Himalayas, the mighty kind unpredictable Himalayas that stretches in our country and beyond..

My love story with the Himalayas is well known to those who know me well. And from the past 6 years I have grabbed/ taken every opportunity that came about to visit it again and again. Gone were my travelling around the world days once I took in my first sight of it. It was and it still is Love at first sight for me.

Himalayas changed my life unimaginably and I can say it unabashedly. It was not just a trek or a trip anymore but a longing as in longing to meet the most loved one. Not a bucket list to tick it off, but a life long pursuit of it and it will continue to be till my body is able to take me there.

For those who are new I always blog about my treks like a daily series, as it were day to day observations, and what always surprises me as ever is I write more on the people I meet, their experiences their lives omitting anything unpleasant. Is it good to do that and not write as it is? But then in the end it’s my opinion, it cannot be without bias also we need to listen, read and know more of the goodness that exists in people than the negative aspect of it.

Shall we get back to the blog I intended to write? 🙂

2022 has been patchy for me so far, cancelled treks, tragedies in the dog rescue work I do in my little way, and though I don’t ‘work’ according to the dictum of mainstream life, life and it’s daily routines is really hectic for me. I had signed up for Chadar trek in Jan end and it got cancelled, I immediately chose to go to Brahmatal and I got sick. It went on and on.

Pangarchulla was on my mind since I did Kuari pass in the first week of Dec last year. As anshulbhai the guide showed me the whirling storms around the formidable Pangarchulla peak and told me I should do it, it was on my mind since then.

I have been ‘running around’ so much in my life I truly wanted to take a break from trekking atleast the first half of this year but can my heart stop wanting?

Being on the go all my life has its share of pitfalls, always pushing and giving 100% of yourself in everything. It’s not good, there has to be a balance. And I have been attempting it step by step.

When I signed up for Pangarchulla with Indiahikes my only condition to them was not to increase the size as it is a difficult trek but when they again got in 25 in a batch, I created a huge ruckus, put my foot down and told them to cancel mine out completely. Until they got me in as a last minute addition to 17th April with a small group assuring me it won’t increase beyond a certain number.

I would not be wrong in saying I was more nervous than excited. That visual of a stormy Pangarchulla peak I saw in December was all the time in front of me. Did I have the tenacity to do it? Look we can keep up the masks of being strong, give excuses as to why we could or could not do it, but the one mirror we can’t avoid is ourselves. There are no lies there, masks are stripped off and you are accountable to yourself only.

As I start the daily series from tomorrow, let me make a special mention about my trek group, you have in one way or the other taught me so much in this trek. I truly thank the gang for this. And of course I will use your pics with due credit in the blog as this is a trek where I have clicked the least number of pics.

PIC IN THE BLOG – PHOTO CREDIT – ADITYA PANDYA

So Pangarchulla it is. Until tomorrow 🙂