My first meeting with Mountains

I was living with my grandparents in Solan Himachal Pradesh. I was 10 Years old. I used to attend my online classes half of the day and the other half I would spend either on my I-pad or will go to visit my neighbourhood friend. That was all in my routine. My parents are born and brought up in mountains. They love mountains. They urged me and convinced me a lot to go out and see the surroundings, but who wants that when you have an I pad and access to all the games.

Then one day my parents decided to take me for a trek on the nearby mountain. The goal was to climb the mountain, and then reach the main the main road on the other side and come home walking through the main road. we made a visual map and estimated 3 hours for the total trek. We packed the trek bag. We packed water, food and some essentials, started walking.

we walked for 600 metres downhill to reach the small water stream. it was fun till then. Then the uphill climb started. The whole mountain was covered with pine trees and small berry bushes. Whole green area was covered with dry pine needles. My parents were walking so effortlessly uphill, but i was really finding it very difficult and my shoes were slipping on every step. I realised i was not wearing the right shoes. Thats when my mom told me that even my ascent posture while walking uphill was not right. Will tell you in detail in some other blog.

We rested some where in the mid way, had chocolate, a cup of tea and just breathed for so

me time. My mom lied down on pine needles bed, my dad started walking here and there and that when I saw, how beautiful that silent was. How welcoming the mountain is I felt a deep connection with the way i felt on that mountain. I was tired, i was wanting to go back but now I wanted to walk more, see more, explore more. Wanted to extend my arms and hug this magnanimous mountain.

I saw tree resins, dry pine cones, collected few too. I met few villagers walking downhill. I also saw a water reservoir too. Natural water. I drAnk it with hands. Again I was clumsy, so my mom helped me do that. I jumped around, slipped many times. Took difficult terrains and figured things out while being happily welcomed by this mountain.

We reached the main road, after taking many wrong routes. Suddenly the vehicles, people, shops, noise. I have always lived in these surroundings but suddenly i felt so out of the place. For sometime I was so much happy in that silent mountain terrain that it took me some time to get adjusted to that noise. We bought samosas, pakode and few sweets on our way back home from the small village market .

Dad told me, we took 4 hours 25 minutes. 1 hour 25 minutes extra from our estimated time.

But the most beautiful 4 hours of my life till now. I have never been so close to nature ever.

What I take back:

1. But better walking shoes if you want to walk in nature. Nothing fancy.

2. Carry a walking stick initially if you are not used to it.

3. Carry small eatables and water.

4. stay covered to protect yourself from insect bites

5. Be open to getting lost and re route.