Harishchandragadh - The weekend getaway - Part II


Our tents, as the moon sets
I woke up the next morning by 630 AM. No one else was up yet. I left the tent with my camera, washed up in the nearby stream of water and clicked pictures of the landscape around me. The moon was just starting to set and the sun was rising. The rays gave the dried grass around a beautiful golden tinge. I got my jump shot, walked around a while and came back to the tent. I took my guitar out and started playing it, at a little distance from the tents. This was amazing. People had started getting up, wishing 'good morning' and exploring the place. We clicked a lot a of pictures, till breakfast arrived. And then, tea was served. 

Jump shot!

Photo shoot

 While having tea up there, on that cold morning, I realized that nothing freshens you up like this! I was ready to trek further after sipping two cups of tea. We packed our stuff, put it all in the common tent and left for our next view point - Konkankada. It was just a ten-minute walk away from where we had camped. From this point, we could see two mountains on either side and a valley, with a stream, or maybe a river flowing, which cut the valley into half. The view from the edge was beautiful, but scary! I stood right on the edge, and peeped down. It was a straight wall of rock, running deep. Anyone who stood at the point where I stood would have just one wish on their mind at that time, "I wish I could fly!". The view was intimidating, and yet magnificent. It made me realize how tiny humans are when we stand against mountains. Mountains, that can only be climbed, not conquered, not tamed. And we had climbed this peak, one of the highest in Maharashtra. From here, we could see a vague outline of the Kalsubai peak, the tallest in the state, and probably our next destination. I sat down at the edge, legs dangling, absorbing what I was seeing. No camera, no selfies - just me facing the valley. I painted it all in my memory, to be recalled to day dream someday when I'd be sitting at my office desk, struggling to meet deadlines.

Poha, delicious

Tea, cannot miss this!

 From here, we came back to the camp, clicked a group picture and left for the tea stall at the temple. Lunch was served, and yet again, it tasted heavenly! Everyone was tired, and rested a while. Few of us went off to take a dip in the nearby pond. I fixed up my shoe, which had a torn sole. And an hour later, we were ready for the return journey. 

 The descend was surprisingly quick with the last set of people arriving in 2 hours. We chucked our stuff into the cabs, fixed up the injured, had a last word of goodbye before finally getting into the cab and starting the return journey.

The full team!

 The cab journey started off with loads of energy, where we were singing, or rather screaming our lungs out (no guitar). But eventually everyone started falling asleep one by one. It had been a tiring two days. Another four hours of bumpy roads and highways later, we were back at the Kasara station. And after the tea-lovers united with their love, we left off for our train. 

 Even the train journey was eventful, few of us sat on the floor, and we were clicking selfies, singing, shouting. The joyous mood continued, till the good byes. One by one, everyone got off the train, to continue their lives that they had traded two days ago for this! 

Solitude, on the cliff-edge

 It wasn't just the trek and the experience that stayed, it was the people that I got to know, hoping that we could replicate those moments again. I was feeling awkward the day before, when I reached the Kasara station. But while returning, by the time I'd reached Kasara station, I wasn't feeling awkward at all! On the contrary, I knew I'd found a new set of people with whom I could be me! I could definitely crack my bad jokes here, and laugh about it! I'd climbed the mountain with strangers, found friends at the top and climbed down with like-minded idiots! We could do this over and over again!

 This was all due to that one facebook post by Nikita of Utopia Journeys, and I am glad I'd responded to it!

Last picture of these shoes!

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