Sierra Foot-slogs — A Himalayan Souvenir.
S1 E2 — Open up to listen.
As we entered into the beautiful blue hour evening at Behali meadows.Our kitchen staffs were busy preparing dinner for all of us. The kids in our trekking group formed a gang and started having their own version of fun, But few of the oldies looked like irritated by them. I could see them making weird “Not so cool” faces. As Omi got into a conversation with her fellows from Gujarat I started walking towards the rim of Parvati river to sit down and enjoy a cup of tea. I am pretty sure that Behali camp will remain in everyone’s heart for long time than Malana.
The team to which I belong was filled with people from different parts of India and diverse in age group. My poor lingual dexterity in Hindi resisted myself from lively conversations with most of them. There were times in which I looked out for someone to share my ecstasy but there wasn’t anyone to connect with, So mostly I ended up with scribbling in my small diary and tear off them at random spots.
After a while I got it to a conversation with a big Mangalurian nick named as Bahubali. He was so keen to understand about different types of food, Particularly breakfast & Sea Food items in Kerala. As I was explaining about various sea food dishes (with best of my knowledge) there comes a young stand up comedian as well as A Meteorologist from Kolkata. He turns out to be a catalyst to this conversation and made it very “FISHY”. We got few spectators too for this discussion. All of a sudden I was in middle of few people. The same people who stared skeptical at me,Now getting along with me and I am finding them interesting too.
I had to wait till camp fire to catch up with one of the crazy heads around me in this group. So that’s Lax. A Pahdi girl from Nepal who got adopted by Mumbai. My conversation with Lax started beside camp fire by sharing a cup of earl grey tea. She had lot of stories for me. From her treks at Western Ghats in Mumbai, Childhood memories at Nepal, From Dehradun diaries and lot more. I was more into listening this time. There were some 2–3 minute long pauses during her stories.Which made me feel like she is living in those memories during that pauses. But right after that pauses she resumes explaining the rest of particular story with great exhilaration and spirit.
Another great conversation which I cherish in my memory line.
And yes it made me to Hike along with her to Kalsubai,Mumbai. That’s next in the line before I share anything after Behali.
