Just married. (to adventure)

My betrothed one.
Bakarthach camp, Himachal Pradesh
July 2019

Whenever you drop your rucksack in front of your front door, with a raw stench emanating from your skin, and a heavy heart dragging down your chest, there exists an inventory of characteristics that may be ostensible to your family and friends. After all, an invigorating experience with your beloved (the mountains) and subsequently a sudden and painful severing of contact with your betrothed one can significantly mould your behavior.

A new-found love for all the grime clinging to your body or clothes: Well, here’s the thing. One tends to retain all the probable little things that might remind them of the beautiful adventure recently engaged in. Those will inevitably include the mud sticking to your shoe soles, the sodden patches on that water-proof jacket which you had tucked deep inside your bag and the dirt washing off of your limbs when you’re under the shower.

Laying bare all your bruises: The numerous (or few) scratches and gashes inflicted on your skin are up for a little exhibition. Here’s your chance to show your friends all the hardships that you’d had to endure and get a horde of praises. Of course, if you’re the quiet type, then you would just stay humble and cherish all the wonderful memories of getting hurt yourself.

Flooding with stories: This is infallibly true in all cases, and the ears of the people around you are likely to start aching after listening to the words pouring out of your mouth. The rickety bridge making weird noises while stepping on it, the frozen glacier where your feet were constantly skidding backwards, the amount of time the vegetables consumed to cook, and so much more. You’ll feel like grabbing the hand of your listener and taking him or her through that beautiful journey.

A frantic search for sources of money (if you’re unemployed or a student): The strong backward force of attraction that those gorgeous montane sceneries would exert on you will also motivate you to earn. For the green would help you contemplate and visualize your future escapades from home.

Rewarding everybody with those powerful smiles: A fresh betrothal is always likely to keep your heart brimming with joy. All the tears, laughter, ecstasy and energy accumulated in the bosom of a mountain would turn you into a lively person reverberating with deep notes of wisdom. So after your return home the people you encounter on your path would be revitalized by your beautiful smiles.

Well I am eager for when I’ll again get the chance to bounce off of my life on plains and land in the hills again.

Do let me know if you have some thoughts!