UP IN THE MOUNTAINS #DAY4

I love travelling and exploring new places but at certain occasions I need my home. One of which is my birthday, so I turned 21 on my way to Jammu. Jammu is our final destination of this trip and there we need to climb a mountain. Basically it is a trek to Mata Vaishno Devi temple, which is situated at a height of 5,200 feet. It lies in the Trikuta mountains and it is going to be challenging considering my fitness level right now. 

To be honest, when my mom told me about this whole thing; I literally freaked out. I agree that trekking is on my list this year but not on my birthday,come on!

So we were in the bus at 12 and everyone sang the typical birthday song for me. I loved that! This was probably the first time that I was with so many people on my birthday bring in. The beginning was good and I was hoping that everything goes well. We reached Jammu around 4 in the morning. So we could not go to sleep at that time because we have to start the trek on time; Otherwise we wouldn't be able to make it on time. So everyone quickly took a bath and started walking towards the place from where the main trek starts.

Alright, so we started the trek with sticks for help in our hands. And our ladies decided to take the horse because it would be tough for them to walk for so long. For us, it wasn't that tough in the beginning because you are exciting and fresh at that time. But my dupatta was definitely giving me a tough time, I do not know why I wore a suit. May be I was too excited for my birthday and just did that to myself.

Empty stomach was also making sounds to indicate hunger. So we quickly decided to have sugarcane juice to fill ourselves.

After sometime although we were going upwards but our energy levels were going down for sure. We had some amazing view but I could not enjoy any. My fitness level has went down drastically but chanting the name of god and seeing people around motivates you. I saw one uncle who had an artificial leg and he had sticks in both hands. He looked so positive and had a smile on his face, I am glad that I met a real hero. You also get these men roaming around, who do leg massage for 50-80 rupees. That was also a way to get some energy back.

Oh! I forgot to tell you that you need to take a pass for entry in the main temple. You can do that online as well, where you need to mention each members name. Please do not go without that because the security may not let you enter without that. We did forgot our pass with my mom who had to go back mid way because of her health. But we managed to take pass of some people from our group. Surprisingly, they did not checked or asked for our pass but you should be careful. 

We also met the boys group who were the organizers mid way. And they were so excited for pulling my leg on my birthday that they made random people wish me. They literally made at least 20 people wish me but that was sweet.

I was getting more tired now because we were now taking the stairs. Walking on plain path is still easy but stairs are damn too tiring. At least I prefer plain path or even steep over stairs. What about you?

Finally, we made it with dead drop tiring faces, but the happiness of reaching your destination fades away everything. Then the darshan was easy because there wasn't a long queue there. Here also we got a very nice darshan and the trip was successful. Now it was time to head back and we decided to take battery rickshaws which are there. Problem is that there are limited rickshaws and queues are long. Guess my gift, we did not get the rickshaw and the sun was setting. We have to walk all the way down again and this was killing me.

We had to walk till ardhkuwari and from there we can get those horse people. I literally thought that my birthday will go all in here. I haven't even cut my cake for god sake. I do not know how but I was running because it is my birthday. I want to be with my mom also, please make it easy god. My heart was wishing this only and after hustling for hours we reached.

A chai or tea break happened there and then we got on our horses and woosh. It wasn't that fast but definitely more than what we would have managed. Then an auto rickshaw took us to the place we were staying and I finally took a deep breath.

 Finally my birthday cake cutting happened and my brother told me that he had to struggle to get this for me. He knows I am too mad about my birthday so to make me feel good and happy he did that. Thanks bro! But I still hate you.

With that this day ended and the next day we got ready to go back and on this note this beautiful trip ended. I am not a people's person but I met some good people and also some annoying ones on this journey. I am going to remember the good ones because we need positive vibes. On that note, I am signing off and will see you in the next blog.

See you soon!