A call for the hills

“For else, young men shall go hooded, and look abroad little. It is a strange thing, that in sea voyages, where there is nothing to be seen, but sky and sea, men should make diaries: but in land-travel, wherein so much is to be observed, for the most part they omit it: as if chance were fitter to be registered, than observation.” ­­- Francis Bacon (Of Travels)

How many times does it happen to you? One fine day you suddenly wake up and realize that DARN! I have had enough and I need to take a vacation! NOW!! To me it certainly happens more than often! That feeling of packing your bag overnight, withdrawing an ample amount from ATM for the journeys, charging your phones..mp3s..camera batteries to the fullest gives you a kick, a thrill doesn't it?

Charging out of your home the next morning with a huge rucksack and catching the earliest bus to the foothills. Four-five hours of foggy, chilly air brushing your face through that half open bus window, that hot steaming cup of tea that touches your tongue when the bus takes a 20 minutes break for people to straighten their backs or respond to their nature calls, people travelling with you, that scenic frame in front of your eyes, it’s all oh-so-exciting isn't it?

Another bus journey starts after you have gotten off of that comfortable bus of yours and take the next bus to the real mountains that you always dreamt of travelling to. That tiny rickety bus which seems like breaking down at the very start of its engine but it stays as strong and sturdy as it could be and that surely is a spectacle to see.

As the geographical setting starts to change visibly and variably in front of your eyes and the plains, paddy fields, long straight roads are being taken over by curvy, deteriorating roads. You witness a chill in the air increasing by the height. Billboards and advertisement posters are swapped by road signs like “curve ahead”, “drive slow” and “watch ahead for falling stones”. It is evident that now you have to come out of your comfort zone and look forward for the exciting, arduous and adventurous journey that you were always looking for.

So, that shaky wobbly bus at last comes to a halt and you have to get down and start looking for an accommodation for some days or two to come. Depending on your pocket and how much you can burn you scan around the area quickly and make some mental equations as to which direction you should move to. Being a shopping enthusiast your eyes directly turn to the bright colored, woolen textured clothes which look like waving and beckoning you to touch, try or buy them. But you resist. Maybe.

You have now cut to the chase and find a suitable place to spend your weekend. Next you have to do is take out your fully functional smart phone (thanks to the convenience of the mobile networks of the present day) and look out for the places that you must visit as a back packing traveller.

On your wish list while visiting any hill-station there must be –

- A mountain top that is famous for its scenic beauty

- An old and very holy temple or monastery

- A natural lake or park where you can spend some alone ‘you’ time

- And lastly an area that is well populated and a shoppers paradise and laden with some cheap but mouth-watering local dishes

As the night arrives in a jiffy you feel the tacit and brazen winds trying to scare you off and YOU, a tired but ever excited you retires to your cozy little room fantasizing about the next day and its events that you are going to reminisce for all of your lifetime. The humble food menu and the very sweet and modest hotel owners welcome you with all their open hearts and arms trying to make you as comfortable as they can. You sleep off contented.

The morning sun wakes you up peeping through the east facing window of your hotel room and you having a real good night’s sleep wake up feeling fresh as a freshly plucked daisy. You decide to dress in casual and comfortable attire and head out for all your pre-planned destinations. In the process of your looking, clicking and roaming around the place you soak up all the beauty and try to gather up all the information that you can as there is not much time left to leave from there.

You do everything and some more that you planned of and pack your rucksack again with a load of happy memories to return to your boring mundane life. You are allured to stay back but inevitable of the facts and circumstances you have to go back.

Just as the way you escaped from the rush to the serenity you now prepare yourself take a turn and sit on the bus that will take you back to the foothills,  leaving behind a part of you there forever.

Now now..you must be thinking I have had helluva such trips alone many a times, but I have to stop you right there. I am yet to have one. It’s surely one of the things I have on my bucket-list. To-do, will-do, have-to-do!