2. First Himalayan Base Camp - Kasol / Accidental Trekker Series

     PC :Malay Majee

With a group of 15 Boys and Girls who did not speak my language to a land where people did not speak my language either, I stepped into my first Himalayan base camp Kasol. 

Trekking all day, staying in tents, seeing snow, staying out of network coverage,being amidst nature for 11 days and many more first time experiences awaiting.I was supposed to be excited about all these as I entered the base camp that afternoon. But my inner voice sounded different:  " Why is my ear blocked? Why am I finding difficulty in breathing? I seem to have headache! Vomiting sensation ( Oh this is cos I haven't eaten anything since morning) .. Am I already old for trekking? ( my whole group is couple of years younger to me !) .. Never mind age is just a number. Once I eat something I will be fine .. NEVER GIVE UP ...." 

Just 15 minutes into the campsite, and all my concerns got addressed. Kasol is at an altitude of 5,184 ft above sea level . The altitude and air pressure is something we need to get acclimatized to. That's why we will start trekking only from Day 4. Headache ,ear pain, difficulty to breathe , vomiting sensation are nothing but normal. And Yes, Age is really just a number .For, there were trekkers from 12 to 80 years of age (I soon felt silly about myself, to have trivialized myself as a senior citizen). 

                      PC: https://www.duskydawn.com/

That evening , we went for a walk across the banks of the river Parvathi. I still continued feeling silly about how I underestimated my own self. I told to myself , "  In actuality , we are the youngest trekkers in the batch of 50 people with whom we are going to trek for the next 11 days.  Also I am fit , I have done enough cardio training and I will successfully finish the trek and never doubt on my abilities. As always NEVER GIVE UP ..." .

This marked the beginning of growing mentally strong. I was looking forward for many superficial first time experiences . But this is my actual take away. The mountains made me gain self confidence. They made me grow mentally strong. All my life I was backed by Parents , Teachers , Friends, Colleagues who told me that I am the Best. But for the first time , I sat back on the banks of a river, and reassured my own self. Tough I did not transform into a mentally strong ultra confident person overnight, the journey surely began on the banks of the river Parvathi.

As we walked back to the base camp from the river bank, my friends reminded me that there will be campfire tonight and I need to sing. We also started match fixing about how my friends shall shout "Once more .. Once more" after my song, to make me feel like a singing superstar. Half dreamy, half nervous , I began practicing Aalap of Raag Bageshree in my head ...

When I had difficulty in breathing itself, How did I manage to sing Raag Bageshree!?

Wait for my next Post

Your Sincere Accidental Trekker,

Charita Kallihal

PS: Visit my friend's Travel Website to Know about Kasol

https://www.duskydawn.com/trip-to-kasol/

1. WILDCARD ENTRY TO THE HIMALAYAS / Accidental Trekker Series

Few years ago, I was regularly participating in 10k runs. I used to go to the gym every morning and practice running. I was very aware that running in the open air was much better . Nevertheless,  I chose to hit the gym as I had a few colleagues accompany me to the gym creating a healthy competition about being regular.

One morning my colleague told me that,they are going to the Himalayas on a trek .My colleague also told me that, it needs a lot of workout as it is going to be a 11day long trek . My colleague seemed excited to see snow for the first time and also camp in the snow. This took me back to my school days where one of our teachers (Aruna Desai Madam ) was felicitated in school for completing a Himalayan Trek . I was proud of my teacher then, and felt proud of my colleague now. 

Surprisingly, I never felt the urge to make it to the Himalayas though my colleague's narration made it look very colourful. Instead , since TCS 10k run was approaching, I took it as a healthy competition . While my colleague was busy working hard to mark feet on the Himalayas, I got busy to mark my feet on the roads of Bengaluru to run for an educational cause thru TCS 10k run. 

Couple of days later, I was watching "Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani" a Hindi movie on trekking where, Deepika Padukone makes an overnight decision and gets  "A WILD CARD ENTRY TO THE HIMALAYAS". I jokingly told my grandmother that may be I should also just make such a WILDCARD ENTRY since my friends are also going to a trek near Manali (The same place that's shown in the movie) .My grandmother went into panic mode and I had to pacify her all day and convience her that trekking is not my cup of tea.

Coincidentally , I started noticing that, every movie I watched had a portion of it shot in the Himalayas. Without my own knowledge, the thoughts of Himalayas continued to linger in my mind. One evening , I told my parents about how my joke gave a panic attack to my grandmother. I also told them that I am somehow not able to get over the visuals of Himalayas . To my surprise, my parents were more aware of Himalayas treks than I was. They told me about how safe and organised the treks are . My parents told me that ,If i get an opportunity in future, they will surely encourage me to go ahead. 

These lines sounded like music to my ears. I realised that, my own pre-conceived notion that my parents won't let me travel was stopping me all these days. I realised that , although I am not a travel freak, A WILDCARD ENTRY TO THE HIMALAYAS surely excites me. 

Next morning, with my fingers crossed, I asked my colleague if I can join them. I was told that , booking needs to be made many many months earlier and it is nearly impossible to get a "WILD CARD ENTRY" unlike what the movies portray. Though I was disappointed, my colleague managed to motivate me by telling me that I am welcome for their next trek considering that I am kind of regular with my workouts. That day I ran a Kilometre more than usual ( In my head ,I had already started preparing for my first Himalayan trek ,no matter when !)

That evening I again saw "Yeh jawani hai Deewani" again ,laughed at my foolish imagination, yet secretly wished a "WILD CARD ENTRY" miracle happens the next morning and went to sleep. 

The miracle did not happen the next morning but it did happen a few days later. A girl in my colleague's trekking group was dropping out. Online cancellation of her slot would open a new slot in the same batch. We had to grab that slot before someone else books it. This was one of the most tenseful moments of my life(more tenseful than exam results atleast). We chose a common time where she cancelled her ticket and within no time I booked mine and it worked.

AND YES I DID IT.. I GOT MY WILDCARD ENTRY TO THE HIMALAYAS . SARPASS TREK MAY 2017 ,REPORTING AT YOUTH HOSTEL ASSOCIATION OF INDIA- KASOL BASE CAMP ,HIMACHAL PRADESH ,INDIA .

Stay tuned to know about my first Himalayan trek

-Charita 

An Accidental Trekker

0. Prelude / Accidental Trekker Series

Friends who have known me since my student life would know that, I am (was) not a travel person. Was I really not a travel person? Didn't I get enough opportunities/ friends to travel with?

All I know is that, as long as I was studying , my only holiday destination was my Grand parents' home in  D.V.G Road , Basavangudi. And ,once I started working, my only holiday destination used to be my parents home in Dharwad. 

My hobbies music and running kept me busy enough not giving time to think about an option called tourism. Today if I look back and contemplate, neither was I allergic nor was I desperate to travel. 

It's better to keep an introductory post short. So , presenting the series about my travel experiences :

"An Accidental Trekker" 

This also answers many questions that my friends keep asking me: 

Why did I always turn down travel plans ?

Why did I start trekking now? 

Is travel my escape route from normal life?

Am I going to quit my Job for trekking?

Keep waiting for my next Post ,

-Charita 

PS 1: Sorry for the 3.5 years gap

PS 2:Thanks  to all my friends for constantly persuading to start writing this travel series