My first independent 5-trek tour

28th May 2022 - 9The June 2022.

My first ever trek tour as mountain ambassador was planned in May 2022, immediately after my summer vacations started. It was a 12-day tour. I was in grade 6. I was super anxious and excited too. I wanted to do a lot of preparation so I researched a little about the mountain cleaning drives, led by Jodie Underhill. She and her initiative has always been my inspiration. In fact, my PYP exhibition in grade 5, was also around her initiative.

Preparation:

1. Trek routes were to be decided and rounded. Since it was my first tour, I didn't want to go far, so I decided to keep the treks nearby and focus more on the cleaning drive rather than the duration of the trek. After a lot of discussion with my relatives in Himachal, research on google earth, and many brainstorming sessions with parents, we decided on 5 trek routes.

2. I wanted to make it special so requested my mother to design t-shirts for me with "The mountain ambassador" written on them. She took up the task and got me two T-shirts.

3. I bought gloves, bio-degradable garbage bags, caps, first aid kits, and sanitizers.

4. I contacted my neighborhood kid, 4 years older than me Vanshu bhaiya, to accompany me whenever possible.

5. Spoke to my grandparents to help me with routes and logistics as they live here and know the place better.

6. I packed my favorite Tossin pizza and left for Himachal vi Kalka Shatabdi, my mom came along for the journey to grand parents' home.

THE Trek route:

The trek route we decided on was based on how close they are to civilization, as that increases the possibility of more garbage disposal in forests. East to access from my grandparents' home within a day and also not too far. These routes were:

• Bashola

• Dagshai

• Himmatpur Dabli

• Kumarhatti

• Barog

All these places are in District Solan and not more than 5 km from each other but connected to the main road so getting lost was a little out of the question.

NERVES:

I was prepared for this day for the past month. I wanted to do this so desperately, but still now when Mom was leaving for Gurgaon, it was a little sad as I have never lived without her earlier. I was with my grandparents, and that excitement was also there. I will manage, I told this to myself and one day after we arrived, the treks were planned.

I would like to tell more about how my first trek of the 5 trek tour went. Let's wait for the next post.