"Jaldi chalo, Chalthe rahon, Peeche mout Khari hain "

In treks, you become friends with all and sometimes more so with the guides, cook or helpers. In my trek to Pin Bhabha I came across this gentle guy who came with us helping the team. We somehow developed a liking and talking about apple orchards which come during the start of the trek from Himachal and about the Nepalis workers who come there from across the border during the apple season and so on.

The first 3 days were tough but manageable with rain adding some extra to the trek. We were drenched with heavy rains and after sometime there was not a single dry cloth in the bag nor a dry thing with us. Fourth day I had the altitude sickness starting at 14000 feet and really played truant that day. On the fifth day ,during the evening before the summit day this gentle guy was introduced as the local guide who will help us across the Bhabha pass. I was surprised by the seriousness and toughness he displayed during the briefing. It was a makeover from someone who was gentle and soft to become someone who was really commanding and demanding complete compliance. The way he explained the risks and dangers many of us were really thinking was it a wise choice to come on a trek that is this dangerous and seemingly impossible. Coming from someone who was always encouraging us that we can do it to someone who said you are staring at death it was quite a makeover.The explanation went something like this.." It is a steep climb, then we walk on the glacier to reach the top of the mountain pass. If we fail to reach the top in time then we will not be able to get down and camp as there is no place to relax on top. We were supposed to start early by 4.00 AM and reach the top early. Each one has to follow the others footsteps with the head torch we were wearing and how to use the trek poles on the meaty side of the road and not on the ledge part of it etc., How important it is to follow the person in front since there will be rockfalls and if someone delays he will risk the whole team. Rests will be allowed only when we reach a relatively safe place and we cannot stop till we reach that place. If anyone is found relaxing /using cellphone for photography except at the designated place the phone will be thrown and the person will have to go back etc.,

The whole night was spent wondering how the trek will be the next day and added to that the huge sound we heard of the rockfall in the night had us on tenterhooks.

There is something strange about being in a team where there are quite a few strangers and everyone is looking for some comfort.There are all kinds of people giving you free advice and some encouraging and some really questioning the purpose of it and foolhardiness that made them come to this trek. on hindsight I feel it is some kind of suggestion that they are telling themselves and not really to the others. It is fun when you look back at it when you are back in a safe zone.

A bunch of thoroughly scared and skeptical bunch was ready by 4.00 AM to start the trek .In 15 minutes it was evident that this was steep and with the baggage and the rare air it was taking a toll on even the good trekkers. The guides kept on egging us to move and in specific points the lead will provide some time for us to relax( 10-20 seconds). On the way the sheep roads which we usually follow was covered by the rockfall the previous day and he had to really find the way out. It was a really harrowing experience for the next 3 hours trying to follow the footsteps blindly. I can even remember the exact details of the person's leg, gait and the brand of shoe and where it was stretched to the limit.Once light started trickling down, The real shocking point was when we saw dead horses ( not able decompose because of the chill) they were like this for months in the gorge below. Once we reached three fourth of the climb of the way he allowed us to rest for sometime and you could see the relaxation in his face. Immediately he was the same old gentle supporting guy. The most interesting phase during that trek was the sentence that kept ringing "Jaldi chalo chalthe rahon, peeche mout khari hain". Keep moving and climbing death is behind you...

The view once we cleared this risky patch was breath-taking. It was as if we were in heaven with only mountain peaks around and the clouds below covering the rest of land. And the relief immediately gave us the energy to continue.

When I look back, It was the fear that was a strong driver for us to make it all the way but if that was a bit more then we would not have agreed to climb at all. Fear in the right amount really helps to stretch oneself and discover ones capabilities. I can say more than 80% of us were not sure this will be possible by us to reach the summit but push by some really experienced trekkers and the fear to be left behind or being lost in the rock fall made it to the top..