Leaving her insecurities behind; she was all set to conquer the Himalayas.
“I desire to conquer this world
Not like an Emperor, but like a Wanderer..
I want to own this world
Embrace that ecstasy and live in melancholy..”
And the journey began. With new faces and new places, it was her first encounter with magnificent mountains. She was hypnotized with the beauty of mountains, covered in clouds, as if those mountains were talking to her. A day passed crossing rivers, witnessing white glaciers, having hot Maggie in the rain in the midst of the mountains, cool breeze flowing and a sky full of stars. It was no less than a fairy tale. But then we know every story comes with a climax. That night she observed a little pain in her knee. Puzzled and unable to discern, she slept on pain killers. Next day, it seemed like even mountains were testing her patience. The terrain was rocky and full of boulders. Each step was a struggle; she was unable to raise her leg. With boulders both inside and outside, she still continued. After having covered about 3 kilometers, there was a freezing cold river that has to be crossed. Unaware of the consequences, she somehow managed to cross it. But after crossing the river, her knee gave up. Her leg was numb and she could not even take a single step. Heart-broken, she was sent back to the nearest base camp.
Her heart was filled with chaos, her mind loaded with dozens of thoughts. It was already evening when she reached the base camp. Stars were out and it was not a good time to travel to Srinagar city. She stayed in the cave house of a local Afghan family, with the trek leaders who were on break. Unfortunately or shall I say fortunately, that place had no electricity. In this era of social media, where we are in constant touch with each other; her phone had no signal. That was when she understood real meaning of life. Sitting under the blanket of stars, she indulged in her real self.
“And I went Solo
For I wanted to explore life outside
Instead I connected with my spiritual self
Rejuvenated with conscious inside”
Juggling between dilemma and enigma of the situation, whether she should go back or stay, she made a choice. A choice to roam and tune into an unplugged version of Kashmir. She went to Srinagar and with the help of locals there she arranged her itinerary. She covered the beautiful valley of Kashmir and the alpine meadows of Pahalgam and Gulmarg. She met some interesting people, bonded with them; they not only offered her help but showered her with their hospitality. They did not charge a single penny; she was speechless and moved by the humbleness of the people.
The locals rekindled her lost faith in humanity.
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