(**Typewriter keystrokes**) Somewhere in the Himalayas. March 2019. The excitement was making way for exhaustion. One winding trail after another was knocking the wind out of my sails. The mountain air was refreshing only to be polluted by the thick black smoke coming out of age-old Land Rovers that were climbing up the terrain made of unwieldy stones arranged haphazardly. The trek organizer at Manebhanjang was right in warning us that the hike from Kalapokhri to Sandakphu is the steepest and will test our endurance. At the time, 6.5 km did not seem much. How hard can this really be? Earlier that day, after our guide briefed us on the technicalities of the hike, we quickly settled into a nice rhythm. Small steps, steady speed, hydration, and stopping by every 45 mins or so. The first half of the trial was confidence-inspiring, I even managed to outpace both Anand and our guide. The early sights of Kanchenjunga left such an impression that I could not wait to see it from the highes...
Random bakwaas!