Never disturb the lake if you don't want to lose

During one of the treks, I was talking to the trek guide and he was explaining his childhood experience etc in their own unique and innocent way only these hilly people can. I asked him how come he ended up as a trek guide... in his own words " I am from here and I like the mountains, studies never was my cup of tea, (he is graduated mind you), During college days I wanted money for "Ayyashi" ( you can say enjoy) so wanted to earn money and I was helping tourists with my friends for trekking trips as we were used to all the nearby mountains.

Once 4 persons came from some other country and wanted to goto a pilgrimage place which is closed most of the time and open during a specific time of the year. Their guide was not able to go so they were searching for a guide. They asked me if I can take them to the place, I said fine, as I could make some money and the trek was not long. Next morning I called two of my friends and took these people on the journey. It was a trek of 2 days ( as per this person, and normal trek team will take close to 4 days). Once we started, I realised that they were slow and I had to slow down.Since we have preferred camping sites I wanted to go there, but since we were slow we had to camp almost half way before. The tourists had so many things, but still were not comfortable. There was a lake nearby, The tourists went there and threw stones at the lake just to kill time. We have a belief that "if someone disturbs the lake they will get lost ". I told them not to do but they continued. Then next day on the way we met this fog which made people hold hands and walk because it was so dense and by afternoon it was clear to us that we had lost the route. Then we tried to find another way, roamed around and finally decided to go back to the lake to start again. The next day we started from the lake again and had to camp in another place which again half way. They tried to move the next day and they lost their way and had to take a long route to find the camping site. the visitors were exhausted and worse still, their supplies were getting over. I realised trekking with people not familiar with mountains is risky at that time".

One of the things to remember in trekking is things change by the minute so everything has to be planned to a "T". If the streams are not crossed early in the morning the streams become rivers once the sun rises and it can be very tricky as sometimes as the water leaves the regular rocky places and extends on the mud too. The bridges built can be so rickety and to be crossed when the water is low. so the next day when the trek party started they started early but the tired tourists could not make it to the stream in time and these guides tried something they had never tried before crossing the river when the water is high. They used ropes which is a boon. He is a thin wiry 50 kg weight person. They often joke that they carry the heavy rope so that they don't get drowned in the streams/rivers. He said he was supporting and pulling tourists across this bridge it was a difficult to conjure up a 5foot 3 inch person escorting close to 6 feet hefty foreigners across the fast flowing rivers. You cannot imagine if you have not seen them in action. They are extremely strong and with hearts that never give up.

He said he joined the trekking training institute after this experience to learn more and now he was a guide.

But the simple things they do like watching you all the time for signs of weakness, signs of pain, keeping an eye on the team like shepherd dogs. It is really something worth learning and is a great lesson in leadership.

They encourage you when you think it is not possible, they take the load off just enough for you to make it, always around but helping only when needed, being friends when you are comfortable, being handyman stitching shoes, taking photographs of galaxies, repairing tents, bandaging injuries, giving local medicine to cure some common ailments due to high altitude.

I was struck by the simpleness he said " If you disturb the lake you will get lost " Mind which is equated to a serene lake if disturbed we are lost isn't it ?