Nainital - Arabindo Ashram tour

ok, so let me start with some memories. Does anyone remember the Nainital tour we used to have every year. That was the only tour I went to and in class VIII. And man, that was some life changing tour for me. Of course not something I realized at that time, but now when I look back and think, probably that is where I picked up my love for hiking. I do not really remember who was on that trip with me, Shweta Singh was there, and I think Surabhi, Nidhi? I still remember names of 2 people from the ashram, Bhuvna didi and Robin da, I have the autographs so I have refreshed my memory couple of times. Of course I donot remember any faces.

It was a trekking + rock climbing trip. We were suppose to get up really early in cold, go for PT and then run on the very hilly road. We usually trekked like 20 km, uphill. So in the morning whole body will be aching from that, and the cold!! At that time it was not fun. Now also when we go for a multi-day hike and next day my body is all aching from yesterday's climb, I remind myself, I got through those days, and I was much less fit at that time. During the treks we used were taught some silly song about cat, mouse something. I only remember the silliness :)

I was really scared of the rock climbing days. And on first day I hit my head on a rock, still have the scar. But from that time I absolutely love the mountains, maybe the rock just lodged itself on my head and keeps calling me. haa haa. It is really surprising how some things can affect your life. Or maybe I always liked hiking and it just happened to be my first trekking trip.

I think twice we were taken to the 'city' or 'market' and I bought lot of beautiful candles, they are all lost now :(. I also bought something made of the pine cones, that is still there, and in its original polythene.

Do share your memories of the tour if anyone else remembers.

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Tulika Agrawal