Initially I used to think INFOSYS is the biggest 'kumbh-mela' of homo-sapiens having 'all' flavours of human beings from North Indians to South Indians, to Bengolis and gujaratis. But my trek to 'SAR Pass – Glacier (named after some 'angrej'- John Sar') proved my conception wrong.
Here I (Infy dropout, unemployed youthL J) met a 'Cyber Crime' officer (Mumbai), young PWD engineers (goa), stock brokers (Ahmadabad), RBI officers(Mysore), pilot of "Rajdhani Express", gujjus from fishing industry, youngest "sarpanch" in India (goa), students from Nagpur with RSS background, Chartered Accountants(gujju gals), teenagers who just completed their board exams , real estate broker(goa), house wives(M.P), under grad college students, research students(UP) .... ...
44 ppl of different age, sex, profession and origin came together at 6500 odd feet' from sea level, at small village called 'kasol' in Himachal Pradesh for the 'common' most exciting thing of their life, to reach ' Sar Pass' at 13800 feet's. J (Mt Everest is at 22k-24k feet)
One very fine day with 3.5Kg of luggage on each of our shoulder we got ourselves dropped on a highway and took a way towards jungles and mountains, not knowing that for next 9 days we will not see a highway or any human construction. J
After few hours of walk, highway got eloped behind in jungle with trees as high as 'skyscrapers'. Now we bunch of 44 ppl were crossing the jungle, climbing the mountain to reach our next camp before sunset.
Every day 6-8 hrs of trek used to end in a 5 star tent, some tents where at slopes of mountain and ppl had to sleep in inclined positions in tentJ.
Our only 'major' activities after reaching next camp site every day was to go and search a place for 'bird watching' (nature calls)J nature calls where truly natural as they were to be carried out under 'open sky' on sloppy and slippery mountain watching birds and animals J and hiding from gal members of team. J
There is one saying "At heights atmosphere and human behaviour are unpredictable and weird" J.
So as we gained heights few ppl caught 'height sickness' and wanted to 'step out' from expedition midway. Unpredictability of human behaviour at height proved correct, ppl who wanted to drop out started leading the groupJ.
Unpredictable rain used to spoil our trek, and used to make our 'climb' difficult, slippery and dangerously scary. LBecause of slippery surface every 3 feet of climb used to give a fall of 2 feet. L
'Bird Watching' activity used to become a dangerous affair during rain. L Few dare devils did try but came back and said "It was most dangerous 'Bird watching (nature call)' experience of their LifeJ". Hearing their experience in 'detail' no more dare devils were thereafterJ.
While walking thru jungles, grassland and muddy terrain we all wanted to see and walk in glaciers. Finally on 4th day of trek we started finding small glaciers/ice on the way. JFirst glance of snow/ice got all of us charged up and excited. J
But walking in snow is totally different from walking in jungles or mountains. L
On discovering that our trek ahead 'small glacier' of 1km had a narrow(one step wide) path with crumbling ice and thousands feet deep valley on both side turned all our excitement into fear. L
It almost took 'two hours' for group to pass that 1Km ice trek. L J
This was a time when even I got scared out of hell. J It became scarier for me because on 1Km trek, three of us went ahead of group and got far from 'local guides (only source of help)'. LOne wrong step on crumbling ice would have sent me down into thousand feet deep valley, with no possibility of help as nearest ' guide' was almost half an hour away from us L, making it all probable to make jinesh a "Late Jinesh" J.
At every step on crumbling ice, subconsciously all kind of f*** word used to come out of my mouthJ.Each step also made my brain think "why the hell? I was here"J, what 'sin' I would have done that "I was here"J. I recalled names of all god and goddesses I knew...J. I almost recalled all my friends, relatives and even enemiesJ.
I also felt that amount of 'concentration' I was putting for my each next step, same concentration level in CAT preparation would have got me into some 'stupid' IIM and not here in these hellJ.
But am a SPRITE drinker 'Darr ke age jeet hai " !!! J J J J
At camp we were welcomed by a scenic beauty created by a 'snow fall' and 'hail storm'. J
After 8hrs of exhaustive and fearful trekking, it was 'grandeur' Jto see and feel 'snow fall' sitting in tent and sipping hot soup in minus four degree temperature at almost 12000 feet (half of Mt Everest). J It was the most wonderful experience of 'our' life. J
At 3.00 in morning we were ready with sunscreen lotion and black goggles (protection from radiation) to cross the "Sar Pass". J
Previous day's fearful trek on ice gave enough hope and courage to climb next 1800 feet 'snow wall' at 80 degree inclination in -4 degree temperature with 3.5 KG of luggage. J
After 3hrs of non-stop climb we finally reached a peak point at 13800 feet called SAR PASS. J It was breath taking view from that point, clouds and all mountain peaks were below us. We all felt on "top of the world". J But the reward for all our labour of last 6 days was yet to come. J
And what was the reward? J J J
A 3800 feet unmatchable natural rollercoaster 'slide' on snow clad mountain. J J
Gradient of almost 70 degree made our sliding body into a 'racing' car. J Height that we gained by 16hrs of trek was lost in just 2 hrs of slide. J
Thank God!!Snow and Glaciers were now left behind!!! J
But we still had 2 days of trek/descend left before we can touch highway-lifelineJ. But few of us (goa group and Jamnagar group...11 of 44 ppl) had a different plan....
On reaching camp in 'afternoon', we (11 of 44ppl) informed camp leader that we want to reach base camp that day only to do river rafting next day, to our surprise he informed us that nearest 'highway' point was 8hrs away and the last bus on highway that could drop us at our base camp was about to 'pass by' after 3 hrs.
So we had a challenge to complete the 8hrs trek in 3 hrsJ.
With no local guide to so us the way, 11 of us started running in direction towards 'invisible highway' in jungle to catch the 'last bus', we ran for almost two hours in jungles but were not able to see highway due to thick forest, fear of 'lost' in jungle started growing in few us, but after some time we got a glimpse of a 'long tarred zig zag road'. J
We were happy to know that we were on the right trackJ but soon realized that highway was still far to catch 'last bus'. L We didn't had any option other than to run, I can surely say the way we were running was comparable to a person getting chased by a wild dog. J
Finally we did make to 'highway-life line' after 8 days, but unfortunately we missed the 'last bus'. Stranded on highway we looked 'here and there' with 'binoculars' if any vehicle can give lift to 'primitive' ppl who just came from jungles and mountainsJ but instead of seeing vehicle we saw a milestone showing 'Kasol – 15 Kms'. J
So what 'primitive' ppl were supposed to do after seeing milestone?
Yes!! We started walking again but soon we realized that after walking in jungles, mountains and snow we have forgot to walk on 'straight' roads. J Few of us gave up walking and lied down on highway. J
After few hours 11 of us were 'relaxing' on backside of tempo along with one more friend 'donkey' and his shit around, recalling our last 8 days in jungles and mountains, leaving a primitive life, were even going for 'Bird Watching- Nature calls' too had become a 'dangerous' affairJ.
We truly 'felt' what it means by "SPINE CHILLING ADVENTURE".J
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