Vof & Hemkund Trek - Day 4 (The Return)
Day 4: Aug 14 2007
4:00 AM
Ghangeria
I woke up at 4. Got ready by 5 and said bye to Ghangeria at 5:20 AM. It was pitch black and no one was on the way. My plan was to reach Govindghat before 8 AM.
I hurried down the hill as fast as I could! Since it was dark and nothing to see I just concentrated on the path and walked fast. Soon it was bright and my photographic insticnts also rose!
This slowed my pace and it was 9 when I reached Govindghat!
I ask around how I could get to Rishikesh/Haridwar and found a qualis whose driver promised me to drop me at Rishikesh by 4:30/5 PM
"Chalo.. Chalo.. Lets go.. lets go!"
One ticket was 330/- and we were 7 of us. Driver was waiting for one more passenger. However said we all wud share it and pay for that seat! So for 370/ I was comfortably sitting in the back seat with 2 others!
We were going fine until Devprayag, and then the landslides started ( i mean the lind slide areas started) This slowed our journey and it was 8:00 PM when I reached Rishikesh!
Some roads were literally not there until the earthmoving vehicle came and removed the rocks and mud and trees! And some places were a bit scary too.. You dont know when its gonna fall on someone's head! But luckily, nothig of that sort happened. However when I reached Rishikesh, it was rainnig cats and dogs! I was wet as if I jumped into a lake/river!
But my camera and mobile was safe inside 5 or 6 plastic bags! (See, this is one of the reason you shouldnt throw away plastic on the road after using them! They'll come in handy later and you need to dispose them proplerly!!!)
Anyways, I went to the Bus Stand and there were 3 buses to Delhi! One at 9:15. Another somewhere around 9:30 and the last one was a "Deluxe" bus at 10:30. Since I didnt want to sit with my 'gleela kapda' all the way to delhi, I looked around for a place to change. None!
Every where I looked people were standing to avoid the rains!
"Silly people"!!! Why are they afraid of rains? After some 10/15 yrs they are gonna say... When I was young, I used to enjoy a lot in rains.. Now! Where are the rains?
Anyways, Since I had enjoyed to my heartsful, I just wanted to change my dress and find a seat (this time preferably an 'aisle' seat)
But no place to change my dress. Then I boarded the empty "Deluxe" bus, pulled the curtain and changed my dress!
After finding a dry seat in the dripping Deluxe bus I decided this is it! My trek is over! Its time to blow my bugle to announce the finish of my trek!
Slowly people started occupying the seats and most of the seats were full by 10 PM. However it was 11:30 when finally the bus started!
Later I heard we were stuck in traffic jam for 2 hrs somewhere between Rishikesh & haridwar due to a fallen tree!
But who cares? I was so tired I slept most of the way to delhi.
4:00 AM
Ghangeria
I woke up at 4. Got ready by 5 and said bye to Ghangeria at 5:20 AM. It was pitch black and no one was on the way. My plan was to reach Govindghat before 8 AM.
I hurried down the hill as fast as I could! Since it was dark and nothing to see I just concentrated on the path and walked fast. Soon it was bright and my photographic insticnts also rose!
This slowed my pace and it was 9 when I reached Govindghat!
I ask around how I could get to Rishikesh/Haridwar and found a qualis whose driver promised me to drop me at Rishikesh by 4:30/5 PM
"Chalo.. Chalo.. Lets go.. lets go!"
One ticket was 330/- and we were 7 of us. Driver was waiting for one more passenger. However said we all wud share it and pay for that seat! So for 370/ I was comfortably sitting in the back seat with 2 others!
We were going fine until Devprayag, and then the landslides started ( i mean the lind slide areas started) This slowed our journey and it was 8:00 PM when I reached Rishikesh!
Some roads were literally not there until the earthmoving vehicle came and removed the rocks and mud and trees! And some places were a bit scary too.. You dont know when its gonna fall on someone's head! But luckily, nothig of that sort happened. However when I reached Rishikesh, it was rainnig cats and dogs! I was wet as if I jumped into a lake/river!
But my camera and mobile was safe inside 5 or 6 plastic bags! (See, this is one of the reason you shouldnt throw away plastic on the road after using them! They'll come in handy later and you need to dispose them proplerly!!!)
Anyways, I went to the Bus Stand and there were 3 buses to Delhi! One at 9:15. Another somewhere around 9:30 and the last one was a "Deluxe" bus at 10:30. Since I didnt want to sit with my 'gleela kapda' all the way to delhi, I looked around for a place to change. None!
Every where I looked people were standing to avoid the rains!
"Silly people"!!! Why are they afraid of rains? After some 10/15 yrs they are gonna say... When I was young, I used to enjoy a lot in rains.. Now! Where are the rains?
Anyways, Since I had enjoyed to my heartsful, I just wanted to change my dress and find a seat (this time preferably an 'aisle' seat)
But no place to change my dress. Then I boarded the empty "Deluxe" bus, pulled the curtain and changed my dress!
After finding a dry seat in the dripping Deluxe bus I decided this is it! My trek is over! Its time to blow my bugle to announce the finish of my trek!
Slowly people started occupying the seats and most of the seats were full by 10 PM. However it was 11:30 when finally the bus started!
Later I heard we were stuck in traffic jam for 2 hrs somewhere between Rishikesh & haridwar due to a fallen tree!
But who cares? I was so tired I slept most of the way to delhi.
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