Dhanaulti (Part II) - Awesome things 21-24

The view that made the trip worth it

Finally, I got a much needed break. 

A gage cab driver, a yellow number plate (read commercial) cab (which unnecessarily cost us 600bucks more), my college senior (because of him and his adventure-prem i actually planned this trip), 2 of my college classmates (one, my nemesis on the cricket field and the other in the photography department), another friend (who strangely agreed at the last moment to join us) and I, left for the green and wet grassland hills of Massoorie and Dhanaulti in the wee hours of saturday while a spectacular weather took stop on our hometown itself. 

Some 8 hours later, we were not disappointed. While me and Aman knew what it would be like, we both were relieved to find the untouched beauty and serenity of the place still pure and that our decision of getting everyone else up here didn't earn us any abuse :D (awesomeness)

Dhanaulti was just the way i had left it 3 years ago - divine. All it had was absolutely green grass, and wetness..everywhere! My eyes were set straight on the treks we would be doing and with Aman and Ankur to give me company, my vacation had begun. As for the other 2 'adventure seekers' who were also carrying the costliest cameras among us (one a 28k and the other 35k worth), they were here for photography and they hated well..treks. :) Quite ironical huh - photographers who hate to walk :P So we dealt a pact, that we won't stop for people who were left behind...suited me just fine :)

After making everybody walk more than what was intended, meeting 8 Jaats topless dancing in the mountains to  the tune of munni badnaam hui and drinking BP, handing them our only water bottle (for fear of being beaten up as when i approached them, none of the 4 bastards came up alongside me..infact the 2 photographers completely ignored the acquaintance!!), coming back to our hotel only to find one of the Jaat back there recognizing me and offering me a bottle of BP :), and a hot plate of maggi noodles (nothing can beat maggi on a mountain), we finally rested in our room to open our own stock. (awesomeness) After the overgrown mosquitoes (there were some evolved varieties of them in our room. Trust me, in some billion years from now, there will be mosquitoes as large as there were dinosaurs) were squashed by some towel and chappal stunts, we decided it was time for eggs and a toast.

There was vodka, there was scotch and there was Nipun. After convincing everyone that he has grown up on his drinking habits now and that he would only be taking scotch, the guy fell on the bed after his second small and fell ill. And while the rest of us 4 laughed our guts out for the rest of the night, he found it more amusing to keep himself busy with his cellphone. So much for coming up at 10,000 feet for a break from technology!

View from Surkanda Devi @10k feet

One of the many spectacular views from the trek

The next morning saw so many more treks. Even the usual Ma Surkanda Devi trek was detoured by me and Ankur to take some off tracks all the way to the temple. We had fun. The view was majestic from up there. After we came down, we decided to embark on another not-known trek, a very steep one. When the photographers decided to skip this one, for the sake of their safety, they had no idea what they were about to miss. What we saw from when we reached the top of the mountain, was the reason why cameras had to be brought up there! It was a spectacular view of Nothing! (awesomeness) It's like when you see a beach for the first time. There was the ground on which we walked, and then it vanished. An abyss and following it emptiness. for all that you can see. till your eyes take you. Deep in the horizon i think i spotted a river snaking up. There were small mountains, there were clouds and there was a valley too. It was, as i call it, Awe-mazing! So, while the photographers missed it, I took a lot of photos :)

Massoorie showed us why she is the queen afterall!

Then, we left for massoorie and some kempty falls, which was pretty boring. Up in massoorie and in our hotel room, once again it was time for a toast and the same Nipun story repeated :) The rest of us 4..by god, we had fun! (awesomeness)

Morning after, we left for the desert back. and once back, i spent 3 days coming out of depression (and the temporary end of awesomeness) :P