Kedarnath

Yah! The longest trek of Chardham! All geared up we were caught in traffic miles away from the trek start point. We decided to walk on those hills and valleys and catch up with the cab incase it happens to get through. However, after walking 7 KM, we reached the trek check post beyond which only jeeps ply to get us to the trek start point. There was a long queue here and to our utter surprise, there would sometimes be one person standing in the queue but by the time his turn comes, there would be 40 or 50 people he has proxies for. After a long long no jumping (just that we were not breaking our ethics) the queue wait, we got a jeep that took us to the start point. The inclination of the trek was a killer on me. I was exhausted in the first phase but was somehow dragging my feet getting inspiration from the elderly trekking along in devotion. I had to give my bags to him so that I feel better hiking. To cut short on the inclined pathways we were climbing up the damp hills following others doing it. The cliffs were not less than scary but yes we did it. The Valleys and hills do not fail to impress your eyes but they did not tickle the feet though. Crossing the muddy icy paths managing not to slip was an experience worth it. As we got nearer by the evening I had some energy from nowhere but he was drained. Together we managed to get there to the warm lights that assured we get some rest and then there was the temple gleaming in the lights of devotion.

I paused several times as I write this post to relive the moments and also falling short of expression to pen down the experience. We being lazy, with no regular exercise are vulnerable to aches had a magic work on us. After the strenuous trek, we reached our hotel that was cold and got some hot food. I closed my eyes just not daring to dream ... the aches I would wake up to. 

Yet, in the morning we were all energized. Got up early and we were at the queue gazing at the mountains in the background that started to fade in. Yes! Fade! Soon we were lost to chirping of the living, got a glimpse of the presiding deity and some yummy food, and some souvenirs. 

I swear my soul how I am out of words to appreciate the hotel owners serving food there. It is the same trek that they take to get their inventories and yet charge very reasonable. I could whole heartedly pay them the price of a star hotel or more not be for the ambiance or the interior or the hygiene but knowing the efforts the put in to get the supplies. But cannot hurt their feeling by overpaying too much nor could I hog to increase the bill 😊 as I know I have to trek back.

Happy tummy, happy me with pollution miles away, breathing fresh, close to serenity now I focus back to the backdrop where nature stands super stunning. Sometimes, small things make a fab deal so was this puddle of water. Trekking back was relatively easier and faster though your toes are tested for their breaking system. Back to the hotel in a habitat with automobiles, I close my eyes in glee, a sense of completing one trek and looking forward to sight seeing the next day. The magic that happened uphill did not happen again ☹ we could feel our legs heavy in the morning. With a slight delay we managed to drag ourselves for the day’s itinerary. We had a good cabbie who took us to some sightseeing places like Devariya taal (one among the Indian hikes places. I have a different post about this http://elusiveoligotrophicexperience.blogspot.com/2017/07/a-serene-lake-uphill.html) and Chopta (http://elusiveoligotrophicexperience.blogspot.com/2019/02/chopta.html scenic place to revive yourself in the living). Something that I did not call out in those posts is the drag we did 😊 for both these places, we were literally dragging ourselves as our eyes were wanting to reach but legs were strained and drained counting on each move to be made. Yet the heart and brain yelled, “believe the eyes, go for it!” And we did. It was worth it all.