SAR PASS 2008

How many people get to brush their teeth while looking at snow capped mountains? How many people would not notice the mountains and would be lost in the irritation at having to brush with ice cold water?

Confused? So was i.

Let me start where it all began.

I was sick of Bangalore.I was sick of the routine;the rut my life had fallen into.I couldn’t stand taking the same route to work day after day, listening to the same music seeing the same faces.My whole being screamed at anything familiar. That was it! I needed a break! A real one!

I had always wanted to go on a YHAI trek(Youth hostel association of India).This was the best time to get away from it all.Asking around we finally zeroed in on Sar pass as our destination.So the three of us headed out of Bangalore on may 2nd .

From the minute we stepped onto Delhi soil it was new territory for us.Everything was different.Bangalore was already fading in my mind

After catching up with a few friends we boarded the Himachal tourism bus to our base camp.We met up two more guys who were going to the same camp but registering on 3rd may instead of our 4th may. This chance meeting made us change our batches from 4th may to 3rd on reaching Base camp.The trip was mostly uneventful with the highpoint of listening to songs of heart break. We went from wanting to murder the driver to slowly nodding off to the tunes of”Maine tumse pyaar jo kiya, maine tho hein zeher hi piya” etc etc.

On reaching base camp we explored the tiny town of Kasol.It was picturesque and peaceful. And as the guys had enough eye candy we all spent a pleasant time there.

Then with the customary YHAI send off we left to start on our trek.I think it was my first time riding on top of the bus. It was an awesome experience. We had unrestricted view of the surrounding nature with the underlying thrill of danger in the form of electric cables and rock overhangs.I was soaking everything in.Bangalore was far from my mind and my heart rejoiced.

What do I say about the next few days that would do justice to the whole experience?I can just describe the rollercoaster of emotions that we went through.

Initially it was complacency that the trek was not hard enough, which soon changed into groans of “Oh God!when are we reaching higher camp?!”Joy at finding a banner welcoming us to higher camp.Resting in the lap of mother nature.Trying to not get irritated at continuously having to was our lunch boxes and tumblers through the day with icy water.Eating simple delicious food and feeling satisfied.Shivering in sleeping bags while praying for the sun to rise quickly, and at the same time dreading having to walk after a sleepless night.Waking up for natures call and missing the sound of a flush.Packin, lining up and off again.Stopping every now and then to breathe.Getting used to the feel of a walking stick in your twenties. Getting hot maggi and omlets for lunch. Drinkin from cool streams without having to worry about disease. First joyous encounter of snow which would later turn into waiting for the last sight of snow.Making feet,that are used to walk on tarred roads,to walk on slippery snow. Fearing that you would slip with every step and then ironically slipping because you stepped fearfully.Getting bored with constant good weather and hoping for a snow storm and then ACTUALLY getting one.Thinking of sayings like”be careful what you wish for…………”

Trudging in snow for hours.Feeling like the lease on your toes and fingers are going to run out anytime shortly.Having to trek for food water AND loo.

Reaching points of no return where you don’t want to go ahead and you cant go back.Wishing for the familiarity and warmth of home and hearth.Being strong for others , knowing they would be strong for you when you couldn’t be.

The jubilant feeling of having reached the top.The feeling that this walk up memory lane would not be easily forgotten.The jubilation wearing off on realizing that the trek was far from over.

Facing demons that you had rather never face.Not being able to stand up to your fears.Dejection at not being able to conquer something. Spending a restless night in one camp before unexpectedly stumbling into heaven.Banduk tatch , our last higher camp.

It was the perfect end to our tumultuous few days.It was a place where you could come to peace with yourself.Where you could just lose yourself in nature without having to pay a heavy price.Where you could sit for hours without moving a muscle and yet end up feeling like you had traveled the seven seas.
It was at this camp that I finally found peace. I could finally appreciate the ironies of life without a single cynical thought.

As I watched the sun rise on Banduk tatch, the last day of our adventure, I felt changed. A light that had died inside me in the disillusionment that cloaked the city, was relit. It was a beacon I could look at when I got lost on the mundane paths of life and feel happy again. The sun rose up and as I felt the warm rays touch my frozen skin , I knew.

I knew that when I walked again on the dusty corridors of life this would be the memory that I would cherish.Forever.