This is a series of my two weeks of tryst with the Garhwal Himalayas:
Day 1&2 : Secunderabad to Delhi
Day 3: Delhi to Haridwar bus ride
Day 3: Meerut Road
Day 3: Har Ki pauri- Haridwar
Day 4: Impressions from Haridwar
Day 4: Through Rajaji national Park
Day 4: Devaprayag-Srinagar-Rudraprayag-Karnaprayag
Day 5: Pipalkoti-Joshimath-Badrinath
Day 6: Mana: The last Indian village
Before I move on to Govindghat, let me narrate you the adventures of the previous evening while on my way back from Mana village. I was looking for a conveyance to reach Govindghat from Badrinath. It was raining steadily and no vehicles were willing to oblige. And then I found a Sumo who agreed to carry passengers on a premium. After futile attempts to bargain, we gave up and got in. As suspected just 5 kms down Badrinath, roads were blocked because of landslide. I wanted to reach Govindghat badly before dusk since it would save me a day to trek up to the Valley of Flowers.
Where's the road? Landslide ahead....
The boys in the jeep decided to cross the landslide walking. I was aghast. Since, it was still raining, I could literally see the rocks tumbling down. The younger boys from my vehicle were hell bent to cross it. I was tentative, shaking in my boots. What if a big chunk of land mass washes down taking us along to the deep gorge below into the mighty Alaknanda.
My mind was doing somersaults. I saw the boys move ahead. The next instant I gave them a shout and joined them, my heart pounding nevertheless.
Look at the tension in the man's face. They were all running.
