Carrying my heavy shoulder bag, I nervously boarded my train to Pathankot from Delhi, along with my 3 colleagues. It didn't take us much time to find our seats and we threw our bags on the top birth and grabbed our seats. It was the start of our trip to Mcleodganj. It was 10:45 in the night and we were in no mood to sleep. We were too excited to hit the bed. We spent our time playing cards, chatting about work and dreaming about the beautiful views we were about to witness. Around 1:00 am, we all hit our berths and decided to sleep.
It was around 6:30 when I woke up, by the sound of a tea seller and decided to have my morning tea. Slowly, all my teammates got up and we all sat on the lower berth, looking out at the beautiful farms surrounding our train. We were about to reach Pathankot in a couple of hours and we couldn't wait.
We reached Pathankot railway station at exactly 8 am, carrying our shoulder bags and walking towards the bus station, which was just around the corner. As soon as we reached, we bought the tickets to the next ordinary bus going to Dharamshala and boarded the bus for the adventurous trip we had planned for.
I won't lie. I had always travelled in a Volvo bus and never experienced the easy on pocket buses that I had always avoided in my life. However, to my surprise, I was loving this bus ride. There was a woman sitting beside me who kept staring at me from time to time, but I was too busy taking pictures of the beautiful view outside. We reached Dharamshala in about an hour and soon grabbed the next bus to Mcleodganj. While waiting for the bus, we had delicious chole kulche that just cost us 20 bucks. In no time, we had reached the beautiful Mcleodganj, with the chilled air blowing our hair and the majestic mountains welcoming us.
We reached Pathankot railway station at exactly 8 am, carrying our shoulder bags and walking towards the bus station, which was just around the corner. As soon as we reached, we bought the tickets to the next ordinary bus going to Dharamshala and boarded the bus for the adventurous trip we had planned for.
I won't lie. I had always travelled in a Volvo bus and never experienced the easy on pocket buses that I had always avoided in my life. However, to my surprise, I was loving this bus ride. There was a woman sitting beside me who kept staring at me from time to time, but I was too busy taking pictures of the beautiful view outside. We reached Dharamshala in about an hour and soon grabbed the next bus to Mcleodganj. While waiting for the bus, we had delicious chole kulche that just cost us 20 bucks. In no time, we had reached the beautiful Mcleodganj, with the chilled air blowing our hair and the majestic mountains welcoming us.
We kept capturing the mesmerising views with our eyes and our camera and walked towards our hotel, the Pink House. After checking in, we all freshened up and slept our ass off for a few hours. We woke up at 6:30 pm and got ready to hit the Mcleodganj markets.
The markets were full of small cafes that were selling delicious maggi and momos. We stopped at the Peace Cafe near our hotel and munched on some potato and cheese momos, while talking to other travellers who had come to Mcleodganj from London, and had been staying there for the past 6 months. The ambience of the cafe was just like its name; peaceful. We chatted with them for a while and then headed towards the main market which was decorated like a bride by garment shops, jewellery shops and other authentic stuff that you won't find even in Dilli Haat.
We shopped around for a while, buying Kangra and Assam tea, some beautiful bracelets and a leather bag. What we noticed there was that there were more foreigners than the locals and they knew their way around. Around 9pm, we went back to the hotel, after buying some booze for the night.
One thing that I can never forget is the exquisite view from our hotel room during the night. The booze was fine but what we couldn't get enough of was the magnificent landscape that allured us with its beauty. Around 1am, we called it a day, as the next day was going to be the one of the best days of our life; trekking to Triund.
The morning was quite a fast one; we quickly got ready, wearing our hiking shoes, tees and comfy lowers, to start our trek to Triund. While all my colleagues had gone for trekking earlier, this trek was my first one and I was pretty nervous as I am quite heavy and physical activity has never been my cup of tea. I had heard that this 9 kilometers trek was quite difficult and dangerous. However, my fingers were crossed and I had made up my mind to complete this trek, facing all the difficulties.
The trek was much more difficult than I had imagined but equally exciting as well. The trail was steep and full of rocks that had made the trek pretty challenging for me. We all were carrying our a shoulder bag, which was not bulky, but it was kind of holding me back. We had our guide Naresh with us, who helped me a lot during the trek, along with my colleague Neelima, who supported me during the whole trek.
Apart from the difficult trek to Triund, what enthralled us big time was the beautiful view that we couldn't get enough of. The snow capped mountains, the greenery and the sketched scenery was enchanting enough for me to forget the pain in my legs after reaching the half point of the trek. This is where we had some tea, filled with ginger and gained some intensity to carry on.
While others were hiking at a fast pace, Neelima and I were left behind as I was a little slow. As we got a little closer to Triund, the trail became riskier and unstable. During the last 1 kilometer of the trek, you won't find any trail, but just pointy rocks stuck together to make way for Triund. The way is steep and there are chances of slipping on the huge bedrocks which can turn fatal. It took us almost an hour to cover the last kilometer and finally we were there, at Triund!
As soon as we reached, I laid down on the sheet of green grass and gave my legs a much-needed rest. We all were tired, covered with dust and were dying to pee at a secluded area, but the place was filled with other hikers, setting up their tents, capturing the view with their camera, or just gaining some mental peace.
If you are a nature lover and alluring landscapes fascinate you, then Triund is definitely the place for you. The green grass, snow-capped mountains, and the infinite scenery will make you go gaga. We too were starstruck by this place and couldn't stop taking pictures. We didn't care about the pain in our body, all we wanted was to capture Triund in our minds.
The night was an amazing combination of the twinkling stars and the bonfire. It was pretty chilly so we all were wearing jackets and enjoying some peaceful music, which was being played by one of the guides. There was no network in our phones, so we left them alone and enjoyed in the lap of nature. Soon it was dinner time and we were provided some delicious dal, chappati and rice. After dinner, we all sat near our tents and got into chatting about our previous travel experiences. Soon it was time to hit the bed, as the next day we had to walk back to Mcleodganj.
The morning was freezing and I had to grab my shawl to cover myself. As I came out of the tent, the chilly wind blew my hair and I joined my friends who were standing near the washroom tent. The mornings in Triund are simply picturesque. You might have never seen this anywhere else in India. We soon got ready, grabbed a quick bite and started trekking back to Mcleodganj.
Saying goodbye to the mesmerizing landscape of Triund was difficult, but not as difficult as the trek. We were again covered with dirt, sunburned and the body ache welcomed us again. Climbing down was easier than climbing up, so thankfully my legs weren't dead like the previous day. We stopped at various tea stalls again for some tea and water, regaining our energy.
Around 12 pm we reached Mcleodganj and took a cab to our hotel. We were all exhausted by this time and couldn't wait to take a bath and freshen up. However, as my first trekking experience, I can say that all those who haven't travelled to Triund, must go for it, especially if you are seeking peace and ecstasy from the city life.
The markets were full of small cafes that were selling delicious maggi and momos. We stopped at the Peace Cafe near our hotel and munched on some potato and cheese momos, while talking to other travellers who had come to Mcleodganj from London, and had been staying there for the past 6 months. The ambience of the cafe was just like its name; peaceful. We chatted with them for a while and then headed towards the main market which was decorated like a bride by garment shops, jewellery shops and other authentic stuff that you won't find even in Dilli Haat.
We shopped around for a while, buying Kangra and Assam tea, some beautiful bracelets and a leather bag. What we noticed there was that there were more foreigners than the locals and they knew their way around. Around 9pm, we went back to the hotel, after buying some booze for the night.
One thing that I can never forget is the exquisite view from our hotel room during the night. The booze was fine but what we couldn't get enough of was the magnificent landscape that allured us with its beauty. Around 1am, we called it a day, as the next day was going to be the one of the best days of our life; trekking to Triund.
The morning was quite a fast one; we quickly got ready, wearing our hiking shoes, tees and comfy lowers, to start our trek to Triund. While all my colleagues had gone for trekking earlier, this trek was my first one and I was pretty nervous as I am quite heavy and physical activity has never been my cup of tea. I had heard that this 9 kilometers trek was quite difficult and dangerous. However, my fingers were crossed and I had made up my mind to complete this trek, facing all the difficulties.
The trek was much more difficult than I had imagined but equally exciting as well. The trail was steep and full of rocks that had made the trek pretty challenging for me. We all were carrying our a shoulder bag, which was not bulky, but it was kind of holding me back. We had our guide Naresh with us, who helped me a lot during the trek, along with my colleague Neelima, who supported me during the whole trek.
Apart from the difficult trek to Triund, what enthralled us big time was the beautiful view that we couldn't get enough of. The snow capped mountains, the greenery and the sketched scenery was enchanting enough for me to forget the pain in my legs after reaching the half point of the trek. This is where we had some tea, filled with ginger and gained some intensity to carry on.
While others were hiking at a fast pace, Neelima and I were left behind as I was a little slow. As we got a little closer to Triund, the trail became riskier and unstable. During the last 1 kilometer of the trek, you won't find any trail, but just pointy rocks stuck together to make way for Triund. The way is steep and there are chances of slipping on the huge bedrocks which can turn fatal. It took us almost an hour to cover the last kilometer and finally we were there, at Triund!
As soon as we reached, I laid down on the sheet of green grass and gave my legs a much-needed rest. We all were tired, covered with dust and were dying to pee at a secluded area, but the place was filled with other hikers, setting up their tents, capturing the view with their camera, or just gaining some mental peace.
If you are a nature lover and alluring landscapes fascinate you, then Triund is definitely the place for you. The green grass, snow-capped mountains, and the infinite scenery will make you go gaga. We too were starstruck by this place and couldn't stop taking pictures. We didn't care about the pain in our body, all we wanted was to capture Triund in our minds.
The night was an amazing combination of the twinkling stars and the bonfire. It was pretty chilly so we all were wearing jackets and enjoying some peaceful music, which was being played by one of the guides. There was no network in our phones, so we left them alone and enjoyed in the lap of nature. Soon it was dinner time and we were provided some delicious dal, chappati and rice. After dinner, we all sat near our tents and got into chatting about our previous travel experiences. Soon it was time to hit the bed, as the next day we had to walk back to Mcleodganj.
The morning was freezing and I had to grab my shawl to cover myself. As I came out of the tent, the chilly wind blew my hair and I joined my friends who were standing near the washroom tent. The mornings in Triund are simply picturesque. You might have never seen this anywhere else in India. We soon got ready, grabbed a quick bite and started trekking back to Mcleodganj.
Saying goodbye to the mesmerizing landscape of Triund was difficult, but not as difficult as the trek. We were again covered with dirt, sunburned and the body ache welcomed us again. Climbing down was easier than climbing up, so thankfully my legs weren't dead like the previous day. We stopped at various tea stalls again for some tea and water, regaining our energy.
Around 12 pm we reached Mcleodganj and took a cab to our hotel. We were all exhausted by this time and couldn't wait to take a bath and freshen up. However, as my first trekking experience, I can say that all those who haven't travelled to Triund, must go for it, especially if you are seeking peace and ecstasy from the city life.
