Let me tell you a short story about a little girl, this girl loved water, the ocean, the sea in total a water baby. Any chance she would get, she would head to the water and just swim, she felt like it was home but what she was most scared of, was heights.

Even a two floor building would make her shudder, shiver and her feet would scream and she would sweat and panic. And so it continued for 30 odd years..

Then one day 3 years ago, a dear friend persuaded her, pushed her to come with him to Ladakh. Let’s trek he said, let’s explore he cajoled and slowly, very slowly she made her steps, sometimes in fear, sometimes in panic, and then in between the journey something happened..

She began to see Mountains in a new light, she was in awe and at the same time totally humbled by them. She began to see her insignificance amidst the mountains, the rawness of the landscape engulfed her, created new memories and healed old wounds..

Heartbreaks to loss of dear ones, everything that she held on to closeted tight began opening up.The Mountains are where she felt connected. And this time she truly fell in love, hook, line and sinker.

Why am I telling you this? Because this is exactly how I felt 3 years ago when I jumped into this journey.. A dear friend’s assurance pushed me to do this and in that process I discovered new aspects of myself as well as unlearned a lot of stuff..

I kept going for treks, kept walking, kept exploring the mountains(or so I thought) but what it did was, it became a journey for me within.

And the love story continues.. and I hope it stays till it’s time for me to say Goodbye..

It was the beginning of 2018 and I had to begin my year with a trek. I had signed up for Sandakphu Phalut trek in January but one can’t fight fate, can they? A dear one’s brain stroke on November 30th took my wind away and knocked me down.

There was no way I could go on that trek without being there for him at that time. As his recovery process started, I tried my best to be cheerful, optimistic, happy yet in my heart, I was sinking, the uncertainty was looming large.

Would he ever be the person he was before? Can I handle seeing the man who was brilliant, outstanding and now just a shadow of himself. But I held on, we all held on gingerly onto that thin line called hope. One had to be patient, there was no other way.

And slowly it happened, the recovery at first slow became rapid, it was filled with love, devotion and energy from everyone. In the end I believe, it was love that worked..

It was time for me to take a break, to be by myself, to finally set to the mountains and maybe even cry a bit out there and let it all out. But which one should I go to?

And just like that on a whim I signed up for Har ki Dun. Believe me when I say this, I neither read about it nor saw too many pics on it. I just trusted the team leading this and the name made a connection. It sounded ethereal, it sounded like it was out of this world.

Little did I know I would get more than I asked for and meet extraordinary people along the way! So Read on, if this still interests you 🙂