Trek

November 1, 2006

Woke up at five thirty this morning (IRONIC: woke up two hours earlier than usual, on a NON CLASS DAY) and proceeded to trek first, to end point, and then, lower. Went with V, P, Va and, ofcourse, M.(All male). (As of right now, M’s the hottest guy I know. He’s amazingly smart, funny and cool; but pays me no significant amounts of attention. That’s probably because V pays me TOO much attention, and they’re friends.)

(Oh yeah, it was V’s birthday… and he got ME chocolates, which he proceeded to present to me during the trek in front of the other two. I was so embarrassed for him…)

Our route led us first to the normal end point road, and at some point, (near the makeshift soccer field) we took a detour to the left, hence getting off the road and onto a stony path. This path led us to the dried up bed of a stream that went all the way down the hill. We started trekking down this. (Va led us, he’s been doing this ever since he got to manipal, wish I had known him earlier.) We kept going lower and lower, it wasn’t an easy trek, lots of jumping involved, but I was helped along. We stopped at some point, and went all the way back up again because the undergrowth was getting to thick, and the spiders too numerous (this last wasn’t something I had a problem with).

Sights seen and enjoyed: We saw the hospital incinerators (all dead bodies, surgical waste…you know….bloody gauze, cotton etc is burnt here). Also saw water recycling plant from very high up, looked to us more like a giant swimming pool. While trudging down the streambed, also came across 5 used condoms. (V, pointing at all the sharp rock and lack of space: People do it HERE?) No, you idiot, they just threw the condoms into the damn stream!!

Back onto the main end point road. This time went straight to end point. Then the real fun began. We trekked ALL the way down. It was awesome, I’d been dying to do something like this since my last camp at school. We went all the way down to the little road that runs by the river. The sun had just risen, the birds were chirping, and the water was shining silver and gold.

We crossed the temple, then climbed down the stairs cut into rock till we were at the river. Here V was pushed into the water by the other guys, I found myself looking on enviously. I wanted to swim…

Va randomly shouted “BOSS!!”, in response to which a cottage door opened and the man who got out then got into his boat (a narrow elongated thing, a fishing boat) and started rowing towards us. He took us for a nice long boat ride, during the course of which I convinced everyone to get into the water. So we jumped in (off the boat) one after another. It wasn’t very deep, and the water was quite clean and sweet. We swam around, laughing, the guys still picking on V. He can’t swim, I tried to teach him how to float on his back. That’s the best way to enjoy this… just lie back and stare at the blue blue sky with the eagles soaring around, palm trees swaying, listening to the sound of the water in your ears. But after a while I realized that he was a very bad learner and gave up on him.
After which we all took turns rowing the boat. It was fun.. Kinda like kayaking that we did at Saat Taal, REALLY long back, except the boat was bigger and heavier, and the oar had a paddle on only one side. But it was cool.

We were drenched, and we just dried off lazing on the boat in the sun. It was so much fun. I was struck with nostalgia. I miss camp. But this was pretty much as close to it as possible. I wish I could take Y there with me… wish he had come to meet me. I mean I was chilling with 4 guys I barely know, and it was so much fun. If Y was around instead, and if neither one of us were cranky, then it would’ve been MUCH more fun.

After drying off, we began the steep climb back up, during which I had to stop and rest some 5 times. I was fucking tired. We scrambled up, slipping and sliding (wet shoes, loose rocks). Started the long walk back to campus, got there by ten, in time for breakfast.

Wow. I’m glad I have a good sense of direction, I can never forget the way there, which is a good thing cause I can go there anytime I want now!!

Plus I threatened the guys that if they didn’t take me with them the next time they went, I’d pretty much throttle one of them…

Wonder if RandR have done this? Probably have….