“Somewhere between the bottom of the climb and the summit is the answer to the mystery why we climb.” – Greg Child
Although I love all kinds of outdoors, yet, it’s the mountains that I inadvertently get attracted to the most – distant, silent, powerful, protective and inviting. It’s this love for mountains and all things outdoors that led to the birth of Urban Nomads – A club I founded in the hopes of bringing together adventure seeking like minded outdoor enthusiasts. The original launch platform was Meetup but a few learnings along the way led me to restrict it to a ‘by invite only’ club. Prior to Kumar Parvatha (KP) trek, the club had already completed two thrilling ‘camp’aigns, the first one to Dandeli in March and the more recent one to Gandikota in November. Fresh from the excitement of Gandikota, the longing to scale KP peak started to take shape. I mentioned this to Wajeeha during one of our cab rides to work and she eagerly signed up. Wajeeha is part of my team at work and we used to be cab mates for a while. We are also enrolled in the same gym, so fitness was an oft discussed topic of our conversations. Although she was regular at the gym and had a couple of 10K’s under her belt, she was new to the world of trekking and camping. Due to the risks involved, Internally I was uncertain about enlisting a newbie to be part this trek. However, with 2019 fast drawing to close, the usual year end celebrations took precedence and the plan to scale KP peak was put on the backburner.
The mountains are calling and I must go.” wrote John Muir, and quite aptly, the yearning to scale KP Peak gradually started to creep back. I naturally reached out to my Gandikota crew and checked their availability for the weekend of 18 January. Unfortunately most had other plans already drawn up for that weekend and suggested moving it out. Not a big deal one might think, except you are staring at the prospect of trekking in unbearably hot and humid conditions that this region is notorious for. Most blogs I read suggested it was best to attempt the trek between September to January, when the conditions are more favorable. Considering it was already early January, the golden window to ascend KP was fast closing and I didn’t want to lose the opportunity. I informed my Gandikota crew that I will attempt the trek as proposed and will plan to do another one with the group later. Wajeeha had signed up prior, so I already had 1 recruit. I then reached out to Satish who is part of my team at work and a member of a run club where I am enrolled as well. We had run a 10K together earlier in December. I was aware that a year back he had successfully completed a week long trek to base camp. The prospect of trekking got him all excited and he immediately signed up. I had a slight intuition that Divya, his wife, who also worked in my team and participated in the run, might also be interested to join. A few quick exchange of message between the two and she was in. Next, I reached out to Anil from QA team, who was also part of the run club. Unfortunately, he had already drawn up other plans for the weekend and could not join. We agreed that four is a decent sized crew for this trek and stopped recruiting further. Now the planning began!
Measuring at 5,617 ft, Kumar Parvatha, also known as Pushpagiri, is the 4th highest peak in Karnataka located amidst the densely forested Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Ghats. Geographically it is part of Kodagu (Coorg) district sharing borders with Dakshina Kannada and Hassan districts. Trekkers attempt to scale KP from either Kukke Subrahmaniya (western side) or Beedahalli (eastern side), a small village some 22km from Somwarpet. The distance from Kukke side is approximately 14 Kms from base to peak and from Beedahalli side approximately 7 Kms. Kukke side is the more challenging one with its undulating trails and steep inclines winding through thick deciduous forest and vast meadows. It is also the more popular option among trekkers offering a total trek distance of 28 km to peak and back. Thanks to the hugely famous Kukke Subrahmaniya temple at its base, it is better connected as well. We decided to go with the popular choice. Google “Kumara Parvatha Trek” and the top results are likely links to different adventure clubs that have mushroomed in recent times offering group treks to KP peak over the weekend. Dig deeper and you will be rewarded with some excellent blogs by individuals who went that way before. I was amazed by the level of detail shared by some; when to attempt, how to get there, who to contact, what to carry, what to avoid, where to camp, landmarks, route maps, satellite maps, topographical maps and what have you. Just reading a few of these blogs will give you an instant adrenaline rush. KP trek holds the distinction of being the most difficult trek in Karnataka. Considered the holy grail of south India trekking, ascending KP will automatically provide the rite of passage to any aspiring trekker. The trek is classified as ‘Moderate-Difficult’ trek and ideal for ‘Experienced Trekkers’. However, over the years the trek has gained immense popularity among adventure seeking city dwellers, experienced or otherwise, looking for a break from routine. We fit this description well.
If you are after the best scenery and care less about the trekking experience, then it is suggested to attempt the trek during the monsoons, June–August, when the incessant rains give the mountain a lush green carpet like look. Expect difficulty level to be higher and leeches for company. For the best trekking experience, September to January is the recommended window when the temperatures in the region is still pleasant. Post January, the scorching sun takes the difficulty to a whole new. Unless you are out to teach yourself a lesson, it is best avoided between February to May.
Experienced trekkers may attempt to complete the trek in a single day, starting at daybreak and back to base by dusk. The more preferred (and sensible) approach is to spread it over two days, with Day 1 covering base to camp site and Day 2 targeting camp site to peak and back to base. To us, option 2 was a no-brainer. We decided to drive out from Bengaluru early in the AM, reach Kukke by 10, start trek to campsite by 11, reach by 2 and camp for the night. Day 2 we start the ascent from camp site to peak and back to base by dusk. Returning, it was agreed we spend the night in Kukke and start early the following day as we imagined it will be tiring to drive back to Bengaluru after the arduous trek. We zeroed in on 17th – 19th January as the dates we embark on our adventure. It was decided to take the Friday off, start early morning right after our Thursday shift and be back in Bengaluru by Sunday evening. The days leading up to the trip was spent preparing the detailed itinerary, essential checklist, confirming lunch and dinner arrangements and assembling the gear. Running Urban Nomads meant I was covered on the gear front, but the rest of the group had some shopping to do. Good trekking gear comes at a premium and if you are not a regular trekker, you are staring at the prospect of your expensive equipment gathering dust and hogging precious real estate. Satish took the lead on checking out some online options that allowed renting trekking gear and chanced upon some solid alternatives. It turned out not only you could rent trekking gear, but for a small fee, the equipment is door delivered to your address. Don’t think it gets any more convenient than this. Wajeeha on the other hand felt certain that she was on her way to becoming an avid trekker and decided to invest in a backpack. She got a good deal at Decathlon. Divya oversaw food arrangements at the camp site and a few phone calls to the legendary ‘Bhattara Mane’ (camp site) confirmed we would be fed. With all major preparations out of the way, we eagerly waited for the day to arrive.
Day 1:
Finally it arrived. Since I was the designated driver and we decided on an early start, I opted to connect from home the previous evening and windup early. That way I could get some sleep before the drive. Satish, Divya and Wajeeha arrived home by 4:30 AM post their shift. We swiftly loaded our gear into the boot and soon were on NH75. We reached Nelamangala in no time and pulled over for the customary ‘chai’ before heading onward. Out next pit stop was going to be breakfast at Hotel Mayura near Bellur Cross. Fastag becoming mandatory meant we were zipping through tolls and ended up arriving too early for breakfast. The restaurant was yet to open and since no one was feeling hungry, we decided to drive on. As soon as we crossed Hassan bypass, we encountered dense fog and visibility dropped drastically. This continued almost until we crossed Sakleshpur. A little further from Sakleshpur is a restaurant called Ossur which I had visited many times while travelling this route and decided to stop for breakfast. Who can resist the draw of piping hot Idly-sambaar, the unanimous choice, which we downed with Coffee. With breakfast out of the way, we started onward towards our final pitstop – Kukke. Around 9:30 AM we were there, almost 2.5 hours ahead of schedule. We decided to start trek immediately and shoot for lunch at Bhattara Mane which we were hoping to reach around 1 PM. This meant, we had a fair chance of completing the days trek mostly under tree cover and minimal sun in the open grassland leading to Bhattara Mane.
Locating the trek start point was a bit of a struggle as Google Maps seemed totally lost and there were no signboards whatsoever pointing towards KP. Eventually we decided to do it the old-fashioned way; ask people for directions. Most people we asked around happened to be pilgrims visiting the temple and had little knowledge of the area. Finally, a street vendor pointed us towards a narrow road which seem to vaguely resemble the description I had come across in a few of the blog posts. We headed in that direction. After driving for a kilometer and half, we noticed an empty parking lot and a small gate that opened into what looked like a forest trail. We pulled over and to be doubly sure, asked a passerby if this was entrance to KP trek and she replied in the affirmative. Heaving a sigh of relief, we quickly unloaded our gear and strapped on our backpacks. Mine was probably over 30 kilos but felt more like 100. Tent, sleeping bag and mat, clothes, cookware, food etc all were stuffed inside. Satish’s probably weighed a little less and Wajeeha’s was the lightest. We clicked the customary selfie and onward we marched.
It was 11 AM when we started the trek, almost an hour behind schedule. We had close to 5 km of ascent ahead of us. Approximately the first 3.5 km was going to be dense forest. As soon as we entered, we experienced a sense of calm descending on us. It was as if a divine force had blessed us with strength and resilience needed to overcome what lay ahead. Walking amidst the cover of tall trees and thick vegetation felt exhilarating. Wajeeha mentioned she could feel her lungs open up. About 5 minutes into the trek the smooth trail gave way to loose rocks accompanying steep inclines. Divya who had insisted on carrying the larger backpack (for that pro backpacker look) started to have a change of mind. To compound matters, her arms developed an allergy most likely due to insect bites. Fortunately I was carrying a pair of arm sleeves which gave her some relief. She also decided to swap backpacks with Satish. Soon it was me and Wajeeha in the lead and Satish and Divya following behind. At some point into the climb we came across this tree with its massive network of roots above ground. We decided to click pictures and rest for a few minutes. This also allowed Satish and Divya to catch up. Now Satish was carrying both backpacks. To avoid our schedule going out of whack, we agreed that myself and Wajeeha will take the lead and break periodically to allow Satish and Divya to catch-up. After almost 2 hours into the climb, we reached ‘Bhimana Bande’ (Bhima’s Rock), a huge boulder adjacent to the trek path. We could hear the sound of waterfalls close by. We rested for a bit and waited for Satish and Divya to catch up. They joined shortly. We had contemplated stopping for a swim at the falls, but it was already 1 PM and we had another 2 hours of climb ahead of us. Not wanting to risk losing our lunch, we decided to skip the swim and continue trekking.
After an hour of climbing (interspersed with a few breaks in-between), we broke forest cover and were welcomed with the sight of a small hillock at a distance. There were a few cows grazing at the top. Further ahead we caught the first glimpse of what we imagined were the twin peaks – Sesha Parvatha and Kumara Parvatha. The view was breathtaking. It was hard to imagine that we would be covering this vast distance and standing at the peak of these mountain by tomorrow noon. We continued trekking. The terrain was now flat and a group of trekkers coming from the opposite direction suggested it was probably another 30 minutes from there to Bhattara Mane. Our pace quickened knowing we were close and then we saw it from a distance; a mud house with a tiled roof surrounded by Areca plantation. We almost started sprinting and in a few minutes we reached Bhattara Mane. We dumped our bags in a small clearing amidst the Areca tress, tossed our shoes and crashed onto the plantation floor. Satish and Divya joined few minutes later. It was 3 PM; it had taken us 4 hours to complete the first part of the climb, a full hour behind plan. We were exhausted, our legs felt sore, our bodies felt ravaged, but it was hard to miss the child like glee on our faces. After a few minutes of rest, we decided to check on the off chance if lunch was still available.
Every inch of the baked mud floor that made up the front porch of Bhattara Mane was teeming with trekkers. Some, like us, had made it from base and others back from the peak. To us, the later seemed like soldiers returning from battlefield. We located ‘Bhattre’ and I explained we had phoned prior and signed-up for lunch and dinner. He had no recollection of any such conversation happening but made a note in his diary and suggested we proceed to have lunch. Lunch was a simple fare consisting of a choice of polished or boiled rice, vegetable stew (sambaar), butter milk and mixed vegetable pickle. Quantity was eat all you can and we did just that. After taming our hunger, we lay on the plantation floor and grabbed a much-needed siesta under the shade of Areca trees. After a peaceful nap we collected our backpacks and headed towards the forest office which was a quick 10 minutes’ walk from Bhattara Mane. We had decided to pitch our tents there in hopes of an early start the following day. In front of the forest office was large clearing and we noticed a few trekkers had already claimed their territories. We picked a spot closer to the entrance and in about 30 minutes our tents were up and running. It was decided Divya and Wajeeha would share the smaller tent and Satish and myself will take the larger one along with our backpacks and other paraphernalia.
Around 5:45PM we headed towards ‘Viewpoint’ to watch sunset amidst the Shiradi mountains. It was breathtaking! The sky was bathed in beautiful hues of orange and the mountain range leant a picturesque backdrop to the setting sun. We clicked a few customary selfies and groupies and headed back to our campsite.
It was completely dark by now and we decide to brew some hot coffee, only to realize that we had forgotten to pack sugar. We asked fellow trekkers but were totally out of luck. As consolation, we decided to have Maggie instead and I quickly setup my ultra portable stove and got a fire going from borrowed ember. As we waited for the Maggie to cook, we gathered around the fire and began to recount the moments earlier in the day. Soon piping hot Maggie was on our plates and we devoured every swirl of it. Satisfied, we retreated back into our tents and spent the next two hours chatting about our past adventures and sketching the next one. Around 9 PM we made our way back to Bhattara Mane for dinner. The fare on offer was an exact repeat of lunch but I guess all we cared was quantity over quality. Our body was craving carbs to replenish our depleted fuel cells from the after burn. Another hearty meal and we headed back to our campsite stopping en-route at the Viewpoint to stargaze and soak in the ever-beautiful scenery. Once we were content, we made it back to out tents and retired for the night. We had another long day ahead and needed us to be up early.
Day 2:
I woke up to the sound of constant beeping from my wrist watch and a dull glow from the dial indicated it was 3:30 AM. The campsite was already abuzz with early birds ready to take off. While checking in, we were given strict instructions by forest officials to pack our tents and stow away our luggage in the cloak room before heading off. The girls camp showed no signs of life and we decide to wake them up after we were done packing. The condensation resulting from the humidity and our own breath had left us to deal with a soaking wet fly tarp. By 4:15 am our tent was packed and around the same time the girls crawled out of theirs. There was already a queue build up outside the one lone washroom and we took turns to go about our morning routine. With that out of the way, we packed the remaining tent and dumped all our belongings in the cloak room, every inch of which was taken up either by trekkers sprawled on the floor or luggage that had landed before ours. Honestly, I had limited hopes of finding our luggage intact on our return. Next, we queued up to pay the trek fee, which added up to Rs. 1400 for our group of four. We were asked to enter our personal details and sign a declaration stating we alone are responsible for our safety. Before issuing the receipt, the forest officer counted the number of plastic water bottles and snack packets and warned us against leaving anything behind. As added guarantee, he suggested we collect the Rs. 600 change that was due to us after showing proof of the same on our return.
It was 5:40 am by the time all formalities were completed and we finally were ready start our trek. Daybreak was still an hour away, so I strapped on my head torch and Satish drew his flashlight out. A few minutes walk from the campsite led us to the open grassland and from there it was a gradual ascent. We had a partial moon for company and we edged onward chatting each other up. We would occasionally turn back and notice flashlights at a distance, suggesting other group of trekkers had started their climb. The experience of trekking in pitch darkness amidst tall grass on all sides with only torchlight’s to guide us was exhilarating. Daybreak happened around 6:30 am and for the next three hours or so, as sunlight and the mountains went about their game of hide and seek, we would stand witness to some of the most beautiful vistas unraveling before us. Around 7 AM, after what felt like hours of climbing, Wajeeha and I crossed a small stream to reach Kallina Mantapa; an open stone structure with a roof and supported by four pillars on all sides. It seemed like it had been there for centuries.
Soon Satish and Divya joined and we decided to have breakfast before proceeding onward. We managed to climb on top of the roof for a better view and snacked on slices of bread, jam and peanut butter as we enjoyed the peace and tranquility. With breakfast done, we decided it was time to get moving and Wajeeha and I took the lead. The next 90 minutes of the climb proved to be the most challenging part. The elevation kept getting steeper and loose stones along the pathway only made matters worse. Every peak that came into sight made us believe we were close only to be disappointed by the next one that seemed miles away.
The only comfort was the frame after frame of the magical views that kept unfolding. Thanks to Wajeeha, the shutters on our phone cameras went into overdrive. Finally around 9:00 AM, Wajeeha and I made it to the first peak – Sesha Parvatha! We joined a group of trekkers who had reached prior and we happily obliged to click some photos of the group. The overhanging rock atop Sesha Parvatha not only provided a platform for a great photo op, but also gave a clear view of the entire trail we had traversed so far. It was hard to believe we had covered all that distance in three and half hours. We clicked a few photos and waited for Satish and Divya to arrive.
Some 20 minutes later, Divya came into view with Satish close behind. Divya looked exhausted and crashed onto the boulder floor to give her legs a much-needed respite. She was thrilled to make it so far and admitted she had contemplated giving up several times but Satish kept prodding her to keep going. Wajeeha and I decided to proceed towards KP peak and let Satish and Divya get some rest. The 1 km odd trek from Shesha Parvatha to KP peak was mostly under forest cover involving 0.5 KM of descent and a final ascent for the remaining 0.5 KM. We made good progress until we were presented with an almost vertical slippery rock face to climb. At first glance, it looked dangerous almost impossible to climb, but slowly and carefully we followed the green arrow marks to find our footing and in about 10 minutes we had crossed the final hurdle and made it through a narrow opening that finally revealed the summit.
A small signboard next to the opening read “Pushpagiri Peak – 0 kms”. Technically we still had another 100 m to cover to get to the true top. We briskly marched onward and in about 5 minutes we reached a shrine adjacent to which was large pile of rocks with a few flags staked at the top. It was 10 minutes past 10 AM. This was sight we were yearning for. The ascent was complete. We made it to the TOP! We walked into a group of trekkers who had made the trek from Somavarapete side. They advised us to continue walking a little further for the best views and It was probably THE best advice we received during the whole trek. We were greeted to a panoramic view of the entire mountain range and briefly reunited with the group we met at Sesha Parvatha.
Clouds were passing us and there were moments when we were literally among the clouds. It was indeed our ‘on cloud 9’ moment. We headed back to the rock pile and waited for Divya and Satish. They joined us a few minutes later and after a quick exchange of high fives, we eagerly walked back to the same spot to show them the views. Like us, they were ecstatic! After soaking in the majestic views for a good 45 minutes, we decided it was time to head back. The sun was now in peak position and a flick of my wrist showed the time as 11:30 am on the watch dial. We estimated about two hours of descent to get back to our camp site.
Almost all KP trek blogs cover the ascent part well and give the reader a fair idea of the difficulty level to expect, but very few talk about the decent. After 14 KM of relentless climbing, your leg muscles kind of adapt to the climbing motion so when the decent starts, they seem a bit unprepared. Further, when descending your entire upper body weight is transferred to your knees and your toe constantly press against the toe box of your shoe. This is when your investment in a good pair of trekking shoes pays off. We maintained constant pace and kept breaks to a minimum. Wajeeha and I were quickly in the lead and the gap kept getting wider. We nevertheless decided to continue and break only when absolutely necessary. Once we reached Sesha Parvatha, we lost forest cover. From this point on it was open grassland all the way through with peak afternoon sun beating down our backs. If the loose stones along the trail were a bother while ascending, they were outright treacherous during the descent. Wajeeha had a couple of close shaves trying to navigate the path but got away without any injuries. Halfway between Sesha Parvatha and Kallina Mantapa we started passing trekkers who were headed to the peak. Most seemed to be struggling. It was difficult to imagine the climb facing the sun. Even when we turned momentarily to spot Satish and Divya, we were instantly reprimanded. We reached the stream near Kallina Mantapa and decided to break and wait for Satish and Divya to catch up. There was good tree cover around the stream. We took our shoes off and stretched our legs. And then we noticed the crystal clean spring water flowing from an aquifer below the earth surface. We refilled our nearly empty water bottles, took a few sips and poured cold water on our feet. The relief was heavenly. Taking our cue, other trekkers started to gather around the stream, so we refilled our bottles and gave way. A group we had passed 30 minutes earlier had decided to abandon the trek and return back. One of their group member looked to be in bad shape possibly due to heat stroke. We finally noticed Satish and Divya emerging from the farthest peak. We estimated it would take them 15-20 minutes to get to the stream and another 15 minutes of rest. It was already 2 pm. Once we got confirmation that they were doing alright, we decided to proceed with our decent and meet them at the forest office. The moment we stepped out of tree cover, all relief disappeared. We were back in the grind. We kept good pace for the next one hour or so and finally made it to the forest office. The camp site was packed. Not wanting to miss out on lunch, we continued walking and reached Bhattara Mane. It was 3 PM.
The front porch was teeming with people and upon inquiring with Bhattre we learned that an adventure club from Bengaluru with over 100 members had descended at the camp site. They were going to attempt the climb the following day. We estimated Satish and Divya were at least another 30 minutes away from getting here and decided to proceed with lunch. Such was our exhaustion level that soon after lunch we lay stretched on the floor and what was supposed to be a five minutes nap turned into a deep slumber, waking up only after Satish and Divya arrived, a full hour later. Apparently Divya’s feet had developed blisters and they had to take frequent breaks, which significantly slowed them down. Post lunch, Satish suggested we camp for the night here and leave in the morning as it would be impossible for Divya to walk another 5 km to get to base. Wajeeha and I walked to the forest office to check if we would be allowed to camp for the night but every inch of the campsite was taken. Our only option now was to find a free spot near Bhattara Mane to camp. On return, we noticed all available camping space was already taken and our chances of securing a camping spot looked grim. Finally, after a long wait we managed to get a spot that could accommodate our two tents. We returned to the forest office to collect our luggage from the cloak room and were relieved to find everything intact and nothing had gone missing. We also collected the Rs. 600 that was due to us after showing proof and headed back to Bhattara Mane. In about 30 minutes our camps were up and running. It was beginning to get dark and the girls settled into their tents. Satish and I chatted for a bit and decided to check if Bahttre would be willing to lend us some sugar so we could brew coffee. We got lucky and quickly we gathered some twigs and dry leaves, assembled the stove and got a fire going. While waiting for the water to boil, two beat constables appeared out of nowhere and looked at us in disgust. Luckily they allowed us to continue once they realized we were using a controlled fire. Soon we were sipping on hot black coffee. It was difficult to miss the contented look on our faces. We retreated back into our tents and spent the next few hours chit chatting. By dinner time, over 100 campers had descended on Bahattre’s porch and we could see many more flashlights at a distance, coming in from the forest office campsite. It was as if a swarm of fireflies were headed our way. We decided to wait out invasion and by 10 pm, we were the last guests at the dinner table. Dinner was a quick affair and we retired for the night hoping for an early start to base the following day.
Day 3:
Satish and I woke early and we went about packing our tent, allowing the girl’s to get a bit more sleep. They were up by the time our tents were packed and we quickly packed the remaining tent. Fortunately Divya’s feet was feeling better and the blisters were almost gone. We freshened up, had breakfast and requested for the bill. Turns out, it’s a standard Rs. 150 for every meal – Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. Considering the fare on offer, it would seem a bit steep but one should also consider the logistics of getting the ingredients to this place; It’s all carried manually on ones back all the way from Kukke town, a 5 km ascent from base. There is no other way. We settled the fare, strapped on our backpacks and started our descent to base. The clock showed the time as 8:00 am.
Wajeeha and I were soon in the lead and after an hour and half of nonstop walking we reached Bhimana Bande. Our body was starting to adapt to this new kind of activity and the aches and pains was less of a bother compared to Day 1.We decided to take a detour and head to the nearby waterfall hoping Satish and Divya would follow suit. Although the stream feeding the waterfall was down to a trickle, the scenery surrounding the place was beautiful. Sunlight filtering through tall tree cover gave the perfect Komorebi effect. Satish and Divya soon joined and we spent the next 45 minutes or so putting our photography skills to test. Once content, we strapped back our backpacks and continued our way. An hour later, we reached base. It was 11:20 am.Two stalls serving identical fare – Kokum Juice, Buttermilk, Cut Fruits etc greeted us at the entrance. Forced into a sugar free diet the last two days, the Kokum Juice was our goto drink and we downed it in a hurry. I swapped my trekking outfit for a more comfortable attire and waited for Divya and Satish to join. They got there 15 minutes later and went straight for the kokum juice/cut fruit combo. After a few minutes of rest we loaded our gear into the boot and were headed back to Bengaluru. En-route, we stopped at a tender coconut stall near Gundiya and had probably one of the sweetest and filling tender coconut water in recent memory. We continued driving until Hassan and around 2:30 PM we stopped for lunch at The Hoysala Village Resort, a beautiful resort property off Hassan-Chikmagalur highway, specializing in Malnad and Konkan cuisine. It was around 4 PM when we settled the bill and from thereon it was a non-stop drive to Bengaluru. We passed time beaming popular Kannada songs from the 90’s on youtube and trying to hum along. Around 7 PM we entered Bengaluru via the Nelamangala toll booth and an hour later we were home. Satish and Divya booked their ride home with Uber which arrived in a few minutes. We bid each other goodbye, bringing down the curtains on a memorable and adventure filled trek that will be remembered for a long time
. . .
As I reflect back on our adventure, I am reminded of a poplar quote: “Your mind will quit a thousand times before your body will. Feel the pain and do it anyway.” Hat’s off to Divya for enduring it all and not giving up, to Wajeeja for proving that a newbie can ace any challenge once you make up your mind and to Satish, for supporting Divya all the way through.