As Altitude was raising high, my mind started thoughts of giving up. At one point, I wanted to return and didn't want to proceed further but my JOSH was so high that I wanted to witness the beautiful view of Nature...
YES, it was the SOLO ADVENTURE and risk was huge, I had to take each and every step very carefully. Unknown people, unknown places but known destination...It is said that the great things takes time and difficulties on their way and the same had happened here. To embrace the Nature's creation, it prepared us for Patience, Calmness and Strong Mindset to Never give up attitude. The Strangers on trek becomes your Family, the Nature becomes your Home and the Confidence becomes your Weapon. This trip taught me that one should go on solo trek once in lifetime to surprise yourself with UNREALIZED CAPABILITIES of yours... Break the STEROTYPE in a healthy way is must...
Being an Adventure Girl and like to feel the every beat of the neature, I can't stay ideal at one place for long time. At one night when I was just sitting down at my room realising that I stuck somewhere in life and don't want to take this crap further, the thought of himalayan trek jumped into my mind. I discussed with my friends and seeing no one is in for various reasons, I made my mind to go on a Solo Trip. After doing lot of R & D, which trek to go, when to go, how to go, conviencing my parents (which is big 'No' from their side), I booked my tickets to Kasol for 14th May 2019 via Delhi.
I reached Delhi around noon and caught my bus to Kasol which is almost 12 hours of roller coaster ride in the ghats of Himachal Pradesh:). I was never been to North India earlier and what I experienced is North Indian food which was truely amazing. The day was sunny (summer of India though), I was exhausted and felt asleep as soon as bus get started. There were many youngster in my bus who were also heading to Kasol. As HP Government has rules and laws due to small roads width, our bus got stuck at Bhuntar and we weren't allowed to head towards Kasol. After doing lot of negotiations, finding many alternatives I reached to Kasol basecamp and yes meanwhile in this drama, I got to know that few of the guys are also with me for the same Trek.
I had bit crazy chit chat with other trekkers on lunch table and got to know that I am the only one who came solo. It was the Acclimatization day where we roam around Kasol near Parvati Valley. I explored the totally different culture, nature and beauty of human mind. The innocence on child's face, the smile on local's face was really rejunavting. I was quite afraid that day being solo whether I could do it or not and in those thought I felt asleep.
The day has arrived where I had to geared up all treking equipments, the 10kg backpack for 50km journey with all necessay items. The first day after treking for around 8 kms in 6-7 hours, we reached to Grahan Village. Full of Greenary, happy and peaceful atmosphere. All the way the thought in my mind was, how different is the world for the people who are living here. No electricity for 3-4 days, no internet connectivity, no cell phones, no medical facilities nothing, still the happiness and peace they posses in their life is truly astonishing. I witnessed their struggle of carrying huge transformer for electricity with the help of 10-12 people from Kasol t0 Grahan and it took them around 2 days to reach the destination due lack of road contruction via dense forest. This left me totally awestruck as we are living in so much comfort area and still we used to complain for better lifestyle. I left speechless seeing their politness, kindess and ready to help attitude. As I hadn't been to treking since long, it was quite tired day for me and after having meals I headed towards my tent in sound sleep.
The next day we had to geared up early in the morning at 6 for our next destination Mung Thach which is around 5-6 hours of ascent. The day was full of raniy, sunny, windy, muddy roads, scary climbs, full of dense forest. But, supporting each other on the path is the quality of trekkers. Being the only solo trekker in the group, everyone was so supportive to me to build up my confience. We had a campsite in the middle of the dense forest where there was no network. You can only enjoy by admiring nature's beauty along with food and friends.
The 3rd day we had to lead our paths to Nagaru capsite, at an altitude of 12450 feet. I was very excited for this day as this will be the trek from snow area. Waking early in the morning with beautiful sunrise in nature's lap is what we missed in civilized area. Having had our breakfast and packing our lunch, with music on starting with "Fir Se Ud Chala" song, with zeal in our eyes we rached to Nagaru campsite where nature welcomes us with heavy snowfall. Wow! What an amazing feeling it was! The first snowfall I have ever witnessed. The temperature dropped to -5 degree in night and all we could think about the next exiting day of Summit in our sleeping bags.
The final day of Summit where we woke up early in the morning at 4 and headed towards the SarPass summit. I could feel the spark and zeal in my eyes. I could feel the nature's force to make me realise its power. The climb was so steep on snow but it didn't loose my calmness and strong mindset. Supporting and motivating each other, we were getting closed to summit and finally reached. The best part of the trek was long 4-5 snow slides and wow I got the goosebumps while doing it.
"I looked around and found myself at the top of 14,500 feet. The innervoice of me roared and said "Yes, you made it". I was looking around and deeply fallen in love with moutains. The path was quite difficult but it was worth to travel. While reaching back to the basecamp, I lost in memories. The sense of satisfaction, the happiness, the confidence, the mindset, strong willpower, new vision, different perspective, interacting/playing/laughing/sharing stories/walking with strangers. The thought was "wow! I am living my Dream!"
