One Last Time: Just Keep Your Fingers Crossed

I met the Oktatabyebye.com team at 'The Days of the Raj.' When I got the phone call yesterday, I had no clue where the place was but thanks to my colleague Shibu, I had excellent directions when I started.

I wonder if I have said this before on my blog, but in cities I can get lost even in a telephone booth if it has two exits. In the hills the matter is different because there is just one road, very clearly either going up or down! And on treks we never venture out without a guide. So, after taking all the wrong turns possible (I think took three and one led me back to the same place from where I started) and calling Shibu once from the road, I decided to park my car near the last landmark and hunt for the exact location on foot. I am just not a car person.

After struggling for a while, I finally located the place and gave a call to them from outside the restaurant. Deepak came out and I requested him to give me some more time (I was already late) so that I could get my car from where I had left it and park it properly nearby or it may get towed. So much for an introduction to the team as a traveler!

Shibu had told me (and he has a hotel background, he was a professional chef in one of the five star properties and I can vouch for it, he makes the most excellent apple pies) that the place is nice and he is absolutely right. The food was good, the conversation wonderful. There were four of us and I think I chattered a lot (what to do, we were talking about travel). For me, the time went off quickly.

While talking about trekking toNidhi and Devika, I hope I didn't alarm them. My view is that if one is not used to walking long distances it is important to choose an easy trek for the first time. Otherwise chances of getting sick increases. I think Youth Hostel of India treks are excellent in this regard. They plan it such that a person with bare minimum fittness can do it with some amount of stretch. And YHAI has this knack of picking up the most fabulous routes.

The ambiance, food and the company (but not in that order) were excellent and I really had a good time.

In spite of having such a good time, I can't resist to point it out (and I know one can't help it in the cities) but this was the view from the window of the restaurant.

Where as just 10 days back this was the view from my tent/window. So, for one last time just keep your fingers crossed that at least for another 15 days the view from my window may be like this once again.

And a big 'THANKS' to all of you for your support till now.