"Is this OLD AGE?"
Day 2
17-5-09
Uttarkashi - Gangotri (and a little beyond...)
The earlier day's experience had taught us a lot about the Share Taxis in Uttarkashi. We didn't want to take any more risks. We will catch the first taxi itself. We woke up early and got ready by 5 am. But when we reached the taxi stand, another shock was waiting for us!
The first taxi was waiting with 6 passengers. 2 in the front along with the driver, 4 in the middle. We loaded our luggage on the top and and sat in the back. But the driver was not ready. He said he wanted 2 more!
"2 more????!!! Where the hell are they going to sit?"
"6 can sit in the rear" The driver said.
"You must be kidding. How are you going to accommodate 6 Passengers in the back! If it were 6 kids then there was no problem. But 6 adults traveling 4 hrs in the back of Tata Sumo was ridiculous idea!"
We told him that will not be possible. But the driver was not ready to listen. So we got down and said we'll go in the next taxi. At least we 4 could sit in the middle seat.
So once again he was down to 6 passengers. Till 6 AM no other passenger came there and the first taxi was still waiting. Only if he leaves the place, the second taxi will start taking passengers. We again tried to convince the driver saying we will take 1 extra ticket. But he was not ready. Somehow he was stuck with 6! (I think it was his lucky number or something...)
After some time a foreign lady came and the driver gave her one seat. He was now 5 short of his magical 6! He came back to us and said we could come if we are still ready to take the 5 tickets we promised. We said we are not coming in that car. After some time the current passengers started grumbling. It was getting late for them. They somehow made him start the taxi with just 7!
Loading the luggage in second taxi
I don't know whether he cursed us while leaving but even after waiting for almost 1 and half hr, not even a single passenger came. At last we started losing patience. We started to convince our new driver and after a long bargain we fixed the rate at 1000/- The deal was, he'd take passengers on the way. As long as we were starting from that place, it was OK for us!
It took 4 hrs to reach Gangotri. On the way the driver got 5 passengers, traveling short distances. Anyways in the end he managed to get his full amount and we also traveled comfortably. (Varun in the front, we three in the middle and the other passengers in the rear) It would have been a hectic 4 hr journey if we had to sit crumbled in the back of the taxi with 6 passengers!
Gangotri turned out to be a busier place than I had expected. We came to know later that there are so many hotels and Ashrams all located around the temple. However we were more concerned about the permission than hotels in Gangotri. So as soon as we reached Gangotri and settled the taxi fare, we started asking around for the Forest Dept office. Like any other tourist place, the touts were upon us within minutes.
"Do you want rooms?", "do you need guide", "Do you need porter"...
We told them about our plan and our situation. One of them took charge and told the other one that he'll handle us. He then told us that his friend has rooms in Gangotri and he can also take care of the officials at the check post. Moreover he can be our guide to Gaumukh and back for 500 rupees per day!
We knew that we could easily find guides for 200 or 250 rupees per day. So we bargained and fixed it at 300 per day. We just hoped that he would manage the permission as he boasted to us. Before we started we wanted to:
Have lunch
Keep the excess luggage somewhere
Take some photos
Our guide, Rana took us to his friend's hotel. There we transferred the important items into two backpacks and dumped the other clothes in the remaining bags. Rana said instead of taking a room we could just keep the things in the clock room for 30/- rupees. Excellent! why waste 600 when we can finish it in 60 rupees???
Then his friend, the hotel owner started telling tales that the clock room key is not with him and the guy who is having it has gone away. Anyways after some 10 min persuasion, he said he'll keep it safe in his room. (I knew he'd agree because there is no scarcity of rooms in Gangotri.. If not this hotel, there's always another one who'd be happy to take us in!!!)
We had our lunch of Roti, dal and channa masala and by 1:30 PM, we were all set to go. Rana informed us that the entry will be difficult if we don't make to the check post before 2 pm. After that, they wont allow people to go inside. He led us through the crowd of Pilgrims, Tourists, Touts, Babas and Beggars. Seeing all the sight and sounds we reached the Gangotri temple. The trek starts right from the temple. Varun and Shankar were walking with Rana. Gokul and myself were lagging behind taking pictures of the temple and the people there.
After some time I realized that we are slowing the others and hurried towards them. First we had to climb many steps and by the time I reached the top I was panting like an old dog. I was dead tired! The trek hasn't even started and I was tired!
My mouth and lungs were dry. Breathing were more of gasping. Legs were paining like hell and each step was a 'Himalayan' task! I started thinking. "climbing the steep steps in a such a hurry could be the reason for my tiredness!" Shankar, Varun and Rana were ahead of me and Gokul was still behind. I sat down and waited for him. He came a couple of min later and I stood up. I thought it should be OK now. But I was not... As soon as we started walking, I started feeling tired once again!
Something was wrong. I saw the three walking almost half a km ahead of me. Even Gokul who came last was walking ahead of me. That too carrying my backpack!!!
I was feeling so tired I thought I'd fall down. And guess what.. Its not even a km since we started! Was it altitude-sickness or something else? What could be wrong? Could it be that I am aging?? Is 30 years that old an age to get tired so quickly? How come all the other bloggers made it without any trouble? Some of them were much older than me! I seriously think its something else.. Could it be the lunch we had before starting? Or is it the sun?? Hmmm... I am not at all caring about my health these days! I should have quit drinking long back! All these thoughts were running in my mind and when I came back to my senses, Gokul was also very far from me!!!
Things that I learnt the hard way:
P.S:
If you do not care about the things mentioned above, you are going to end up like me! Believe me, I've never been in such a worse condition in my whole life.
I was walking like a zombie 1 km behind the others and wondering whats wrong with me all the way. At every breath and every step I was cursing myself for forgetting to carry the first two items. The third one i started realizing only after a long time. Almost after covering 5 km!
I struggled a lot and managed to gain a few more steps. I saw the others waiting for me at one place. (They all got more than 15 min rest waiting for me) Rana, said we need to hurry soon otherwise we will miss the entry that day. (I really wished we'd miss it somehow)
The VRS (Varun, Rana and Shankar) got up and started walking quickly to the check post to do the formalities while Gokul stayed back with me. After some time once again we started walking (I started my zombie walk and remembered the trek to Hemkund Sahib) Around 2:30, we reached the check post and I sat down to relax a bit. By the time Varun had finished the formalities and they started walking! Gokul was with me and he was busy clicking snaps of every sight around us!
Varun and Rana (front) at the checkpost after completing the entry formalities.
Till now we had covered only 2 km and the first break Chirbassa "Cheedbassa", was 6 more km away. I dont know how I am going to cover that distance. Gokul was busy clicking the snaps and I realised I am missing to enjoy the beauty around me. I also tookout my cybershot and started taking some snaps.
I was busy with my own thoughts and misery and when I saw Shankar and Rana waiting for me. The other two were nowhere in sight. Rana got up as soon as he saw me. He told me that if we want to reach Bhojwassa we better hurry. It'll be dark soon and walking in the dark is impossible.
I thought.. "Bhojwassa??? Who said I am coming to Bhojwassa?? I had made up my mind to halt in Chirwassa. (If i make it alive till there) I'll drag myself somehow the remaining 3 more km and thats the end!" I was even thinking of skipping Gaumukh. I'll do it someother time! Soon Rana left.
Shankar told me to take rest if I wanted to. I was already down. I lay down there for some 20 min and then tried to get up. From where we were, we could see a green hut at a long distance. Shankar said thats Chirwassa. Rana had told him so. So thats how far I have to walk! I told shankar about my plans. He listened and then said.
"Actually its not only you who is tired. All of us are. But we'll try our best. If its not possible then we will see other options.."
I tried to convince him but it was of no use. Atlast we both started walking. I dont know how, but after an hour, we were nearing that place. Rana was waiting for us there. He encouraged us saying we are almost there. He said he has some plans.
Shankar started walking faster and I continued my zombie walk. When I reached the 'green hut' we saw from a distance I was heart broken. I was thinking it would be atleast a tea shop or check post. But it was neither of them. It was just an old shelter and there was nothing there.
Rana kept urging me to walk faster. we were almost there. In the end it took another half an hour for me to reach the place where others were waiting for me. At last I am in Chirbassa. I made it!
I had tea and biscuts and maggi there. Rana said the Chirbassa guys were his friends and if I wanted I could stay there for the night. He would take the others to Bhojwassa and the next day they'll wait for me till 7 AM before leaving to Gaumukh. If I couldnt make it tomorrow morning then I can start walking back towards Gangotri. They'll join me on the way. He went on with his ideas but i was not at all listening to him anymore. I was OK with anything as long as I get to take rest there. There is no way I am walking any more that day. Tomorrows episode we will see tomorrow... But In the end the others also declared they'd stay with me. I was really happy. So there is a small hope I'll see Gaumukh!
I wanted to lie down as soon as possible. When I removed my shoes my legs were trembling. It was then, I realised what was making me tired from the begining. The Woodlands shoe I eagerly bought for this trek was the culprit. It was almost 3 kg each and they were the reason for all my trouble! So it wasn't OLD AGE afterall!!!
Soon they opened the spare room and made the bed for us.
Rice and dal was for dinner which Gokul and myself skipped happily. After dinner Varun and Shankar came to the room and we talked about the day and our misadventures. We wished at least from the next day our luck would change. There wont be any more problems.
But...
From The Beginning:
17-5-09
Uttarkashi - Gangotri (and a little beyond...)
The earlier day's experience had taught us a lot about the Share Taxis in Uttarkashi. We didn't want to take any more risks. We will catch the first taxi itself. We woke up early and got ready by 5 am. But when we reached the taxi stand, another shock was waiting for us!
The first taxi was waiting with 6 passengers. 2 in the front along with the driver, 4 in the middle. We loaded our luggage on the top and and sat in the back. But the driver was not ready. He said he wanted 2 more!
"2 more????!!! Where the hell are they going to sit?"
"6 can sit in the rear" The driver said.
"You must be kidding. How are you going to accommodate 6 Passengers in the back! If it were 6 kids then there was no problem. But 6 adults traveling 4 hrs in the back of Tata Sumo was ridiculous idea!"
We told him that will not be possible. But the driver was not ready to listen. So we got down and said we'll go in the next taxi. At least we 4 could sit in the middle seat.
So once again he was down to 6 passengers. Till 6 AM no other passenger came there and the first taxi was still waiting. Only if he leaves the place, the second taxi will start taking passengers. We again tried to convince the driver saying we will take 1 extra ticket. But he was not ready. Somehow he was stuck with 6! (I think it was his lucky number or something...)
After some time a foreign lady came and the driver gave her one seat. He was now 5 short of his magical 6! He came back to us and said we could come if we are still ready to take the 5 tickets we promised. We said we are not coming in that car. After some time the current passengers started grumbling. It was getting late for them. They somehow made him start the taxi with just 7!
Loading the luggage in second taxi
I don't know whether he cursed us while leaving but even after waiting for almost 1 and half hr, not even a single passenger came. At last we started losing patience. We started to convince our new driver and after a long bargain we fixed the rate at 1000/- The deal was, he'd take passengers on the way. As long as we were starting from that place, it was OK for us!
It took 4 hrs to reach Gangotri. On the way the driver got 5 passengers, traveling short distances. Anyways in the end he managed to get his full amount and we also traveled comfortably. (Varun in the front, we three in the middle and the other passengers in the rear) It would have been a hectic 4 hr journey if we had to sit crumbled in the back of the taxi with 6 passengers!
Gangotri turned out to be a busier place than I had expected. We came to know later that there are so many hotels and Ashrams all located around the temple. However we were more concerned about the permission than hotels in Gangotri. So as soon as we reached Gangotri and settled the taxi fare, we started asking around for the Forest Dept office. Like any other tourist place, the touts were upon us within minutes.
"Do you want rooms?", "do you need guide", "Do you need porter"...
We told them about our plan and our situation. One of them took charge and told the other one that he'll handle us. He then told us that his friend has rooms in Gangotri and he can also take care of the officials at the check post. Moreover he can be our guide to Gaumukh and back for 500 rupees per day!
We knew that we could easily find guides for 200 or 250 rupees per day. So we bargained and fixed it at 300 per day. We just hoped that he would manage the permission as he boasted to us. Before we started we wanted to:
Have lunch
Keep the excess luggage somewhere
Take some photos
Our guide, Rana took us to his friend's hotel. There we transferred the important items into two backpacks and dumped the other clothes in the remaining bags. Rana said instead of taking a room we could just keep the things in the clock room for 30/- rupees. Excellent! why waste 600 when we can finish it in 60 rupees???
Then his friend, the hotel owner started telling tales that the clock room key is not with him and the guy who is having it has gone away. Anyways after some 10 min persuasion, he said he'll keep it safe in his room. (I knew he'd agree because there is no scarcity of rooms in Gangotri.. If not this hotel, there's always another one who'd be happy to take us in!!!)
We had our lunch of Roti, dal and channa masala and by 1:30 PM, we were all set to go. Rana informed us that the entry will be difficult if we don't make to the check post before 2 pm. After that, they wont allow people to go inside. He led us through the crowd of Pilgrims, Tourists, Touts, Babas and Beggars. Seeing all the sight and sounds we reached the Gangotri temple. The trek starts right from the temple. Varun and Shankar were walking with Rana. Gokul and myself were lagging behind taking pictures of the temple and the people there.
After some time I realized that we are slowing the others and hurried towards them. First we had to climb many steps and by the time I reached the top I was panting like an old dog. I was dead tired! The trek hasn't even started and I was tired!
My mouth and lungs were dry. Breathing were more of gasping. Legs were paining like hell and each step was a 'Himalayan' task! I started thinking. "climbing the steep steps in a such a hurry could be the reason for my tiredness!" Shankar, Varun and Rana were ahead of me and Gokul was still behind. I sat down and waited for him. He came a couple of min later and I stood up. I thought it should be OK now. But I was not... As soon as we started walking, I started feeling tired once again!
Something was wrong. I saw the three walking almost half a km ahead of me. Even Gokul who came last was walking ahead of me. That too carrying my backpack!!!
I was feeling so tired I thought I'd fall down. And guess what.. Its not even a km since we started! Was it altitude-sickness or something else? What could be wrong? Could it be that I am aging?? Is 30 years that old an age to get tired so quickly? How come all the other bloggers made it without any trouble? Some of them were much older than me! I seriously think its something else.. Could it be the lunch we had before starting? Or is it the sun?? Hmmm... I am not at all caring about my health these days! I should have quit drinking long back! All these thoughts were running in my mind and when I came back to my senses, Gokul was also very far from me!!!
Things that I learnt the hard way:
1. Keep a bottle of water with you. There is no shops or houses on the way. Though at one or two places you'll find small mountain streams with cold and clear water, it might not suit everyone. In cheewassa and Bhojwassa there is ashram where you can refil your bottle, but the water will be muddy. So better carry some water purifing tablets also.
2. Apply sunscreen lotion or cream librally on your exposed skin. Its also good to carry your medicine kit along with you.
3. Please choose your shoes carefuly. Since there is going to be a lot of walking, choose a good pair of hiking shoes (preferably a weightless one)
P.S:
If you do not care about the things mentioned above, you are going to end up like me! Believe me, I've never been in such a worse condition in my whole life.
I was walking like a zombie 1 km behind the others and wondering whats wrong with me all the way. At every breath and every step I was cursing myself for forgetting to carry the first two items. The third one i started realizing only after a long time. Almost after covering 5 km!
I struggled a lot and managed to gain a few more steps. I saw the others waiting for me at one place. (They all got more than 15 min rest waiting for me) Rana, said we need to hurry soon otherwise we will miss the entry that day. (I really wished we'd miss it somehow)
The VRS (Varun, Rana and Shankar) got up and started walking quickly to the check post to do the formalities while Gokul stayed back with me. After some time once again we started walking (I started my zombie walk and remembered the trek to Hemkund Sahib) Around 2:30, we reached the check post and I sat down to relax a bit. By the time Varun had finished the formalities and they started walking! Gokul was with me and he was busy clicking snaps of every sight around us!
Varun and Rana (front) at the checkpost after completing the entry formalities.
Till now we had covered only 2 km and the first break Chirbassa "Cheedbassa", was 6 more km away. I dont know how I am going to cover that distance. Gokul was busy clicking the snaps and I realised I am missing to enjoy the beauty around me. I also tookout my cybershot and started taking some snaps.
The 18 km from Gangotri to Gaumukh can be covered by foot or on a mule till Bhojwassa (5 km before Gaumukh). Due to environmental concerns, mules are not allowed beyond Bhojwassa. For one way the goda-waalahs may demand 825/- rupees and 1025/- for return (same day). It is possible! The path till Chirbassa "cheedbassa" (8 km) is mostly through tree line and at some places through barren hill terrain. Some places are so high and the way is too narrow you might feel giddy looking down. However as long as you dont try anything funny, there is not much to worry about the trek.
I was busy with my own thoughts and misery and when I saw Shankar and Rana waiting for me. The other two were nowhere in sight. Rana got up as soon as he saw me. He told me that if we want to reach Bhojwassa we better hurry. It'll be dark soon and walking in the dark is impossible.
I thought.. "Bhojwassa??? Who said I am coming to Bhojwassa?? I had made up my mind to halt in Chirwassa. (If i make it alive till there) I'll drag myself somehow the remaining 3 more km and thats the end!" I was even thinking of skipping Gaumukh. I'll do it someother time! Soon Rana left.
Shankar told me to take rest if I wanted to. I was already down. I lay down there for some 20 min and then tried to get up. From where we were, we could see a green hut at a long distance. Shankar said thats Chirwassa. Rana had told him so. So thats how far I have to walk! I told shankar about my plans. He listened and then said.
"Actually its not only you who is tired. All of us are. But we'll try our best. If its not possible then we will see other options.."
I tried to convince him but it was of no use. Atlast we both started walking. I dont know how, but after an hour, we were nearing that place. Rana was waiting for us there. He encouraged us saying we are almost there. He said he has some plans.
Shankar started walking faster and I continued my zombie walk. When I reached the 'green hut' we saw from a distance I was heart broken. I was thinking it would be atleast a tea shop or check post. But it was neither of them. It was just an old shelter and there was nothing there.
Rana kept urging me to walk faster. we were almost there. In the end it took another half an hour for me to reach the place where others were waiting for me. At last I am in Chirbassa. I made it!
Chirbassa is nothing but a small check point. The guys staying there will prepare tea, maggi, rice, dal and biscuts (though at a himalayan price) if you ask. There is a spare room with some dirty blankets and rug. If its OK with you, and if its not already occupied you can stay there for the night.
I had tea and biscuts and maggi there. Rana said the Chirbassa guys were his friends and if I wanted I could stay there for the night. He would take the others to Bhojwassa and the next day they'll wait for me till 7 AM before leaving to Gaumukh. If I couldnt make it tomorrow morning then I can start walking back towards Gangotri. They'll join me on the way. He went on with his ideas but i was not at all listening to him anymore. I was OK with anything as long as I get to take rest there. There is no way I am walking any more that day. Tomorrows episode we will see tomorrow... But In the end the others also declared they'd stay with me. I was really happy. So there is a small hope I'll see Gaumukh!
I wanted to lie down as soon as possible. When I removed my shoes my legs were trembling. It was then, I realised what was making me tired from the begining. The Woodlands shoe I eagerly bought for this trek was the culprit. It was almost 3 kg each and they were the reason for all my trouble! So it wasn't OLD AGE afterall!!!
Soon they opened the spare room and made the bed for us.
NOTE: guys.. its always better to carry a sleeping bag and I was glad I carried mine with me. The bed was very dirty. But beggers can't be choosers right?
Rice and dal was for dinner which Gokul and myself skipped happily. After dinner Varun and Shankar came to the room and we talked about the day and our misadventures. We wished at least from the next day our luck would change. There wont be any more problems.
But...
From The Beginning:
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