Namik to Gogina : ~6.5 KM, ~4 Hours
It was a very familiar route today. We pretty much traced back the same path that we had climbed up on our first day, except, the start of the trail which varied a little as we took a slight short cut. It was a descent all the way down to the Ramganga river where we had our first ice-breaking session on our first day in this trek.
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| Something About Way You Smile ! ^_^ |
It felt like another lifetime now. Just a couple of days back, this river was an unknown stream, this forest was an unrevealed haven and these funny chaps around me were just strangers. And now! Everything feels so familiar, so cosy, so close to heart!
We were handed out a few post cards. We sat down by the gurgling Ramganga and contemplated. MD and Manpreet wrote to their future selves. So, did I. Most of the people did the same. Akshay made a lovely sketch and gave it to Rohan.
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| Descent Down to Ramganga River |
The last day of the trek is always a bit sombre. I remember, on my first Himalayan trek, I was extremely sad on the last day; I had kept walking slower and slower from the moment we could see our destination. I remember at one point, we had declared we were just going to stay put and Guddu Bhaiyya (one of the trek guides then) had scolded and dragged us into the village camp.
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| Laddu - The Best Trail Snack Of All The Snacks! |
Akshay kept saying something very similar as we inched towards Gogina. He sometimes wanted to take the opposite route, sometimes, proposed to climb up to a phone tower at the top. With various other such propositions, we kept approaching our destination.
The final showstopper made its appearance just in time then. Rock agama, a species of lizard! Not one. But two! They had a dusty coloured underbase and a blue body. And they did pushups! I have never seen, nor imagined such a species in my life! Rohan had told us about these lizards before. The ones which we saw were male rock agamas and they do pushups to attract females! The brilliance of it, eh!
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| Rock Agama's Pushups! |
Have you ever wondered how every species out in the Nature put some quality work in their dating endeavour except for humans! All we do is cheesy flirting! Whilst out there, finches and warblers are singing, peacocks are dancing, and rock agamas are doing pushups! Come on, boys and men…learn!
And thus, this Trek ends...
Well, the trek has come to an end now like all good things always do. On that last in Gogina, we had spent a joyous evening strolling around the village, eating Samosas, cutting a celebration cake that the trek team baked for us followed by drinks and music at night! Then the next day, we had made a tiring 14 hours long journey back to Kathgodam from where it had all started.
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| The Cake...Yum & Quite Fancy Too! |
As I scribbled this down, I walked along those trails again...brushed past the maples, picked a few mushrooms and smelled a few wildflowers. I find myself smiling foolishly as I recollect the warm glow on Nanda devi and the white snow on Maiktoli. And the Panchachuli silhouette? Ah! That remains my favourite! My toes tingle as I remember strolling on the grass, barefeet. Am I getting itchy feet, again?
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| Saying Adieu For Now... |
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