It's not about the Summit Always!
Sat Sri Akal Readers, Summers are knocking on our doors ardently and with the warm fuzzy memories of the snowy occasions and the longing for the cozy nights somewhere there is a tiny hope lingering around in the heart to get ourselves involved in the chilled nature again. One of the most sought sports in India during winter is Trekking and today’s article is rather a question of mine to all the skilled mountaineers out there “What do you feel and see when you think about your next big trek?”
It is being evidently proven every time that just the thoughts of Mountains spark an incomparable amount of confidence in one individual, no matter how tough life gets; when you hit the summit you are reborn again. It’s true not even a single grand thing can withstand the beauty peaks holds for us but have you ever sat back and reflected that it’s not always about the summit that makes one bravehearted. We unconsciously wired ourselves in calling a trek as a “failed trek” if we accidentally missed the summit but is it so? Does the beauty of trek depend wholly on the peak?
In this article I want to remind you of all the less appreciated yet crucial moments of a trek and encourage you to question your beliefs next time you set foot on another great trek.
Ever wondered what causes happiness when we achieve our goal. Is it just the victorious feeling of finally having your dream in your hand or is it the unspoken thought that potters around the corner of mind that the struggle has finally come to an end ?
We set foot to tame down the mountains and feel brave about ourselves but when mountains stood back hindering our way we come home disheartened. My question is WHY? Why do we do that to ourselves ? Why can't we learn from our trails?
Life is a journey and all the lessons are taught to us not at the age of ninety but at the age of twenty just like that mountains don’t teach us the lessons when we set foot on the summit, it teaches us through the trails we ascend against the gravity, combating the capricious weather that greets us throughout our journey. It teaches through the meek furry companions that guard us as omens hinting at an enthralling trek ahead and through the cold starry nights where we learn to embrace the simplicity of life.
So here are some less spoken facts about trails that makes our trek/expedition more suhana :
EXPLORING AUTHENTICITY OF NEW PEOPLE
I hear the extroverts roaring a loud YES! And to the introverts here’s why you should get out of that bubble wrap of yours and connect to new people. Mountain people teach us way more than any city people. They radiate life in every second they spend, from their tedious work routine to their warm cozy scheduled evening get-togethers there’s pure bliss mixed with the brave spirit of theirs that they have honed up to face the durable nature. After all, when you are about to complete your trek you talk about the way they lead their life and get inspired by it not only by the way you climb to that top.
TREK TIME = STORY WORLD
Admit it! There’s still the child in you who gets fascinated by new stories, no matter how much of a dull and far reaching person life has made you. Our minds still become attracted and surprised when you hear the local trek guide unfolding a sinuous story about the unearthly creature he spotted in his journey. Trail gives you the benefit to live that inner child again by presenting you with riveting and extraordinary cliff hangers making you a captivating storyteller than the gossip queen next door.
FEAST YOUR TONGUE WITH THE UNDEMANDING CUISINE
Surely Biriyani, Exotic Chicken Cuisine and sweets that melts right after coming in contact of your mouth brings you an immense euphoria but the hot and simple Veg Maggie made of fresh stream water and the soft and delicate Momos served with authentic local recipes sauces after a long tiring trek will remain unmatchable from any worldly cuisine.
GIFT YOURSELF A SOUVENIR OF NATURE
Yes I know, currently hilly areas souvenirs are slowly becoming staple in big cities but the fuzzy feeling that lingers every time you look at that little Buddha dancing statue accompanied by the rush of all the moments you have spent bargaining with the local marketer trying to understand his language in the remote areas will always be a plus one than any expensive gifts. Be creative and treat yourself to something straight from nature like a rock or an unbloomed unique seed. I myself become an avid stone collector every time I’m out for a trek. ;P
POLISH UP BUTTERCUP
Be it your physical health or your mental health. No doctors can do you good enough like nature itself. With every step you take through those rocky rows, lush green forests and ankle deep snow you become a free spirit. Not only do you scale up in the stamina section of your health but you also ace up in unblocking your mind bombarding it with fresh ideas throughout the trek. Cheers to those who came up with remarkable ideas in their treks and applied the change to their daily life after going down.
FACE YOUR FEARS
Hiking, Mountaineering, Trekking and Expedition are eminent ways to spike up the confidence of the lost risk taker in you. I myself became more bold and humble in my life after my first trek even though I was the worst trekker of my group. Summoning to the nature, exploring the beauty of it while facing the continuous changing weather and feeling the thrill of getting out of breath as the air becomes thinner makes you more down to earth and a grateful person to the tiny things in life and even if you by chance take the wrong route and hit the wrong rock, your guardian angel will always be there dressed up as your trek guide to correct your mistakes. So, Pack Up and hit those curvy roads, our expert guides will take care of the rest.
BECOME A NATURE WITNESSER
There’s a famous quote from the movie Dead Poets Society saying “I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life. To put to rout all that was not life; and not, when I had come to die, discover that I had not lived”. Mountain trails make you feel alive, they let you know that the soft heart of yours is still beating inside and it deserves to love, live and enjoy life like the free butterfly that you witness on your journey. It reminds you that you can be brave again in life with the wilderness of those dark deep forests. It offers you the calmness of life through the serene stream that befriends you as you rise up to conquer your trek day bringing you hope that one day you too will bloom like the beautiful wildflower again.
These are some of the many ways the trails of treks treat us in our life. Book your slot for our next trip to find out all the hidden gems mountains have preserved for you. Last but not the least This is to remind you again : “Trekking Ek Safar Hai Suhana, Summit Ho Ya Na Kisne Jana”.