Thursday, August 28, 2014

Trekking in Kothagiri

So, okay, I kept calling myself a trekker and the only evidence I have provided for my being a trekker is getting caught in the Uttaranchal disaster last year. When I cite a foot injury or a broken hand as reasons for my not trekking recently, a lot of you said,"So, next time, will it be the death of a great grandmother?" I needed to grin (NO - it was NOT a grimace) and bear it, so far. Just so you guys know how wrong you were all along about me, I have just completed a two day trek in Kothagiri. So there!

And then there were those who thought I had no pics in my posts only because I knew not how to put them in. So, here is a pic - put that in your pipe and smoke it. If you had thought that I did not know how to TAKE pics you would have been right - this one was sent to me by a co-trekker, Ramesh, of whom you shall hear more later.


To be absolutely truthful, this trek, too, almost did not take place. The bus that Ramesh and I took to Coimbatore decided that it had worked enough for the day and stopped somewhere after Erode. It had taken due care to stop on the bye-pass road so that buses towards Coimbatore did not cross our path and allow us alternative transport. The only problem, though, was that there are always those maverick buses that take the untrodden trails and we managed to snag one, went to Avinashi and from there to Mettuplayam where our friend, Chandru, picked us up and took us onwards to his summer home at Kothagiri (near Ooty for those who know it not).

The next day, we were joined by Jayendra and Shrikant, as well as Riddhi and Pooja who had unexpectedly decided to join unknown strangers on the trek based on a mutual friend's say-so. The day's trek was to Rangaswami peak and, though there is a perfectly motorable road up to the steps that take us up to the temple, we trekked through the forest to reach there. (Trekkers ARE like that. We just do not like the easy way out).

The path, by trekking standards should count as relatively easy - or so Ramesh said. Maybe there was a time in life when I would have said so as well but THIS was not that time. But then, I was in no position to say anything considering that both nose and mouth were too busy dragging air in to satisfy lungs that kept screaming for more. The fact that it had rained all day before and that it was intermittently raining even as we trekked was no help either since it takes more effort to walk through wet ground and since I was notoriously capable of slipping even where the ground offered no excuse for doing so.

Up and up and up through all that lovely greenery and we came to a sharp right turn in a relatively open area when we spotted a herd of elephants on the terrace below us, grazing peacefully. Our guide was advising us about how to escape charging elephants - run uphill, apparently. Me, I had decided that the easiest way to escape an elephant was to yield to it. Once you are a smear on the landscape, you need have no fear of any elephants. (One look at the steps that had to climbed from there on and I was vexed that the elephants had not seen fit to charge. It would have put me out of my misery.)

Onwards we went and the most irritating part was the fact that Ramesh was always a couple of kilometers ahead of us. It is one thing to be made to feel like an escapee from the geriatric ward by youngsters but to be shown up as an arthritic zombie by a chap older than you was beyond bearing. As though that were not enough, Ramesh HAD to keep telling us about how it was not a picnic and how much faster we would need to walk. He compounded our misery by insisting on taking a further trek on the way back when there was a perfectly serviceable road that could take us back to our cars in no time at all.

As we were wheezing along in his wake, we solemnly promised ourselves that we would take him apart in the evening to see if he worked on muscle and bone like the rest of us ordinary mortals or on gears and lube oil. The only fly in the ointment was the fact that, by day's end, there was only one person who had the energy to do anything at all - Ramesh! I could not have lifted a finger to save my life.

Later that evening, at Shrikant's place in Coonoor, I did find that I could not only lift a finger but could hoist a glass with my hands. Single Malt has that effect on me - though, of course, since modern medicine does not consider whisky as a life-saver, I can still claim that I could not lift a finger to save my life.

The next day, we trekked to Tipu's fort (the view in the pic is from there), a walk in the park according to Chandru. About the trek itself, all I can say is that people do have different ideas about what constitutes a walk and what constitutes a park.

Why do I trek then? Not because I like to keep my muscles screaming for surcease. The entire experience - the views, the birdsong, the unexpected sighting of wildlife in its natural habitat, the changing sensual experiences depending on weather - is a pleasure that can be enjoyed best only when you do it. Even the physical exertion is a weird form of pleasure - water tastes like ambrosia when you drink it when you are thirsty; taking the weight off your legs for a few minutes is heavenly and, of course, splashing in a stream or bathing in a waterfall (did not happen this trek, though) when you are hot and sweaty is a sensual experience that no Jacuzzi can match.

At the end of it all, my enforced absence from trekking did not seem to have marred my endurance very significantly. So, Mustang trek in Nepal - here I come!

39 comments:

  1. oh wow so Nepal next eh? :) I agree about the experience of trekking, those crying bones go unheard at the end of it all.
    My husband trekked in Bandhavgarh with a few guys and a retired Col. who had organized it. The Col. was easily in his sixties and walked up a hill carrying twenty litres of water while the rest huffed and puffed their way up despite not having anything to carry :P

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    1. Those are the ones who give you a serious inferiority complex :)

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  2. This is indeed wonderful Suresh sir - Are there accommodation options at Kothagiri? Can the trek be done without the guidance of a local guide?

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    1. No idea, Mahesh! I suppose there might be options. It may be possible but I do not take such chances since by geographical orientation is very poor.

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  3. And sir for some reason I am not able to view the image :(

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    1. Hmm - it does take a while to load but if it does not load at all I don't know why :(

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  4. This makes me hate the fact that I am sitting on my office chair....
    I want to trek tooo. NOT FAIR!

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    1. So, trek :) Lots of people trek weekends, particularly from Chennai (the Chennai Trekker's club) but even from other places.

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  5. The picture doesn't load :(

    Once bitten by wanderlust , there is nothing else in the world that satisfies you, right?

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    1. THAT pic really seems to be elusive - the browser had to be real quick to catch it :) Even for me, it loads 4 out of ten times :) Maybe I should edit out that boat about being able to put up pics :P

      Yup - the wanderlust perpetuates itself - I can take it in small doses though :)

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  6. I enjoyed reading this a lot, as if I was there with you. I was, especially since I am the sort who doesn't like to get tired and looks for such vicarious pleasures. (Saying this sitting on the same chair where I sat wishing you good luck before this adventure began.)
    I particularly enjoyed the last paragraph. Not to say you inspired me to go on one, but there is some great philosophy there, put in your classic style, of course.
    Good to know you had a good trip. No more excuses of great grand aunts any more I assume? :D

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    1. You should at least have changed chairs :P I thought you were booked on a trek/camping trip?

      I NEVER :) No excuses to miss treks. Believe me, I once had a twisted ankle before I set off an a trek and still did it and insisted on doing it to the full, though half the group was content with doing only half-way. When I could not even straighten the foot without pain :) I am a dumbass that way - I have to finish what I start :)

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  7. Got nostalgic with the mention of Coonoor, Mettupalayam and Kottagiri. Coonoor was the place where I first realised something like idli manchurian existed! Wistfully remembered the Nilgiris all over again and enjoyed my arm chair trekking with this post! Good luck for the next one :)

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  8. Trekking is something I loved too. I had done it only once in India, from Gowrrikund to Kedarnath and back. Wonderful experience. I had done a few treks in U.S.A with my daughter. Thanks for sharing your experience. I am a regular traveler and I love travel. You may find my reports of my travel in my blog: neel48.blogspot.com

    T N Neelakantan

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    1. Trekking in the Himalayas is a totally different experience. I try to do it once a year at least.

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  9. A good trek is refreshing & healthy.
    Nice that you enjoy it, Sureshji.
    Would have loved to see the pic, but, you have faced some image problem & mystery of the missing pic that I regularly face :) Usually, I post my post & then realize that the pic is not showing & have to attach it again!

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    1. The pic shows up pretty well when I open the post except when the connectivity is too slow.

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  10. The proof of trekking is in clicking. The picture I mean. It doesn't load.
    But yes, if you love nature, what can be better than a trek with friends?

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    1. Hmm! I never click ergo I never trek? :) Alas! The pic seems to load only for me :(

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  11. can't see the pic.... :(

    We haven't actually trekked except to mullayangiri (if it qualifies for one!) and yes, we climbed the tirupati hills once! we are a big team 6 couples and 12 small kids and you can see why trekking is off bounds at the moment! our trips have all been to streams and forests and anywhere in the midst of nature...Hebri, Dandeli, and such places....

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    1. This pic is like the emperor's new clothes - visible to nobody :)

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    2. I was just about to say exactly that...and I burst into laughter reading that! emperor's new clothes yeah! I can see it now though! no really I can..the fog and tress all! and it is amazing!!

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    3. Haha! Great minds think alike :) So, probably, do mediocre minds, but why think of them :)

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  13. Your description of the whole trip is very tempting but it must be very tiring.My trekking is limited to my terrace or the park in front.So long !

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  14. So the trek finally happened Suresh :) The couple of times I went on a mountain trek, I decided to enjoy the view before I reached the top considering my lungs didnt think it was a good idea :) Nepal trek ! Wow ! Will wait to hear all about that.

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    1. Thankfully, it did, Ash! For the details of the Nepal trek you will need to wait till November. The trek is scheduled for Oct 19 to Nov 2.

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  15. Well I have to say, treks are fun especially if you get to have a good peg or 2 of single malt at the end of it :)

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  16. the pic's beautiful, i love hiking but haven't in years now,cause i'm scared of snakes in India, but your writing was interesting, as always :)

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    1. The fear of snakes was thoroughly eradicated from me thanks to a childhood in Neyveli where I encountered snakes once a week at least :)

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  17. Sigh! When will I go trekking again? Its been 7 years. Somehow not been able to fit trekking into my post MBA and post marriage life. I keep discussing about resuming treks. But don't see when I actually will.

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