Reviving my first climb.

Ever wished to reflect on your very first taste of adventure on the mountains? Well I’d like to revive my first memory of getting awe-struck while striving uphill against my dragging weight (well I did have extra fat back then). Here’s my written record of that experience, which I had created in April 2015.

If you want to venture outward from the flow of your regular dull activities and have a jaw-dropping rock climbing experience, or get a whiff of fresh air by trekking through steep hilly roads or narrow forest paths with an incredibly heavy rucksack swinging from your back, and if you want to do these amazing activities in a place which is in close proximity to Kolkata, then come to Sikkim. Sign up for the various adventure courses held over there. Even though my words seem like those of a sales pitch, they do entangle a bit of my feeling about the utterly breathtaking experience which I had recently on a school excursion trip to Chemchey, Sikkim.

As we slowly headed by bus towards the institute (Indian Himalayan Centre for Adventure and Eco-tourism) where we were going to stay, most of us were thoroughly mesmerized by the beauty and serenity of the mountains standing all around us, and the photographers among us acknowledged plenty of photogenic opportunities. But soon our aforementioned feelings about the mountains being peaceful and calm were destined to be broken. We were to participate in an adventure course.

Steadily, our previous thoughts about the mountains were bent, twisted and changed into different ones. We were now compelled to think of them as being towering beasts of infinite power and glory which posed a challenge to each and every one of us as soon as we felt the bitter pain of strain and exhaustion. We tripped, fell, raised ourselves up again and struggled hard against the might of Mother Nature, and yet our instructors nagged us and shouted into our ears that what we were doing was not enough. Some of us felt that this was impossible and it could not be borne with any longer, while for some of us, the instructors’ words rang through our ears directly to every muscle of our body, and all of a sudden our supply of adrenaline got boosted. Fresh strength and zeal began flowing with our blood and our jangled nerves were smoothed out, thus erasing every trace of fear from our hearts. We determined to give our very best in the activities we were made to do, and to conquer the mountains as far as we were allowed to. Though not for all, the rock climbing activity seemed simply like a game and the 28 km trek like a race in which the winner would prove that his weak  mind and legs had not defeated his enthusiasm.

Sikkim does not boast of many historical places, so our sight-seeing activities were few. On our day of departure, nobody could have imagined how appalled and disturbed we felt when we realized that the trip had come to an end.

The adventure courses in Sikkim (IHCAE) are for all those who seek for new game and excitement and who want to shatter their boundaries of fear and uncertainty.