I'm back with the second part! The second expedition is sort of like a parallel to the first, but my experience was more pleasant this time. This, just like last time, was a two-night and three-day journey. It started on the 5th of February and ended on the 7th of February This time, I won't break it into days, like in the previous post.
Preparation And Training
Since I was backpacking for the second time, I was much more mindful of what I put in my bag.
For packing, I used the travel organiser bags I had purchased over a year ago. I compartmentalized my clothes and food (which I had cut down on.. significantly!).
I wanted extra mobility and comfort, so I changed my hiking boots since I got a blister with the previous ones. This time, I used my mom’s old pair.. and it was genuinely comfy. The old pair, which I had used for a total of four years, had endured hikes lasting a maximum of 6 hours only. However, we went through at least 10 to 12 hours of constant trekking on mixed terrains during the expedition.
Apart from that, not much preparation was required, as I already knew what to expect.
The Actual Expedition
When I started writing this section, I was dazed. How could I reduce invaluable experiences and the indelible imprint on my soul to just a few paragraphs in a blog post? I'll just accentuate the vivid memories, which are still crystal clear in my head.
I remember the feeling of yearning for the pinnacle of the summits, while we were traversing the rugged trajectory, in search of a destination we didn't know. This feeling, this longing is what keeps me going in search of new trails.
I had done this expedition while I was on my shark week, so the sweet taste of victory was indescribable, I tell you! Overlooking and overcoming those obstacles sure was hard, but it all counts in the end, trust me! This is what feminism means to me.
We had to walk on the roadside during a part of our trek. Beer bottles were lying around, so some of the members challenged each other to throw the bottles the furthest. The shrill of the shattering bottles bugged me to the core, but I decided to just let it be.
A highlight of our trip was the windy weather -- mainly during our treks to the higher elevations. It was honestly terrifying. I thought I was going to topple over since the peak was filled with tons of loose rocks.
When it was time for us to set camp, the girls' tent was like a house during a tornado, barely surviving just because of the heavy rocks we filled our tent with.
You know those mini heart attacks that take over you at times, especially when you're stressed? Well, when we were resuming our hike after a short break under the shade of a tree, A fellow teammate, I had lent one of my trekking poles to, realised that he had left it there itself. Two of our younger team members volunteered to bring it back. In army style (their words), they ran and got it back. I did not want a déja vu of the Meghalaya key chain fiasco! Hats off to those young chaps, since those poles have been my hiking companions for almost half a decade!
Excreting was something! Since our area of exploration was predominantly rocky, it was very hard to find places to dig a hole. I'm surprised that my shovel didn't bend. It wasn't all that bad. I'm quite glad I got to experience that.
There were other anecdotes, including one where we saw a praying mantis while doing a small climb during a break and a wasp staying on one of our fellow travellers for a concerning amount of time (it was quite admirable to see an expression of calmness on the person's face despite screams of fear in the surroundings).
Overall, it was a lot more thrilling and exciting than the practice journey.
After that?
Unlike the last expedition, our sense of hunger took over us early on. We had to stop at the petrol pump for some lunch, during our return journey. I devoured it like anything.
Two words: torn pants. While I was scrambling and descending the mountains, I may have underestimated the friction between my trousers and the sharp stones. As a result, the behind of my Decathlon and Columbia pants had been reduced to small shreds and holes, along with torn pockets. Nonetheless, it was worth it.
The accumulation of dust on my trekking bag (a.k.a my future travel companion) was very evident, and I came home smelling like a rat since all I had were wet wipes and hand soap to keep myself clean.
Warm Regards,
Medha
Comments