives, but you know it wasn’t this much alarming me. Reminding me that I am far away from everything, and my health was not good, I need to be careful. But, I was convinced so easily that this is the first time, I am far away from home blaa..blaa… and again brought back the hiking mood. Still, I don’t know about this climbing part, how it is going to be.
Now, the trek begins, I am following the trek guide right after him. And trying to be the alpha for the team LOL!, it’s just for few minutes. Because the path to reach the actual trek point start was steep. Uffff, For these five minutes climb, I got tired and removing my jackets to breathe in. Taking rest like I already climbed halfway to Mount Everest. In this scene also, I didn’t forget to enjoy that incredible view. Finally, starting the trek after every team issues their respective color batches. I am holding the pole, carrying the trekking bag in my back, and Climbing towards the snow mountain peak in the Himalayan range, Wow! Day-dreaming. Damn, No!!! I am lighting up on my bucket list.
A plan, we need to go somewhere for this new year. Okay!! What about trekking? Trekking in Himalaya?. I am in :p
Climb…Climb… Climb… Smaller steps to push stronger! It was inspiring to see many people climbing with us. Our first day’s destination was to Juda ka Talab. It sounded easy though the number was small — 5km, the path was rough and steep for me. On each step, I was pushing myself harder, the soil dust from walking tracks going inside my nose made me struggle to breathe. Resting in many places, cleaning my running noses wasn’t sounding easy. Thankfully my friend accompanied me patiently at each stop. Incredible views around me going invisible, the rough path filling me with fear. After one hour of climb, I asked one guide how far it is to reach?, after hearing his answer, “ 3.5 km more” I started counting each step. Seeing around me, Mountains that’s all I could see. I was questioning myself, What am I doing here? In my vacation, instead of chilling, testing myself harder physically, and mentally. Each step made me angry at myself that why didn’t I prepare for this trek. After 3 hours of climbing, we reached a Maggi point. OMG! I am exhausted. Finally, got Maggi and tea to feed my body. But what about the mind restlessly filling me with fear..No idea! It’s 30 minutes rest time for everyone. While everyone resting at Maggi point, I and my friend started to climb right after eating. Hoping at least we would reach in last with everyone instead after 2–3 hours late.
This one good decision got us a lot of relaxing time in between and time to enjoy the first trace of the snow on the way. Yesssss, seeing the snow around made me feel like I am entering into heaven filled with clouds. The Coldness of the snow in my bare hands put a spark in my brain, awaked me to look around how beautiful it is! This feeling worth all the way climbing. The same me now,
“I got something to say now
’Cause you tell me that there’s no way I couldn’t go Nothing I couldn’t do, Yeah,
I want to get louder
I got to get louder
We ‘bout to go up baby, up we go
We ‘bout to go up baby, up we go…[Captial letters lyrics- Hailee Steinfeld]”
Wow! the view in front of my eyes, just stunning, and yes, finally we can see the tents. I was in so much joy. I was so relieved after almost 5 hours of rough climbing, also it’s already evening.
This joy didn’t last after seeing my batch mates crossing the tents and climbing ahead. The hardest part is I am not able to explain to myself that I can make it. Somehow climbing with left little hopes and moving like a sick turtle. My upper lips and nose became red and started burning because of continuous cleaning. The climate was getting colder, which gave me rest from cleaning my nose, but now breathing became a nightmare. When I saw, I need to climb one more big mountain, I just lost all of my hopes and started to think about going back. My mind screaming at me, “I can’t see the tent!?”. Now I can’t run back home, that is harder than climbing this mountain.
This part of trekking taught me a life lesson that what is physical and mental strength!?, how does it feel when we the lose the hope!?, how fearful it is when there is no way to run back!! Still, you can push yourself forward without any resources.
At last, we reached the destination and had some food. As we reached late and there was no tent for us. We were told to wait in the common tent where they keep trekking stuff. When I was realizing how worse my health was, I heard some people saying that the next day’s trek going to be harder. But the songs, people singing and enjoying changed the mind and yes I am not fine, still wanted to give it a chance. I wanted to go out to enjoy the night, so we went out had soup and dinner sitting in front of the lake. Ahh! much better. Some positive vibe gave little hope and joy. I forgot about going back and now I was getting ready for the next day. When your mind gets convinced, everything is cool there!!! No worries about the health or medicine.
