Day 6 – Jan 29, 2015

7:00 PM

A lovely morning beckoned us. We went to the Namdapha River to say our goodbyes. I filled a bottle with the river water. It truly felt like the Ganges, embodying serenity and spirituality. Four years on, I still have it with me.

8:15 AM

We gulped a breakfast of bread, jam, honey and the all-time favourite Maggie. Maggie is tasty and truly life-saving. It saves your day when and where normal food cannot reach. It is the most easily carried, readily available, quickly cooked, extremely dependable, highly satisfying at extreme altitudes or destinations and above all, widely loved food too.

As were trekked back, cameras were cast aside. We absorbed as much as we could with our hands, ears and eyes. Today’s trek was going to be the longest, as we had to reach the Hornbill Camp (Camp II) before dark. I was stuck with a broken toe. But with the trekking boots were on, it didn’t hurt much. Thankful to Decathlon, from where I purchased those super cool Quechua shoes, I trudged along.

Birds flew past. Instead of clicking, we noticed their colours and shape with naked and unhurried eyes. Butterflies and moths were in abundance. A leech or two showed themselves. We were happy to see Lakshmi and Deewani during lunchtime. We had missed their presence. Luncheon was arranged at a superb spot. Water cascaded from the top. The canopy was thin at the top and dense around. And we were perched on small dry rocks studded along the waterfalls. Legs were tired from the long walk. We removed our boots. I realised that an intense pain had been waiting to be unleashed upon my mind. Without the boot’s cushion, the toe hurt with the slightest touch. Water was the only solution to all pain in the forest. Legs comfortably inside them and lunch in our hands, we were in a state of nirvana. No one spoke much.

There was a sudden splash and thud. All looked in the direction of sound. Lakshmi and Deewani were having their fun time in water! Deewani was filling her trunk with water and putting it in her mother’s mouth, as if feeding her. It was a cute sight. We all smiled and laughed and let the elephants enjoy.

3:00 PM

We reached Bulbulia where Sulphur Springs were located. We got down to the spring area. It was a small open area surrounded by trees. Boiling and frothing the grey waters protested. We conjured up a small spark, to validate the experiment we had read in our science textbooks and then doused it dutifully, lest we become the reason for a forest fire. Contented we all trailed back to Hornbill Camp without much talking and only walking.

Camp V – Hornbill (return) (10km trek)

4:30 PM

Back at Hornbill! Tents were pitched. We were completely relaxed and at ease now. We had been accustomed to the routine and the strenuous part of the trek was done. We refreshed ourselves; changed into fresh clothing. Food was in the making and the night was beginning to grow chilly. The logs beside the camp fire were warm and we instantly took refuge near them. Above us, we could hear the flying squirrels going about their nocturnal routine. The atmosphere was perfect for any kind of discussion. From chaos theory to the US Medical systems, from first love to windfalls, theories, dreams, ambitions were all floating in the air. One of us had been trying to dry his boxer since last two days. The setting seemed perfect to accomplish that task. It was hung on a stick and positioned strategically such that the smoke from the flames warmed it and slowly would dry it up too.

Food was served; hot rice, dal and a veggie with pickle; it satiated the appetite built after long walks. With full stomachs, the next recourse was naturally sleep. By this time, the boxer had not only dried up but it had acquired a new avatar altogether. It came to be known as ‘Smokey Pants’. It had absorbed all the smoke, which not only dried it up but also gave it a smokey feel and odour! All of us had a good laugh and retreated to our tents on a great note. With tents zipped, sleeping bags zipped (with us in it), torches extinguished the forest quickly put us to sleep only to be awakened later by one of its inmates.

9:00 PM

We heard a peculiar sound. All of us had been on animal safaris before, so we had no problem in recognising it. The complex part was the realization. A predator on prowl! Minds and hearts were frozen. The sound was close by and we were not in safari gypsies but on level ground with the hunter. Prayers were being issued towards the skies from different directions. And some managed to penetrate the heavens because we heard another pleasing sound. The two main members of our team had slipped out of our desperate minds. A trumpet sounded nearby and we knew no predator could come any closer! Lakshmi to our rescue! Tremendously relieved, we slept peacefully or so we thought.

Now, it has to be noted that weather had been great so far. Rains had been conspicuous by their absence. They were predicted for the week but it neither drizzled nor rained. And as we neared the end of our camp, we expected it to stay like that. Or had we spoken too early :).

1:00 AM

A new drama unfolded. I was awakened by a thunderous sound. Assuming to have dreamt it, I tried to go back to sleep. Lightning flashed across the sky and the whole tent was lit up. Trees had been cleared on the patch of land where we camped. So we were directly under the sky with only the plastic of the tent between us (technically, the Earth’s atmosphere was also present, but let’s not get there or we lose the poetic effect). Heavy rains quivered the tents. I was fully awake but afraid to peek out. If I opened the tent, water would seep in. I checked my impulse, decided that once again, nothing could be done apart from staying calm and so I stayed put.

I could feel water accumulating at the sides of the tent. And for the first time in my life, I was so overwhelmed about the quality and guarantee of the plastic tents promised. My tent resisted and sustained. It kept me completely dry, taking all the poundings on the outside. They say, if you give wings to imagination (which they generally acquired in such situations even if you didn’t give them), nothing is impossible. So naturally, my imagination knew no bounds either. Floating snakes, scorpions, leeches, other reptiles and numerous insects were all congregated around my tent in the imaginary world.

Rains subsided in some time. A mountain scoops owl called continuously, guarding its territory and warning other nocturnal hunters. It was good to know that there was someone awake and that I was not alone. Its monotonous call put me to sleep in no time.

(to be continued…)