A TREK to Remember!

It all began when we wanted a weekend break which would rejuvenate our minds and make us believe that the world isn’t against us and we can have fun too. What we didn’t know was it was almost going to break our bones and make us miserable for the entire following week. Yet it all began with 2 of us who were so convinced with the entire itinerary of the trip that we believed it was made JUST for US! So when it came to roping in more people for the fun trip we assumed it to be, we were better than Rocket Singh “salesman of the year” and that’s when I wonder what if I was a sales guy!

A staggering 13 people were a part of the legen… (Wait for it)...DARY trip to our very own, most beloved SANDHAN VALLEY! YES 13! Eventually after it all got over I was wondering who got fooled me or them!

You know the time when you have planned about sitting under the sky, holding a glass of scotch (in our case rum) with some light music and a bunch of great people around you with laughter galore and you drift off to sleep as you count the stars. Well that is what we had imagined, and what it turned out to be is the entire story about.

It started all jolly, midnight local train ride with loads of laughter, some sleepy faces and some playing cards. Yes, before the rest of the 13 try to remind me about the guitar that I carried, in my defence I thought it was going to be really cool to play for you guys as you sipped on the rum!

So we reached Kasara, from there it was going to be a 3 hour drive to our base camp, (gives it the Everest feel). While we were on our way there 3 (included me) of the 13 were on high weekend spirits (2 of us under the effect of liquid spirit), sang like we were possessed by bad versions of folk singers and we didn’t let the others sleep even after the fact it was almost 4 in the morning. Now I wish I had slept on the way.

We started our trek on a very high note, hoping to sit near a lake as the sun sets and we look at the entire scene in awe, but are you kidding me!!!! It was like you expect to see SRK and get to see KRK!

The descent started from the top of the valley we waded through chest high water, slid over rocks and it was going good. According to me the dead monitor lizard was the bad omen and that’s when the valley which we had imagined changed to the valley we would dread!

The rocks kept getting larger the sliding kept getting tougher and just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, the rain god graced us with his blessing but unlike lagaan we didn’t dance. Until today I wonder how I made it through. Even on a strapped giant wheel I would shudder when I looked down, but there I had to walk (rather crawl, slide and scamper) down the valley. We went on for a good 4 hours but there was no sight of the lake or the stars or the glass of rum! Kept sliding down the rocks, kept getting scrapped, some shorts tore along with the underwear resulting in a scrapped bum as well! (Sorry man I had to mention).

Then we got to the rappelling, I swear it looks so simple! But I double swear I screamed! I yelled, I cursed and scared the hell out everyone around! One of us liked the rappelling so much that she literally had such a strong relationship with the rope that the rope didn’t let her slide down because she didn’t end it well!  She was stuck midway longer than Kejriwal lasted in Delhi!

After that stunning (literally) experience we were expecting the horror to end, but the valley kept changing its terrain I keep wondering why! It didn’t end; I could hear the valley sing “Jaane nahi denge tujhe”. We encountered fresh rounds of rocks, larger and slippery than the previous patch. After the number of rocks I saw, I decided never to have anything on the rocks! So the sliding was faster the grip was bad, the bruising was intense. But one thing deserves a special mention, which are my shoes! I saw PUMAs tear begging for mercy!

The descent didn’t end; it was like we were walking in circles and the rocks kept getting larger. So we reach a point where I believed that I had made it and I would get to the lake and dip my legs in the water.  The valley gave me a sarcastic grin! Another round of rappelling, and this time there was water flowing on our head as were getting down the rope, it was dark and that’s when I felt may be there is tombstone with my name on it. Fortunately we made it down, and again there was fresh round of hope to see the lake in the dark at least. But no, the rocks welcomed us with open arms, we held them this time. We accepted them, we made them our own and that’s when they let us reach the second base camp!

We slept under the sky, but in pain. The body had given up, the shoulders were down, the rum unopened, the guitar untouched and no laughter just relief. One of us was so freaked out; that he felt that valley had sent a messenger to kiss his neck in the middle of the night! Some fell asleep and some didn’t.

The sun was up, but we weren’t able to decide if sitting was a good idea or standing. There were fresh rounds of rocks waiting, but the valley was getting easier, the rocks had shrunk we could see grass at a distance and finally some flat land. We kept walking which seemed like a long walk to freedom. Civilisation was a giant step ahead and we kept walking!

Finally we had made it after a 4 hour walk. We had made it out! I don’t know what had happened in the entire journey but I was happy in the end. I had faced some of my deepest fears. I guess as much as we think we shouldn’t have gone, deep inside we feel good about ourselves. Sometimes the tougher days give more satisfaction than the easier ones.