We have a dorm accommodation in a mountain hut. I opt for a small room crammed with 9 other guys. There's no heating during the day time. At dusk, a boy comes around with sawdust and a strange powder which he puts in a furnace like apparition which burns and simmers till around 1 in the morning. Sometimes under the sleeping bag it felt like i was in Kerala during the summer. The hardest thing to do was to strip. Removing clothes when its bone freezing cold requires for me atleast 10 minutes of talking to myself, pacing up and down and then slowly to start the process by peeling away the warm snow boots and the slightly wet cotton socks.
The first few days all we see as we gaze outside the window is the snow. Outside its breathtakingly beautiful in a valley surrounded by the majestic white peaks of the Himalayas. In the midst of all the skiing, one often forgets the magnificence around. The 20 odd people were of a mixed age group with youth predominating. I was one of the 'older' folks with two twin girls of six making up the other extreme. Our instructor was a cool 24 year old guy who started skiing since he was six.
The skis were taller than me and were not that light. Throughout the 2 weeks, we carry the skis around more than we actually ski. It's 5 seconds of skiing (more accurate term: falling) and then unlocking your skis, hoisting it on your shoulders and climbing the slope again.The snow boots were very heavy and cumbersome but warm. They were also slippery to walk on cemented ground as evident by the numerous falls in the dining hall ! It was a great thrill though to finally put my skis on and to start skiiing. Not for long though, for falling happens more often than skiing in the first week.Starting with 'downhill' we progressed to 'snow plough' , 'traverse', 'side step', etc. The young devils in our course made it look so simple. Most of them had already skiied quite a bit before. The hard part after a 'crash' was to find these little guys looking at me with pity and to endure a lecture on the finer points of skiing.
We had a race at the end of the course fom a slope so steep that I was sure I would either end up dead or with a lifetime disability. Each person races on his own and is timed individually. Though I was almost shitting in my pants just before my turn, once I started I had a ' in the zone experience'. Only the slope ahead was before me and the speed was thrilling. I tagged the poles with ease and for the final curve even stepped on the gas. Thud! Yep, the inevitable fall but I recovered quickly to storm the finish line. An exciting high and I realized that the guy who just did the race was not me.
The constant pressure on my big toes from the snow shoes means that i have two swollen toe nails all black and blue. I limp around now but am happy that i finished my course in one piece. The bus back to Delhi was advertised as semi deluxe but infact very ordinary. Arriving at my photographer friend's place he was so shocked at my changed countenance that he took snaps. My face was the colour of coal except for the part where Ray Ban shades provided some uv protection and my lips were split. A true vagabond.
On to Rishikesh and beyond...
Showing posts with label skiing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label skiing. Show all posts
A white start in a Volvo
Me: I need a bus that can take me to Manali
Him: When? How many people ?
M: Today evening. Just one !
H: All we have is air conditioned Volvo, 1000 rupees please.
M: Well since its the height of winter I don't think I need a Volvo. Don't you have anything that's semi decent, not infested with roddens or bed bugs but with good seats?
H: Sorry bhaiya, only Volvo. But for you special price, 800/-. smooth ride, nice springs !
M: OK dude so long then !
M makes a calculated half turn of the body with intense disinterest and contempt for Volvo written all over face.
H: Wait wait. What is your budget?
M: 500/-
H chokes on his paan and starts laughing.
M turns and walk out of the door.
H comes out of the door and literally shouts.
H: I give you for 550.
M: I know, I'm just going to the ATM for the cash.
Sandwiched between honeymooners whispering sweet nothings I feel left out, big time. The Volvo is definitely comfortable the only minus point being a Bollywood slapstick playing that nobody seems to be interested in watching. When I open my eyes in the morning everything's white. 6 feet of snow in 2 days, the heaviest this winter in Manali, I learn later. Good news for skiing but not so for road transport. The bus drops everyone off 6 km before Manali from where we pay exorbitant rates to taxi wallas to get to Manali. En route there's a landslide and I am forced to trek 6 km to the mountaineering institute.
My Nike football boots have behaved reasonably well in the snow. Just as i am sniggering at the poor bastards with heavy winter boots, I am suddenly contemplating the magnifecence of the azure blue sky. I have just had the most perfect bum fall ever. Apart from a couple of local teenage girls giggling and a man as usual shouting to be careful after the incident, its not been a major embarrassment.
I'm the first one to arrive at the mountaineering institute. There has been no electricity for 3 days and there will be no heating in the building during the day time, I'm told. But I'm upbeat. I've had a dog follow me all the way in Manali, a scene identical to my departure from here 2 years back.
I take it as a very good omen. I just love the snow although it's bone chillingly cold inside the institute. The next day we are to be transported to our destination 12 km uphill. There are 20 of us for the starter course. At dinner i meet a Japanese guy and after just a few minutes i can sense he's a traveller. It's a gut feeling that ive seldom been wrong about. I find him interesting and soon we're chatting away like two good friends meeting after a long time. His English is surprisingly good for a Japanese guy. Our conversation is soon interrupted.
'Are you Japanese ?'
Various people at different places have thought me to be from India, Portugal, Sri Lanka, Brazil but never from Japan. Has the cold flattened my features a bit? The questioner is undoubtedly pretty wearing a baseball cap and track suit.
I recover quickly from the shock of a never before asked question and unexpectedly seeing a woman in a room full of men.
'Yes im from Osaka', i say in all seriousness.
She takes a moment to digest that along with her roti but is soon on her way.
The transport that was promised the next day did not materialize. So we set off on foot carrying 20 kg rucksacks. The pace was fast and there was little time to admire the scenery. The snow and the distance meant that my Nike just couldn't do it anymore ! Boy was i ill prepared for this trip ! With wet socks and layers of clothes soaked in perspiration I literally crawl into the skiing center.
Him: When? How many people ?
M: Today evening. Just one !
H: All we have is air conditioned Volvo, 1000 rupees please.
M: Well since its the height of winter I don't think I need a Volvo. Don't you have anything that's semi decent, not infested with roddens or bed bugs but with good seats?
H: Sorry bhaiya, only Volvo. But for you special price, 800/-. smooth ride, nice springs !
M: OK dude so long then !
M makes a calculated half turn of the body with intense disinterest and contempt for Volvo written all over face.
H: Wait wait. What is your budget?
M: 500/-
H chokes on his paan and starts laughing.
M turns and walk out of the door.
H comes out of the door and literally shouts.
H: I give you for 550.
M: I know, I'm just going to the ATM for the cash.
Sandwiched between honeymooners whispering sweet nothings I feel left out, big time. The Volvo is definitely comfortable the only minus point being a Bollywood slapstick playing that nobody seems to be interested in watching. When I open my eyes in the morning everything's white. 6 feet of snow in 2 days, the heaviest this winter in Manali, I learn later. Good news for skiing but not so for road transport. The bus drops everyone off 6 km before Manali from where we pay exorbitant rates to taxi wallas to get to Manali. En route there's a landslide and I am forced to trek 6 km to the mountaineering institute.
My Nike football boots have behaved reasonably well in the snow. Just as i am sniggering at the poor bastards with heavy winter boots, I am suddenly contemplating the magnifecence of the azure blue sky. I have just had the most perfect bum fall ever. Apart from a couple of local teenage girls giggling and a man as usual shouting to be careful after the incident, its not been a major embarrassment.
I'm the first one to arrive at the mountaineering institute. There has been no electricity for 3 days and there will be no heating in the building during the day time, I'm told. But I'm upbeat. I've had a dog follow me all the way in Manali, a scene identical to my departure from here 2 years back.
I take it as a very good omen. I just love the snow although it's bone chillingly cold inside the institute. The next day we are to be transported to our destination 12 km uphill. There are 20 of us for the starter course. At dinner i meet a Japanese guy and after just a few minutes i can sense he's a traveller. It's a gut feeling that ive seldom been wrong about. I find him interesting and soon we're chatting away like two good friends meeting after a long time. His English is surprisingly good for a Japanese guy. Our conversation is soon interrupted.
'Are you Japanese ?'
Various people at different places have thought me to be from India, Portugal, Sri Lanka, Brazil but never from Japan. Has the cold flattened my features a bit? The questioner is undoubtedly pretty wearing a baseball cap and track suit.
I recover quickly from the shock of a never before asked question and unexpectedly seeing a woman in a room full of men.
'Yes im from Osaka', i say in all seriousness.
She takes a moment to digest that along with her roti but is soon on her way.
The transport that was promised the next day did not materialize. So we set off on foot carrying 20 kg rucksacks. The pace was fast and there was little time to admire the scenery. The snow and the distance meant that my Nike just couldn't do it anymore ! Boy was i ill prepared for this trip ! With wet socks and layers of clothes soaked in perspiration I literally crawl into the skiing center.
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