Tipsy with trek

The first time I found solace in words and the process nerve soothing was when I wrote my first blog. It is been quite some time that I have been meaning to blog about some issue, story or poetry but I did not get that chance until recently.

Some would look at it as plain, boring day, some would have been enjoying festivities, fun and frolic for a few more but it was fun, frolic, awesomeness and adventure for me. I am not an avid trekker and I have not been much on any treks. This would be my officially first. And it was mind-blowing. I loved it. An all girls gang ganged up with the aim to reach a risky, government forbidden waterfall! Yes, it was government forbidden; we saw the varied warning boards reading the same ‘ol warnings and averting the tourists from making a climb. But hey, we aint tourists and we aint heading back!

I am not at all good with itinerary talks, my friend is. So it all started with my trek loving buddy Neha who infused the love for nature in us. Not that she urged we take up this trek but it was a unanimous decision which looked work in the eyes and with a straight face said –“Time Out”. Whoa, it was time out, truly! So coming back to the story…When Neha started blabbering about this place near Bhivpuri, where we can head and come back in a day, we said ‘let’s go’. Neha scores brownie points because she is indeed good with convincing people of the wonders the place holds. Well, although we didn’t head to Bhivpuri but we did end up somewhere near it, to be precise it was Zenith waterfalls in Khopoli. Initially it looked like the plan might get canned. With about 10 people ready for the trek and each backing out the next second, it sure looked like we’d never accomplish the feat. But then what’s meant to be is meant to be. No stopping the determined minds.

And then arise of the much awaited day.

Our rush to catch the train and hold up to the timings, making sure no one misses the local, was a task. Level one, cleared! The second was to feed the grumbling tummies (I say tummies ‘cause it was five of them making the cranky sound). After we cleared the bout two, we decided to nail the plan but ouch our dreams chipped in the process. A localite tells us of the place being shut by the government owing to the death of two caused by the land sliding. But no, we’d make it to the point and come back, we cheered. We trotted, back straight and nose in the air, occasionally stopping for snapshots (with the attempts to make them look good enough for a profile picture of sort). And so we took a turn and trotted some more with a few more click- clicks of the camera. Being an all girls trek, the uh-ah-aw on sighting a beautiful location, is the usual so I spare a few details there. But then the uh-ah-aws are justified enough when you see the clouds kissing the horizon and a sort of mating of the nature.

With the pouring rains, chilling water , body shuddering and hearts reeling with excitement we crossed the first river bed to walk the narrow path, amidst the lush greenery, that would take us to our destination. Walking, talking, cheering, fearing, telling tales we made it! And the view….it was...It was breath taking. We lost our hearts to the nature. The gushing milky ocean was a picture. The force of the waterfall was such that it sprayed its freshness on us. Our faces sprinkled with its dews. The lenses of my spectacles cheered for some more and even after losing my sight I walked to the glory feeling the chill of the water, swaying in the process, all the while holding on rock and getting a grip on the slippery surface. I am not sure how it felt to feel the stream of the waterfall strike on your head, washing you all up to the toe, because I never went that far. My friends, Saumya and Amita, could fill us in on - was the sharp blades of water striking your head and shoulders an inane experiemce or was it adrenaline pumping. Although I am sure it was latter. So after soaking all up in the spine chilling, body shivering and teeth chattering water our numbed brain gave the signal to put an end to the adventure and head back home.

The feeling you get, after the raw trekking, to head home and engulf yourself in its warm arms was luring enough. So backpacks on the back, water drenched five girlies, stumble the path to get going. But then how will you call an outing as a prim, proper outing unless followed with an exotic meal. Rains dousing us some more and making us quake, hot- spicy bhutta aka makka aka corn with much favored ginger tea, became our savior. Yes, we had that and it was utter delight.

One would think of a quirky way to end this memoir but I wouldn’t because it was good while it lasted.