Mountain Smiles

All geared up and ready for trekking!

The morning after our enlightening Cheese Conference in Dalhousie, we met Sahil. A fresh-faced young man who (I was very pleased to learn) will be escorting us on our 2-day trek with his mountaineering expertise to his home town, Chamba Valley. When I say ‘escorting’ I really mean, ‘skipping alongside us as we trudge and drag our unfit Western asses up and down a series of ever changing natural terrain’.

‘The mountains are my playground.’ He would shrug and flash his amazing smile. It was a smile that sits so easily and sincerely on his face that you can’t help but stop and admire. Or in my case, stare in open-mouth amazement. He has a small chip in his front tooth, which would normally spoil a set of perfectly straight teeth. But in his case it just made his smile all the more genuine, as if to say ‘I’m not going to hide this flaw; it’s part of who I am.’

Sahil led us through jungle and forestry of 50 different shades of green. Chetan also told us that there are 29 shades of brown…but doesn’t that depend on what you eat? (Clo was the only one who heard me say that to appreciate it. Thanks, Clo! Can always count on you!) So, as I put each foot forward and breathed in the freshness of natural India, I felt myself filling up with a sense of elation…and relief. So many trees to hug!! Our footsteps rose and fell with the mountains as the path changed underneath us. We went from flat, gravel paths littered with dried pine needles, to steep rocky slopes (we had to crane our necks to see where we were going), to moist, mossy grounds where fresh spring water freely cut through the terrain. My heart was singing with joy to the tune of the mountains…the hills are alive with the sound of music. For those who know me well (and perhaps not so well) won’t be surprised to learn that I wasn’t shy to belt this out during the trek.

Finally after 6 hours of ascent and perspiration, we arrived in Khajjier AKA Mini-Swiss. If it weren’t for the cows weaving in and out of the café tables, I would’ve thought I was in Switzerland! Once we reached flat grounds I was hit by a second-wind. I spread my arms out like wings and ran across the grass towards the steaming pots that promised chai chai chai! I shouldn’t have done that. I exhausted the last of my energy reserves. Later at the hotel, I pretty much ate dinner with my face on the plate and excused myself from the group at 8 and slept till morning. It was like Delhi all over again! Mother Jen’s right, I’m consistent with my high energy and light moods, but I crash and burn. Haha whoops. But that’s ok. When I woke up, I was more than ready for trekking, day TWO!