Episode 1
It was 8PM in the evening. Year 1999 - early winter.
I just finished my dinner at an eatery near my flat just outside the Engineering College. Suddenly a voice shouted - 'Oye Palit, you are coming right?' Its Anshuman Thakur, a year tad senior.
God knows why i said 'Yes'!
That night 13 of us started walking towards bus stand with our burden on our shoulders and water bottles in the hands. All gathered at the stand and the hi-jives rang the bell. Yes, we all are going to trek at the western ghat section.
The red KSRTC bus (called 'dabba' bus by us) started around 1:30 AM in the night and immediately we all settled down but none slept. An uncanny silence kept us alert and awake except few casual exchanges like - 'Hey the torch is with us right?' etc.
The conductor shouted suddenly - 'Sir, Shakleshpura'. Oh God its 4:45AM ! 'Ya thanks, ok guys lets get down here'. I murmured 'can't see anything, its so dark here!' Rohit cautioned me - 'Palit careful, the godzilla trucks carrying oils taking sharp turns and its the Bangalore-Mangalore Highway man.' Yeeks, that oil tanker almost blinded me. Sucks, headlights! Basuda, one year senior and a born accountant announced setting his minus power spectacles - 'Tickets paid and will be put into each one's account' ! Thanks, no monitory worries (in bracket, i had to borrow one thousand from Shaggy with promise to return once i receive the draft from Dad and handed over to Basuda before reaching the bus stand).
We crossed the highway and walked on the sideways and then just climbed two steps. A narrow path lead us to the starting point - a train station. A train station!
Mrinal - our local guide and batchmate took the podium (Station) - 'Guys, this is an abandoned railway track. We start from here and have to walk on the tracks. There will be plenty of tunnels and bridges. The railways are converting the narrow gauge to broad-gauge. So, do not worry, no trains. But be careful, its rainy season and leach family's expansion time.' Phew! Feeling sleepy!
Tommy raised a question - 'How long can we walk?'
'Apparently 19 kilometers but there is a station where we will be staying tonight and that's our destination for the day' replied Mrinal. What the.... , sleeping at a station on an abandoned railway track!
'OK, lets brush quickly and that coffee shop is about to open, chalo jaldi'! Chatuda sounded like agony aunt.
Tea and biscuits and a local plum cake. Nice!
Ahhh, morning is so refreshing on Western Ghats. Oh God, i can see the range and its almost a zigzag highway.
'Lets move guys' - Chatuda enthusiastically at its best !
It was 8PM in the evening. Year 1999 - early winter.
I just finished my dinner at an eatery near my flat just outside the Engineering College. Suddenly a voice shouted - 'Oye Palit, you are coming right?' Its Anshuman Thakur, a year tad senior.
God knows why i said 'Yes'!
That night 13 of us started walking towards bus stand with our burden on our shoulders and water bottles in the hands. All gathered at the stand and the hi-jives rang the bell. Yes, we all are going to trek at the western ghat section.
The red KSRTC bus (called 'dabba' bus by us) started around 1:30 AM in the night and immediately we all settled down but none slept. An uncanny silence kept us alert and awake except few casual exchanges like - 'Hey the torch is with us right?' etc.
The conductor shouted suddenly - 'Sir, Shakleshpura'. Oh God its 4:45AM ! 'Ya thanks, ok guys lets get down here'. I murmured 'can't see anything, its so dark here!' Rohit cautioned me - 'Palit careful, the godzilla trucks carrying oils taking sharp turns and its the Bangalore-Mangalore Highway man.' Yeeks, that oil tanker almost blinded me. Sucks, headlights! Basuda, one year senior and a born accountant announced setting his minus power spectacles - 'Tickets paid and will be put into each one's account' ! Thanks, no monitory worries (in bracket, i had to borrow one thousand from Shaggy with promise to return once i receive the draft from Dad and handed over to Basuda before reaching the bus stand).
We crossed the highway and walked on the sideways and then just climbed two steps. A narrow path lead us to the starting point - a train station. A train station!
Mrinal - our local guide and batchmate took the podium (Station) - 'Guys, this is an abandoned railway track. We start from here and have to walk on the tracks. There will be plenty of tunnels and bridges. The railways are converting the narrow gauge to broad-gauge. So, do not worry, no trains. But be careful, its rainy season and leach family's expansion time.' Phew! Feeling sleepy!
Tommy raised a question - 'How long can we walk?'
'Apparently 19 kilometers but there is a station where we will be staying tonight and that's our destination for the day' replied Mrinal. What the.... , sleeping at a station on an abandoned railway track!
'OK, lets brush quickly and that coffee shop is about to open, chalo jaldi'! Chatuda sounded like agony aunt.
Tea and biscuits and a local plum cake. Nice!
Ahhh, morning is so refreshing on Western Ghats. Oh God, i can see the range and its almost a zigzag highway.
'Lets move guys' - Chatuda enthusiastically at its best !
