I gradually picked up my speed and was crossing one by one. It was a plain road trek for the first day except last stretch of 250 metres which took to the campsite. Some part of the trek route can be seen from the youth hostel. The photo of the first day campsite is enlarged and it is the wall paper of the Mizoram YHAI main hall. The photo was taken by one of our guide Moses. Moses was a multi talented guy. In the whole trek , the person who carried heavy bag was Abhijit from Maharashtra. His wife and his two sons were there and very nice family. While I was crossing Suman Pai (another Bangalorean) I was enquiring about her travel to Ridhil lake. She was very much happy in visiting that lovely lake. The road was running along the slope of a uphill stretch and can view the valley in which a river was flowing. The other side of the valley was a hill and it was giving very nice view.
I crossed our Sandip Da and Bikas and was searching for Sudanshu w
ho was leading all the time. I crossed him and stopped for a while. After sometime there was a small waterfall on the road. It was the time to take bath. The water was very cold and the water was falling from about 5 metres high. It gave a good massage and the water was chill. I couldnt stand there not more than 10 minutes. After taking few snaps I started trek again. None took bath there and were giving a sigh at me. After 500 meters, there was a deviation to a jeep track and there was YHAI banner welcoming us. It was around 4 PM when I reached the campsite. 
The jeep track had been cleared for the trek. Since there was rain till the day before, it was wet and slippery at some places. There were leeches ofcourse. We were welcomed by the camp leader with juice and hot tea. The camp site was covered almost three sites by the hill and it was at the bottom. The campsite was protected by the hills and allover the border, salt was sprinkled to prevent our dear leeches. There was a stream which cut the campsite from the toilets. There was a small bridge to cross it.
The people were already preparing for our dinner. Ours was the biggest group of 56 people. Each tent was alloted for 6 persons. One by one people arrived and chatting in groups. After sometime all the guides motivated all to do some activities. We played Anthakshari for some time and the guides sung some mizo songs as well. Then as a exercise we were playing the rhyme "Make a melody in my heart, Make a melody in my dreams, To the King of Kings" "Thumbs up, Thumbs down, elbow up, knees bent, turn up, tongues out" all in action.
Later we were served Rice and Rotis as Dinner. After dinner me, Luv Singh and Sri Krishna went back on the trail to view the water falls. Both were excited to come the next day to the waterfalls to have a bath in that beautiful small waterfall. It was only 9 PM when we went to sleep
I crossed our Sandip Da and Bikas and was searching for Sudanshu w
ho was leading all the time. I crossed him and stopped for a while. After sometime there was a small waterfall on the road. It was the time to take bath. The water was very cold and the water was falling from about 5 metres high. It gave a good massage and the water was chill. I couldnt stand there not more than 10 minutes. After taking few snaps I started trek again. None took bath there and were giving a sigh at me. After 500 meters, there was a deviation to a jeep track and there was YHAI banner welcoming us. It was around 4 PM when I reached the campsite. 
The jeep track had been cleared for the trek. Since there was rain till the day before, it was wet and slippery at some places. There were leeches ofcourse. We were welcomed by the camp leader with juice and hot tea. The camp site was covered almost three sites by the hill and it was at the bottom. The campsite was protected by the hills and allover the border, salt was sprinkled to prevent our dear leeches. There was a stream which cut the campsite from the toilets. There was a small bridge to cross it.The people were already preparing for our dinner. Ours was the biggest group of 56 people. Each tent was alloted for 6 persons. One by one people arrived and chatting in groups. After sometime all the guides motivated all to do some activities. We played Anthakshari for some time and the guides sung some mizo songs as well. Then as a exercise we were playing the rhyme "Make a melody in my heart, Make a melody in my dreams, To the King of Kings" "Thumbs up, Thumbs down, elbow up, knees bent, turn up, tongues out" all in action.
Later we were served Rice and Rotis as Dinner. After dinner me, Luv Singh and Sri Krishna went back on the trail to view the water falls. Both were excited to come the next day to the waterfalls to have a bath in that beautiful small waterfall. It was only 9 PM when we went to sleep
Trek Day 2
By 5:30 the sun was up and by 6 AM it was already bright. Luv Singh joined to the waterfall and we couldnt spot Krishna. We went to the falls again and took bath. It was chill but refreshing. Krishna was seen disappointed of missing the waterfall. As I promised, I took him to the waterfalls and he was very happy. Again had a bath in the waterfalls and came back to the campsite. Sudanshu was wondering how many times I take bath. There was hot tea and it made a good to start. We were served Bread Jam with bananas. We were required to carry Pooris for lunch. Krishna offered to carry more pooris for me since I didnt had a tiffin box.
The second day trek route consisted of climb up and the cave exploration. We started trek at back of the campsite and climbed up the hill to reach the main road. We were taken through some small jeep tracks all along the road. There was a small stream which was flowing and as I took bath in a small water fall. All along the path there were leeches. After that we were climbin
g up in a jeep track.
At one point there was a deviation the right side took to a another hill. The left side was taking up the hill. I took the left side by intuition and I couldnt see the person before me. Also it was a small trail. It joined a jeep trail where I waited for the person behind. Our trek members came one by one and Biplap was showing his torn shoe. I offered my shoes and it was bit large for him. On following the jeep trail we reached the main r
oad again.
We had lunch on reaching the road. After lunch, we were following the main road to the Ailwang village. We gave few chocolates to the children in the village. The village was small and few people enquired about us. We followed to the top of village and a water tank. The campsite was near to the water tank. We were welcomed by the camp leader with Tea and hot bondas. After everyone reached the campsite, we were taken to the cave.
The cave have a story. The cave was considered as evil by the mizos at old time. The first person who explored the cave had lost his hair when he came out of the cave and later died mysteriously in few days. After the cave was explored by a group of trekkers from Maharashtra, the cave have become a tourist attraction.
It was around 4 PM when we reached the cave entrance. The entrance to the cave was several steps down the main road. There was a water tank in front of the cave. Ladies and children were taken first inside the cave. I was the person in front of Sandip, Bikas and Sudanshu. The water was flowing underneath the cave. The whole cave is made up of fissure due to earth movement. All the rocks had limestone settlement all along the way. Most part of the cave where there was water underneath was overlaid with wood. Still we were made wet as water was dripping at lot of places.
The progress inside the cave was very slow. We saw several times the guides moving front and back of the cave. The cave path was small and tricky at some places where we were required to crawl, climb and chimney climbs. Abhijit the family guy was just behind his family and he was explaining how the women and children crossed the cave. At some places of the cave, the guides went under the rock gaps and gave grip to people. The children were almost carried by the guides at most of the places. Some places we were required to squeeze ourselves to get between the rock gaps. There was a tricky climb where Chauhan was waiting for the guide. I went ahead and showed the technic to climb up. Later our group was able to cross few hurdles with less help from the guides. There were lot of crabs in water stream flowing beneath us and bats over our heads inside the cave.
In treks, when a person requires help in finding the route, it is always better to move in front of the person
and show how to approach the path. At some places in the cave we were waiting for more than 30 minutes. It was pitch dark all over the cave. The last stretch of the trek was very deep beneath and it required chimney climb. Some people were mentioning that the last stretch was stinky. People who reached front were taking photos when we were coming out of the cave. Everyone was excited after reaching the exit of the cave. The total length of the cave was 119 metres and people were wondering how fast we reached through road between entrance and exit rather through cave.
The whole body was muddy and I wanted to take bath before I get to dinner. I wanted to wait for the guides so that they know some place in village to take bath. But our Kochi Gautham gave me idea of going back to the entrance of the cave. We went to the entrance climbing down the steps. We had a nice bath and joined the last persons who were taking photos from the point where the deviation to the cave started. Sandip da was making comments about my bath.
After reaching campsite and finishing dinner, I went to the watertank which was above the campsite. I found Biplap, Abhijit from Pune, Kavitha, Sanjay and Chauhan chatting there. I meanwhile got a call from my colleague. Later I sent Diwali wishes for the next day. Me and Kavitha were watching the sky lying on the chill water tank. There were lot of shooting stars and I didnt had that many wishes for each shooting star.
I decided to comeback again in the morning to speak to my sisters and amma to wish them Diwali. It was getting cold by each minute and I came back to tent to sleep. Each person was given two blankets due to the chill weather.
The second day trek route consisted of climb up and the cave exploration. We started trek at back of the campsite and climbed up the hill to reach the main road. We were taken through some small jeep tracks all along the road. There was a small stream which was flowing and as I took bath in a small water fall. All along the path there were leeches. After that we were climbin
g up in a jeep track.At one point there was a deviation the right side took to a another hill. The left side was taking up the hill. I took the left side by intuition and I couldnt see the person before me. Also it was a small trail. It joined a jeep trail where I waited for the person behind. Our trek members came one by one and Biplap was showing his torn shoe. I offered my shoes and it was bit large for him. On following the jeep trail we reached the main r
oad again.We had lunch on reaching the road. After lunch, we were following the main road to the Ailwang village. We gave few chocolates to the children in the village. The village was small and few people enquired about us. We followed to the top of village and a water tank. The campsite was near to the water tank. We were welcomed by the camp leader with Tea and hot bondas. After everyone reached the campsite, we were taken to the cave.
The cave have a story. The cave was considered as evil by the mizos at old time. The first person who explored the cave had lost his hair when he came out of the cave and later died mysteriously in few days. After the cave was explored by a group of trekkers from Maharashtra, the cave have become a tourist attraction.
It was around 4 PM when we reached the cave entrance. The entrance to the cave was several steps down the main road. There was a water tank in front of the cave. Ladies and children were taken first inside the cave. I was the person in front of Sandip, Bikas and Sudanshu. The water was flowing underneath the cave. The whole cave is made up of fissure due to earth movement. All the rocks had limestone settlement all along the way. Most part of the cave where there was water underneath was overlaid with wood. Still we were made wet as water was dripping at lot of places.
The progress inside the cave was very slow. We saw several times the guides moving front and back of the cave. The cave path was small and tricky at some places where we were required to crawl, climb and chimney climbs. Abhijit the family guy was just behind his family and he was explaining how the women and children crossed the cave. At some places of the cave, the guides went under the rock gaps and gave grip to people. The children were almost carried by the guides at most of the places. Some places we were required to squeeze ourselves to get between the rock gaps. There was a tricky climb where Chauhan was waiting for the guide. I went ahead and showed the technic to climb up. Later our group was able to cross few hurdles with less help from the guides. There were lot of crabs in water stream flowing beneath us and bats over our heads inside the cave.
In treks, when a person requires help in finding the route, it is always better to move in front of the person
and show how to approach the path. At some places in the cave we were waiting for more than 30 minutes. It was pitch dark all over the cave. The last stretch of the trek was very deep beneath and it required chimney climb. Some people were mentioning that the last stretch was stinky. People who reached front were taking photos when we were coming out of the cave. Everyone was excited after reaching the exit of the cave. The total length of the cave was 119 metres and people were wondering how fast we reached through road between entrance and exit rather through cave.The whole body was muddy and I wanted to take bath before I get to dinner. I wanted to wait for the guides so that they know some place in village to take bath. But our Kochi Gautham gave me idea of going back to the entrance of the cave. We went to the entrance climbing down the steps. We had a nice bath and joined the last persons who were taking photos from the point where the deviation to the cave started. Sandip da was making comments about my bath.
After reaching campsite and finishing dinner, I went to the watertank which was above the campsite. I found Biplap, Abhijit from Pune, Kavitha, Sanjay and Chauhan chatting there. I meanwhile got a call from my colleague. Later I sent Diwali wishes for the next day. Me and Kavitha were watching the sky lying on the chill water tank. There were lot of shooting stars and I didnt had that many wishes for each shooting star.
I decided to comeback again in the morning to speak to my sisters and amma to wish them Diwali. It was getting cold by each minute and I came back to tent to sleep. Each person was given two blankets due to the chill weather.
2 comments:
Have linked your posts to my latest post :)
Looking forward to more updates.
Thank you Kima. Will complete this blog with my posts on the other days
Post a Comment