Trek to Garbett.... Why do we Trek???

            We get up early in the morning even before the birds start chirping, travel in crowded trains full of noisy people, walk and climb over a 20,000 steps just to reach the summit. Get dead tired, drenched, sticky, muddy, stinky. To top all this...fall, slip and still climb with our cramped muscles screaming for rest. OH! WHY DO WE DO THIS????? WHY? this was finally asked at the end of the trek by one fellow trek mate and I believe this question was the HIGHLIGHT of the trek just because none of us had the answer and yet we sought more of all the above. Why???.... we are still searching.

The Post is put up for yet another TTMM(tu tera mein mera) trekking event. This time we aim to conquer and trek up to GARETT POINT in matheran Via Bhivpuri. The trek is planned for the 14th of july 2013. And I AM IN FOR IT.

At home the previous day as I am having my breakfast and scanning through the newspaper, I happen to come across an article on trekking. There are points about registry, about safety issues and tips etc and also a mishap that happened with one of the trekkers. I made a mental note to hide this newspaper from my parents before leaving for work. But in my hurry I forget and sure enough when I return in the evening I have my mom flashing it at me saying "LOOK! LOOK!.. Still you want to go trekking?". I calm her down, telling her about how responsible we are and how everyone likes the food she makes and there is nothing to worry, etc etc. She is better now yet hoping that I will not be able to get up early for the next day.

Well to my mom's annoyance I not only get up early, but I manage to pack my own lunch box without messing up her kitchen and I am ready before time and all set to go. She must be wondering why I don't do this on all other days as well. 

It's 5.15am and I am hoping the dogs in my area have found something interesting somewhere else so I can quickly slip by and take a rick. Walking down I hear them bark again, they sound like wolves, to add to this I hear a mad man scream. Luckily they are not around and I quickly manage to get a rick. God Bless that Rick waala who started his rick at the right moment and didn't say a 'No' to me. Well the moment the rick starts, almost from nowhere the barking dogs appear and follow it for a while.. So I sit in the middle of the rick rather than sitting close to the door as usual. Soon we were out of their reach, the first hurdle crossed. 

Total Expense: 42 INR (Rick fare)

Mumbai Railways stations never look empty. There are good number of people around even at this time of the day. I suddenly realise that I don't have any change with me. I would have to use the Rs 500 and hope that the ticket master gives me change without scolding. Luckily he does and I am set to catch the train we decided.. 

Total expense : 50 INR (Karjat return ticket)

The moment I get into the train I can see two of my  fellow trek mates all ready for the day happily chatting away. I join them exchanging greetings and then continue listening to their joyful discussion about college and all fun only to find myself missing my college and good old friends. Sweet Nostalgia!!!

TWO BEST PALS

We have reached Dadar on time and so have the 3 others who were suppose to join us. We meet on the bridge and continue towards the train which is bound to leave at 6.30am. All is flowing well till now, those who missed, will catch from stations in between. Our chatting in the train continue, helping us to forget the crowd around for a while. But soon it's jam packed with people making it difficult to chat and the noises by  the bhajan mandali fills the train, not even allowing us to sleep. Well the good thing about time is, It passes. So we soon reach Bhivpuri Road. Half of the train empties here. We also meet the other fellow travelers, some new faces and some old but all knowing someone or the other. All carrying a familiar smile. A smile paving a way for new adventure, fun and new friendships. 

ALL ELEVEN: Thanks to The S4 of Fransis Pinto we have the photographers's pic too

It's drizzling and nothing could be better than a cup of hot tea. All 11 of us reach the tea stall just outside the station. We have our tea, chips and other snacks and march on. First of course we take the count introducing ourselves and calling out our numbers. 11 of us on a mission to trek up till garbet some having the idea what they are up to others clueless of what this might bring. At this point I have already started missing a camera, that could have been the paintbrush for this blog. Hopefully my words will help sketch a picture and one can add colours of their own. 

Total expense : 5 INR (Tea)

We now make our way through the village of Bhivpuri and just at the start one of us spots a snake. keeping snake-distance we gather around to look at it. Well the snake looks too stunned to me, choosing not to move even an inch as 11 curious beings stare down at it. We are lucky to have a reptile expert around us who seemed to know and identify the snake. It was most probably a Rat snake a checkered keelback, he said. Well we soon discovered why it looked stunned. One of us tried moving it with a stick, it was found to be dead. Stunned to death I must say! Our expert explained us a few things about the species and how they recognize them and it all sounded interesting.

      Leaving the snake behind we walk through the village and reach the Man Made lake .  There are other groups who have come all set for waterfall- rappelling and some for trekking. The Lake is beautiful and one of us comments that this is at least one good thing that man has made and the picture clicking starts. We move on now around the Lake and for the first taste of the adventure, two leading friends walk into the mud pit almost knee deep. A mud spa you can call. Others who are following are not yet ready for this adventure so we take up another route, although some still continue the mud way, taking it as a challenge to cross the pit untouched. 

STUCK IN THE MUD: Photo by POOJA GUPTA

      We are all now around the lake and have to reach the base of the first mountain we have to climb. Rain has spread carpets of green around. Shades of green seem to have a cooling effect on my eyes. I want to stay here. Its beautiful and I bet whatever you click here is bound to be beautiful. There cannot be a bad picture of so much beauty. The lake adds the silver glitter to the place with waves creating a shimmering effect. The green of different shades blend with each other with studs of black and brown rocky stones spread like choco-chips on this minty green. Patches of farm lands create the patterns on the green carpet. Some sides of the mountain had a staircase effect again covered in green and some had foot trails that looked like branching nerves. At the distance you can see the waterfalls pure white,  like veins and arteries of the mountains carrying water, its life source. It's too scenic to describe, words fall short. At a distance we can see a huge waterfall where the other group planned to rappel and what a beauty it is. Like an Aorta of the heart of the mountains. Immediately some of us have already made up our minds to do this waterfall rappelling at least once.

By the LAKE: Shot By AVANI HIRANI 

GROUP AT THE WATERFALL: Shot by AJAY PRADHAN

As we walk around the lake a herd of goats pass by and we all have a picture with them in the background.

BAKRAS: Photo by AJAY IYER

We soon reach the base of the mountain. The first that we have to climb to reach the plateau called the table land. All of us had found the lake view and the waterfall so beautiful that we were ready to stop and admire and consider the trek over. But our excitement, our aim and our friends teasing and coaxing us, help us to move on. The rains plays musical chair with us, stopping and starting in short span as we struggle in and out of our rain gear every time. Some smart folks are happily getting drenched with just a rain cover on their bags. I could have done that, but the excitement of wearing a new poncho makes me play with the music of the rain. I look like a complete poncho mess and because it was too large for me it is not my fault that I can't handle it. Poncho and me can be another story altogether. There were times I struggle to find a way out for my head and hands, times when my head came out from where the hands were suppose to come out and vice-a-versa and if all went right then my poncho would get caught up in those thorny plants, MAANS TODI. If not maas(Flesh) they would surely tear my poncho.

HAWA MEIN UDDTA JAAYE: PONCHO MESS...Photo By AJAY PRADHAN

SQUARE OF ME, In shape, Square is also a shape : Photo by RAJU SIR

          The start of the climb at first didn't seem like a climb. I kept wondering whether we had started the climb or we are still at the base. Walking up and down in waves we reached at a point where we saw a huge mango tree. This was our first halt for enlightenment which came in the form of food. The wide expanse of the tree provided us with the shade and rest.

UNDER THE TREE FOR ENLIGHTENMENT: Photo by RAJU SIR

         After this we start our trek up till the village on top. On our way we came across paddy fields where the farmers are busy farming. A few clicks here and we move on.

BY THE PADDY: Photo by RAJU SIR

bowled over by paddy in the fields : shot by VINAYAK HASURKAR

PADDY with THE GROUP: Photo By AJAY PRADHAN

PADDY WITH ME 

            We keep halting in between not just admiring the nature but also a friend's phone The Samsung galaxy S4, which had some unbelievable features. It was fascinating especially because our friend was a tech expert too and could explain all details well. we had other experts too. A expert in maths who got us familiar with Fractals in Nature. A Professor in making.

  As we moved up we crossed two more villages. At the Start of the Village we are greeted by a peahen, A treat to the eye. We greet it back with our Awwws!!! and wowss!!!

We had water and refreshments at these two villages as the hens and the cocks danced around our feet fearlessly, hoping to catch a few bites too.

WE, The Villagers: Photo by AJAY PRADHAN

           Our next landmark was the well. We found 2 on the way. I wonder what is it about the well that makes us peer into it! But I have always found this to be fun. It's like the well is calling you. We now move up leaving all the villages behind.

WELL OH WELL :Photo by AJAY PRADHAN shared by POOJA GUPTA

           The climbing starts getting tough only because it's so long. We wonder if it will ever end .We have to first reach Table Land and then trek up to Garbett. Thus Table Land was not even the ultimate goal. Still, as we climbed the never ending climb, groaning and complaining yet joking and smiling and finally making it to the table land, it did feel like we had reached the ultimate goal. It was as if we found a bed on top of the mountain. It was like home. We had our lunch here. One of our friends had carried food almost for the entire group. We secretly hoped he comes for every trek. He even got desert to add to our delight. Our group was a very friendly, loving and caring group. Strangers at the start didn't seem strange anymore. The steps you walk together bridges the gap. We were ready to say, trek over. What can we want more!.... But we always want more.

SMALL WATERFALL AS RELIEF

BED ON A TABLE..Land  : Photo By AJAY PRADHAN

LUNCH TOGETHER: Photo By RAJU SIR

              The second part of the climb would soon start and just when we thought we should have a group picture, it started raining. Out came our rain gears, in went the cameras. It did stop for a while and we took the picture.

GROUP ON TABLE LAND: Photo by AJAY PRADHAN shared by POOJA GUPTA

      It soon started raining again and I felt all rain gears are useless. It looks as if it's more for the mind than for the body. After the rest we had, my muscles had gone into sleep mode. To their dismay which added to mine, we had more to climb. It was shocking for me that almost all my leg muscles cramped and I thought my dream of making this place a home would now come true in the form of a nightmare. I do not know how, but sips of water and a silent cry for help calmed my muscles and they could carry me to the top. This part of climb otherwise was more enjoyable. Rain poured and if felt as if it was pouring blunted needles. Acupressure in the middle of the climb. All of moved on as if we were in a battel field and this was a do or die situation. One of my friends commented too saying this climb was like the last battle won, thus giving words to our feeling. We were finally at the top and had already started discussing about other terks that can be planned When one of our friends, for whom this was the first trek makes the comment of the day, the real puzzle... "yeh sab hum kyun kartein hai, kya milta hai? (why do we do all this? What do we get).. We all had a hearty laugh at this because this is one puzzle which may be the reason to motivate us to keep doing such treks again and again and we still don't have an answer. Pictures taken, we are late we know. So now the walk to Dasturi naka starts.

Full Group: Shared byVINAYAK HASURKAR

GROUP AT GARBET:: FEELING TOP AT THE TOP: Photo by AJAY PRADHAN

 The walk is good after the climb. Our friend Francis Pinto who is not just a tech-expert but also a reptile expert knew a lot about the flora and fauna around. He identified many things for us, we missed an interesting gecko at the start. But the best spotting for me was the Rock Begonia. This tangy, juicy edible leaf rejuvenated many of us. We have already requested our friend to find out more such edible plants. One of our friends was even ready to carry a rock home and water it daily so he can have his own supply or the begonia. But the interesting and disappointing thing is, we can't grow them at home. Alas! One reason to keep trekking... We soon reach Dasturi naka and leave for Neral in the taxi. We had decided we would go to Karjat and take the train home. So quickly gobbling up some food, actually a lot of food we reached the station only to realise that the entire crowd had the same idea of going back to karjat for the sake.of seats and this idea of ours to beat the crowd was of no use. Any ways the trek had come to an end and we were going home, leaving behind the homely mountains.... A journey between two homes... May be the answer to the puzzle is this... We all want to go back to our homes, the nature's lap. As far as I am concerned I don't even want to know the answer, so I can keep trekking to find it.. :)   

Expenses: 70INR (taxi from dasturi to neral)
                 68 INR (food)

                10 INR (train ticket)
                12 INR (Bus Fare)

Total: 142 INR

TOTAL EXPENSE (TTMM TRIP)=  247 INR....PAISAA WASOOL.