May 26th 2009 5:15 pm: The Airbus soars...leaving behind a foggy Bangalore and the myriads of ones and zeroes.As Insomnium screams Mortal Share in my ears I set my mind to the task ahead.4 days and 65 Kms,gaining a maximum height of 5700 mtrs and a trek route so anonymous that a Google search returned a single result.The synopsis was grey and so were the skies.Daily storms ravaged the upper regions of the Garhwal Himalayas dumping worrisome quantities of snow.Flustered,I admired the tired sun greeting the horizon.
May 26th 2009 11:00 pm : Ready to roll out of ISBT Delhi..bound for Roorkee.Plagued by a tyre puncture and pushed around by hordes of people trying to escape the scorching weather of the plains I manage to say goodbye to Delhi.A long day ahead but no sleep round the corner.
May 27th 2009 5:00 am: Roorkee...A quick reshuffling of luggage and we are good to go.Tapesh and Sanjay join me and we set out for Haridwar.
May 28th 2009 7:30 am: Missed the last bus to Joshimath.Chepa, waiting for us in Rudraprayag shells out more bad news.All the high altitude treks are closed and the authorities are not allowing any trekkers beyond Vishnuprayag.Seems like Chenap Bugyal would have to wait.So as the bus meanders through the majestic hills we are left with 3 backpacks, enough food for 3 days, 2 tents, a cylinder and no trek.I leave the brain-work to Chepa and enjoy a nap dreaming of the paranthas in Devprayag.
May 28th 2009 12:00 pm: The Srinagar bus stand is bustling with activity.Seems like we finally have a destination-Panwali Kantha.We wait for Chepa to arrive from Rudrapyarag.Its been almost 12 hours since I boarded that BMTC bus to the airport.
May 28th 2009 2:00 pm: We board a taxi for Ghamsali and drive out of Srinagar.The clouds are rolling in and another storm is inevitable.The clouds are dark,menacing and seem to be adorning an armour of dust.It starts raining and we hopelessly stare at each other, the same thought haunting everyone's mind-the rucksacks on the roof.
May 28th 2009 5:00 pm:Ghamsali.Another 30 Kms to go and we would be at our base Ghuttu.Little did I know the last 30 kms would be the most adventurous of the 2800kms I had traveled.
May 28th 2009 5:45 pm:No Jeep available for Ghuttu. As we contemplate a night stay in Ghamsali Chepa has a whole different set of plans.Soon we find ourselves,much to our chagrin, boarding a truck bound for Ghuttu.To add to our agony the truck was carrying diesel and soon our rucksacks and clothes smelt of it.Nevertheless the drive through the majestic forests and lush green fields was a treat to the eyes.We finally get a glimpse of snow-covered peaks rising sharply behind their younger cousins.
May 28th 2009 8:00 pm: We finally reach Ghuttu after hitching another ride on a truck, chilled to the bones.A match and all of us would have erupted in flames.We eat to our hearts' content-our last full meal for the next 3 days-and settle down in GMVN's rest house.The day was an eventful one but my body needed some sleep desperately.We plan to start early tomorrow morning and also hire a guide.But deep down I knew,as always,there would be no guide and no porter...just the four of us and the mighty Himalayas.
May 26th 2009 11:00 pm : Ready to roll out of ISBT Delhi..bound for Roorkee.Plagued by a tyre puncture and pushed around by hordes of people trying to escape the scorching weather of the plains I manage to say goodbye to Delhi.A long day ahead but no sleep round the corner.
May 27th 2009 5:00 am: Roorkee...A quick reshuffling of luggage and we are good to go.Tapesh and Sanjay join me and we set out for Haridwar.
May 28th 2009 7:30 am: Missed the last bus to Joshimath.Chepa, waiting for us in Rudraprayag shells out more bad news.All the high altitude treks are closed and the authorities are not allowing any trekkers beyond Vishnuprayag.Seems like Chenap Bugyal would have to wait.So as the bus meanders through the majestic hills we are left with 3 backpacks, enough food for 3 days, 2 tents, a cylinder and no trek.I leave the brain-work to Chepa and enjoy a nap dreaming of the paranthas in Devprayag.
May 28th 2009 12:00 pm: The Srinagar bus stand is bustling with activity.Seems like we finally have a destination-Panwali Kantha.We wait for Chepa to arrive from Rudrapyarag.Its been almost 12 hours since I boarded that BMTC bus to the airport.
May 28th 2009 2:00 pm: We board a taxi for Ghamsali and drive out of Srinagar.The clouds are rolling in and another storm is inevitable.The clouds are dark,menacing and seem to be adorning an armour of dust.It starts raining and we hopelessly stare at each other, the same thought haunting everyone's mind-the rucksacks on the roof.
May 28th 2009 5:00 pm:Ghamsali.Another 30 Kms to go and we would be at our base Ghuttu.Little did I know the last 30 kms would be the most adventurous of the 2800kms I had traveled.
May 28th 2009 5:45 pm:No Jeep available for Ghuttu. As we contemplate a night stay in Ghamsali Chepa has a whole different set of plans.Soon we find ourselves,much to our chagrin, boarding a truck bound for Ghuttu.To add to our agony the truck was carrying diesel and soon our rucksacks and clothes smelt of it.Nevertheless the drive through the majestic forests and lush green fields was a treat to the eyes.We finally get a glimpse of snow-covered peaks rising sharply behind their younger cousins.
May 28th 2009 8:00 pm: We finally reach Ghuttu after hitching another ride on a truck, chilled to the bones.A match and all of us would have erupted in flames.We eat to our hearts' content-our last full meal for the next 3 days-and settle down in GMVN's rest house.The day was an eventful one but my body needed some sleep desperately.We plan to start early tomorrow morning and also hire a guide.But deep down I knew,as always,there would be no guide and no porter...just the four of us and the mighty Himalayas.
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