My Top 5 Reasons to 'Take a Hike'

The views, the thrill, the high of the altitude, the ever-expanding horizons – these are the obvious reasons for which I go trekking. But when I dig down deeper, there are scores of non-obvious little things that make me adore the idea of going on a trek.

5. The Shaking Knees

 It’s been a long day’s walking. You have been on the trail for hours and hours. Finally in the distance you see the tents. You gratefully reach the tents and stop walking. But your knees just keep shaking and shaking, as if they are still raring to go. Someone told me it’s because of the adrenaline rush. It’s a weird feeling; it’s so much fun…. :)

 4. The Food

Sounds strange, coming from a non-foodie, doesn’t it? I really don’t care too much about food and I don’t have any specific likes and dislikes. As long as I get enough edible stuff to keep me going, I am ok. But meals on a trek are the ones I actually enjoy. There always seems to be just the right food in just the right quantity. And there’s this feeling of having earned the meal which makes it all the more better; there are no guilt-trips after hogging aloo-parathas, or on asking for second helpings of the dessert. ;)

3. The People

Next time you travel on a plane, look at the person sitting next to you. Ever wonder how you were destined to share these few, albeit unremarkable, moments of your life with this stranger; who you have never before, nor after landing, see again?

I have almost always trekked with a set of strangers. But the moments and experiences shared with them are nowhere close to unremarkable. The camaraderie that is formed over a trek is somehow different from the usual friendships. Instead of bonding over a cup of coffee or opinions on politics and movies, people bond over seemingly trivial problems - like how to keep bugs from getting into your sleeping bag, or who will keep a watch while the other person takes a piss… ;) Unreasonable amount of trust is placed upon these friends – on a slippery slope, the proffered helping hand is taken without hesitation.

Once back to the mundane, most of these friendships tend to dissipate quickly. People get on with their lives, go their separate ways; just like how you walk away from the luggage belt at the airport and never see your fellow-travelers again. But that does not mean that the moments you shared with them have faded away from memory. It’s just that they have been pushed to the back of the shelf, like some worn old sweatshirt which you think of putting on when you are alone and its cold outside….

2. The Sheer Physicality

 Being on a trek is one of the few times in life where what you do and how you do it, is more important than what you say and how you say it. True that the gift of the gab has always been a case of sour grapes for me; but isn’t it great there is some safe haven, where what you are not good at, is not really that important? I have always found a certain kind of elation when people say, ‘Tendulkar lets his bat do the talking.’ For me, it’s only too good to be true that there is no need to talk yourself up; you just do what you have to do.

 1. The Out-Of-Office 

“I cannot reply to your mail, because I am currently out of office with no access to e-mails or phone.” Priceless!!! Need I say more?? Give it a try, stay out of coverage area for a couple of days. :D

These were my top five salient reasons for going trekking. What are yours???