INTRODUCTION

 

Notwithstanding the independent travels made by the group members with their families during the year, after the initial two trips in 2022 (Markha Valley) and 2023 (Khopra Ridge), the Trekkiyers' annual trek seems to have become an enjoyable and anticipated ritual. Also, with each trek, an additional member joins the group, adding strength, wisdom, and joy to the outing.

During the course of the year after the earlier trek, the members had occasion to meet up at a joyous social function—a marriage in the immediate family of one of the group members. Of course, the occasional bantering through the WhatsApp group was always on—wishing each other on festivals like Diwali, Dussehra, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc., birthday wishes, sharing memories of earlier treks, reminding and coordinating for get-togethers, etc.

With my brother Vaidy, BIL Ramesh, and myself, we already had three family members in the group. We introduced our cousin from Pune, Vishagan, who had inquired about this trek and happily joined after learning about the group members' background.

As usual, for this trek too, the lead was taken by Dr. Narayanaswamy. He has the knack of identifying and selecting offbeat treks that are not too popular and known to many. When the talk of another trek started in the WA group, he did his homework and suggested the Panch Kedar Drive & Trek. All members agreed to the same.

Going through the website of the trek company, we noticed that the level indicated was moderate to difficult. Probably the enthusiasm to go on a group outing made us ignore this, and all group members started making preparations in earnest for the same.

As per the original itinerary put up on the website, the trek was to begin on October 12, 2024 (Saturday), and was to be a 12-day trek with members required to report at Rishikesh, and the drop would be again at the same place after the completion of the trek.

Since this date was the Navami day of the Navratri period, and everyone having Golu at their house, we requested the trek company whether it would be possible to reschedule the trek to a later day after Dussehra. The company wanted to have a minimum of 5 trekkers to have a rescheduling and/or new batch. Since we were already 6 of us (Dr. Swamy, Sumathi, Sridhar, Vaidy, Ramesh, Vishagan, and yours truly), the company created a new batch starting on October 14, i.e., the day after Dussehra.

To our query why this should not have been the 15th so that it would have given us an additional day to complete the Dussehra festivities, the trek company did not bother to reply. We realized later after starting the trek why the starting date was fixed at October 14 and not a day later.

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