Trek to Triund!

The journey:

We started off on the 1^st October night from Delhi to Dharamshala without knowing the consequences of going by a private Volvo. The bus timing was 8:30 PM but we got the first blow of the trip in the very beginning by leave-taking 1 hour late from Delhi. All thanks to the extensive weekend the route showed the worst side of it. Our first holdup!

 Meanwhile we got engaged in chit-chatting and realized it was already midnight. At 1 AM the bus stopped up at a local dhabha for dinner and we had dal makhani and Chapati. We took a nap and woke up to a massive jam at the toll gate followed by countless vehicles behind us. It was 5 AM already, after waiting for almost for one and a half hour we stepped down the bus in order to find out where the driver was. We walked for about 5-10 minutes and observed a queue full of drivers, in amidst the line up stood our driver all worn out. We came back to the bus to notify the uninformed aggravated public and after about two and a half hours we made a move. Our second holdup!

During the beginning and in between I made some new friends in the bus and killed my time during the setback of the bus at diverse points. One of the travelers happened to know me through my cousin and thus we had a fine lengthy session on our travel tales. She told me how she had stayed at a local village in Tehri, Garhwal at a local’s house during her project compilation on Chipkoo Movement which initially started from there itself in 1970s and 1980s. She was well aware of the culture and local delicacies of Garhwal from where I belong to. She and her friend got off before McLeodganj and it took us almost 20 hours to reach McLeodganj as the driver again went missing for another 1.5 hours at a toll gate before we entered Himachal border prior to Una. Our third holdup! We then crossed Kangra and I had an outlying sight of exceptional Kangra Fort which is believed to be the strongest building, had sustained the immense earthquake which occurred in 1900s.

So we reached Mcleodganj and took a taxi to Bhagsu that’s where our hotel was. It was 2 kms and the taxi driver took 150 INR. It was a real waste of time and money because the traffic was moving mad slow but we were exhausted with the 20 hours journey that we kept sitting. Our forth and last holdup of the trip! We checked in at the hotel at 5 PM, bathed and left for McLeodganj for dinner and a bit of shopping. We went to the Monastery, I shopped a memoir for myself and settled at Moon Peak Espresso Coffee Shop & Gallery 

The café caught my eyes from a far with its clean ambience and perfect lighting a place for photographers and coffee lovers. The boy we met at the restaurant was very friendly and asked us to try out the Himachali Thali so we ordered one which consisted of “Madra” “Badhi” “Kadhi” and Chapattis. Madra has never disappointed me and after the weary journey and fantastic Himachali dinner we headed back to the hotel after a 2 km walk. Subsequent to few chats and drinks we bid goodnight and went off to sleep at 12:30 AM so that we wake up on time the next morning.

Day of the Trek:

The day started with exhilaration and merry as the day was finally ahead and we were ready for 10 kms trek to Triund, our destination. We did a super quick breakfast of burgers, patties and juice at The Pastry Shop at the Mcleodganj diversion. We stuffed some fruits, water bottles, chocolates, glucose and chewing gums in our bag pack for the journey. At the starting point, we also met our guide who was super enthusiastic and cheerful Himachali guy. Before moving he instructed us with a few points to remember:

• ·     to drink less water(keep stomach empty)

• ·         to keep our hands free (out of pockets)

• ·         to chew gum for steady walking

• ·         to look straight

• ·         rest after walking for a while but not for too long as the body becomes sluggish

• ·         save the camera battery for the end point as the battery drains awfully at heights

It was the trek I was doing after a very long time and also got tired in between but the guide kept us moving with his jokes and motivational talks. The way seemed to be a little arduous in the beginning but the body managed to muddle through well as the beautiful Triund and view of Dhauladhar Range kept me stimulated to move further.

The not so good pathway for the trekkers 

 We stopped by at a tea shop at Gallu Temple for some tea and to rest our legs as the journey would now become more strenuous. We hence commenced the trek with more passion as the way started becoming more treacherous and complicated. As we moved more further we crossed the forest of Oak, Deodar and rhododendron which was extremely stunning and tranquil. We also happened to cross some steep rocky pathways with little visibility due to ongoing fog. I had no energy left in me during the last few minutes before the destination could arrive. My legs didn’t move, my breath became heavy and I was nearly dead with the fatigue just then a passerby told me that Triund is worth the pain and only few minutes away. Just then our guide asked us to carry on as we were about reach and going to witness the last 1 km which is famous for 22 curves before Triund. Those 22 curves were really troublesome for my legs I must admit.

And I reached the very striking Triund!

A temple in the heaven

Triund:

Triund is situated in the laps of Dhauladhar on one side and Kangra on the other. The view was breathtaking and I could sense the presence of supernatural being in the place. It was indeed celestial. There was a small shop which had eggs, maggi, water, chips and other petty packed snacks. The plan was to come back the same day but after reaching the place and getting doused by the beauty of the place we decided to stay for the night. My friends were first time trekkers but they managed to cover the distant way in 4 1/2 hours. After having a hot bowl of maggi noodles we instantaneously asked our guide to arrange for a tent. Unfortunately he couldn’t arrange for sleeping bags as all were pre booked but managed to get a tent and few blankets. We were sorted!

The shop which carries everything from hot tea to dinner(dal-rice)

We placed our bags in the tent and went around exploring the nearby places and made some new friends, one of the visitors was a guy from Noida who had come all by himself with his own tent, sleeping bag and essentials. An Engineer by profession but a travel freak and a passionate shutterbug, he was staying there for the past one day and had explored the snowline peak and other areas too. Before having an early dinner we had a round of drinks in order to survive the cold which we borrowed from our neighboring tent. We all sat around the bonfire talking with strangers and called it a day.

A man sleeping in the lap of the beautiful Triund

The next morning was the day to return back to Mcleodganj and then to Delhi. We reached back to our hotel at 2 PM, checked out from our hotel and left for Mcleodganj for a fine food. After looking around for a Tibetan restaurant we happened to get in a quaint “Gakyi Restaurant” whose owner was a crazy woman who got offended and fired us left right and center when we asked to serve us a tad bit early as it was 5 PM already and we had a bus to catch at 6 PM. I ordered a bowl of boiling tomato soup and Tibetan noodles. We ate whatever we ordered (the food was good) and rushed towards the bus stand only to witness that the bus wouldn’t come to Mcleodganj. We again ran around looking for a cab in order to reach Dharamshala as our bus was to leave from there at 6:40 PM. We were on time but once again the bus was super late and we started off our journey at 8:30 PM.

We reached Delhi at 7:30 AM much earlier than we expected. The trip started and ended with a chaos, nevertheless we did what we came for, trek to Triund.

 I am all ready for another one!