Prepare, Prepare, and
Still Preparing!
While
I had resolved my mind about going for the trip, which was a big step in
itself, I had to now prepare for the trip. The preparation was mainly three
fold. 1) Physical preparation through medical tests 2) Keeping the body and
mind ready for such a hard trip, through regular exercise and meditation 3)
Packing the right things for the trip, which includes an ever ending of things,
some of the item names I had heard for the first time.
I
had done the first part of preparation; attempted the second part of
preparation, which I miserably failed and now beginning the 3rd step
- the daunting task of packing for the journey. I had religiously printed all
the instructions and nicely filed it in a beautiful folder, I hadn’t made time
to go through them carefully until just before the trip. Hectic work schedules,
not-so-kind environment had kept me on my toes and I had lost sight of the
effort needed for the trip. I woke up a week before the yatra, and discovered
that I had a long list of things to do.
Jackets,
Rain Gears, Thermals, Bags, Hats, Sun Shades, Gloves, Socks, Shoes, Medicines,
Snacks, Travel Kits and the list went on endlessly. I tirelessly shuttled
between the two floors of my house transporting truck load of clothes, weigh,
remove, put it back, bring a new set and looked like a headless chicken. I’d
suddenly realize that I didn’t have enough stuff, and within minutes I’d hop
out of the house in a rather dis-helved hair and cringed clothes to stride the
long corridors of Bangalore streets and shops. The clock was ticking and I was
not even close to a good start. I walked, talked, slept and dreamt about
packing for the trip, the next few days! I guess I looked horrified and my
family stepped in to support (phew! What a relief!), and some friends offered
to help. Finally, the packing began and soon after, things started to fall in
place (don’t even get me started about the multiple trips I made to Decathlon
stores, and at wee hours just before my flight). Thanks dad, for touring me
around in Bangalore without a word of complaint, and without expecting a word
of compliment. I couldn’t have done any of this without your help.
I
almost missed a gift (a beautiful diary) from my friend, but managed to find a
small but old note book and some pens bought last minute for writing a
travelogue during the journey. I also made that quintessential last minute
shopping of back pack, just before I crashed for some shut eye for a couple of
hours nap, before I headed for the flight. Finally, it’s all done. I don’t even
know if I packed it right, but here I am, at Air India Flight going to Delhi;
sitting beside a young man, blissfully sleeping, and beginning the diary of a
girl embarking on a mountainous trip to the great Kailash and Mansarovar.
I
wish myself a safe and once-a-lifetime journey to the Land of Gods!
Happy
Journey! J
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