ESL Blogs

Ever experienced an exhilarating delight and extreme thrill at the same time? Try being in the midst of a mixed flock of birds in a highland forest of Uttrakhand, with snow covered roads looking no less than paradise but yet risky for vehicles and making adventurous journey vulnerable.

Thanks to Amit, for enlightening the thirst to feel the Higher Himalayas by all our senses. He called me to watch those snow peaks from top roof of the Cautley Bhawan which aroused a relentless curiosity to feel them more closely.

It was this desire that make me ask all my friends who were present there. It was that craving which forced the reluctant Sumit to concede. We reached a joint consensus after a heated debate, to leave the Roorkee at 4 AM and bunk all the scheduled classes. Let me describe the diverse and dynamic group of people who brought colors to the trip.

Bikesh – A true blend of contrasting character, agile to work and quick to response. It is difficult to manipulate him as he got some sought of prudence and reckon well before taking decisions.

Nasit – In maiden appearance, he appears to be decent (if not innocent) guy. Naivety is his perhaps power which enhances his personality and adoption anywhere (virtually everywhere).

Varun – Someone with god given veto power, having an assertive voice and adamant behavior for those who do not know him. Those who know him will not ever dare to describe him on a piece of paper.

Sumit – He is a typical Harayana product with inborn recalcitrant behavior (at least in hostels). But he is trying to be serious for the new aspiring future. He is going under huge transformation and certainly has got considerable achievement as well. Though he does not drink tea/coffee that much, but on that chilling day of January he proved himself to be a tea addicted person (No offence). 

After making a comprehensive study of roads, taxis, routes, options and cost effectiveness we made 3 plans A, B, C. As per plans, dragging ourselves out of bed at 3:30 AM on cold morning we reached bus stand.

The journey began and on Sumit’s insistence for tea at Roorkee bus stand, we quickly gulped a hot mug of tea with Monaco biscuits. We left for Dheradun in a drowsy state, except Varun as he got 2 Dheradun girls on the seat just next to him (not to mention pahari girls were pretty enough to envy us). Duns are the valleys filled by sediments in the lower Shiwalik regions. Freezing winds well blowing in Dheradun at 7 AM when we reached the valley.

From there we took the next bus for Mussoorie keeping in mind the live fantasy of Himalayas – And the range of habitats comprising lakes, rivers, forests of various hues, riverine and mountain grasslands, snow capped peaks and glaciers, and Human settlements.

There are almost 3-4 Shiwalik ranges and 1-2 Middle Himalayas ranges from Dheradun to Mussoorie and a clear discernible change in flora and fauna with varying altitude was observable. Only Bikesh was recluse in bus because of motion sickness, otherwise the faces of rest of us were glowing. No doubt there were apprehensions regarding heights but such thrills were not enough to hide our excitement. 

After a myriad twists and turns on a high slope road we finally reached Mussoorie Library bus stand.