Into the Unknown - My first solo trip!

Be cautious around the Delhiites and don’t ride downhill on a bike – were the two pieces of advice given to me by a fellow female traveler before I embarked on my first ever solo trip. I blissfully disavowed both!

Almost a decade of sane choices, wise decisions and planned life had caused a major disconnect in my ecosystem. I had to restore my free willed spirit and regain the undulating, adventure-filled life I seek.

Last week, I stamped my freedom and set out to explore the magical mountains and graceful valleys of Dharamkot. I arrived at Zostel on a cold Saturday morning. The place, inarguably, had a different charm. The handpan music at the reception; the artistically painted walls; the cheerful hustle for an early morning trek; the steaming hot cup of coffee; the fearless sparrows; the vibrant crowd and the weekend vibes - all made me relive my good old hostel days. With a book in one hand and a coffee-cup in another, I soaked my cold feet in the warmth of sunlight. The cold breeze blowing on my face reminded me of the little joys I have in my life. Dipped in solitude (and caffeine), the moment I had been longing for was right there!

While I was waiting for my check-in, I found how easy it was for people over there to just come and speak (and share their Instagram profiles). Was it my long-lost ease of talking to strangers or the substantial age gap between us? I kept myself grounded on the corner-most chair until someone asked, “Would you want to join us for Triund trek tomorrow”? Before I could even realize, I was friends with a bunch of awesome people coming from different walks of life.

Another challenge for me was to push myself outside of my own comfort bubble. I learnt to trust people more than a usual 35-year-old, mother-of-two, paranoid version of myself would agree upon. I hiked with them deep into the forests, visited the unknown village, danced at the tiktok point, rode a pillion to catch the sunset, laughed crazily on silly jokes, learnt about the latest pickup lines, played games until late nights and dropped the drunken souls safely to their dorms.

I was time-traveling between getting-in-touch-with-who-I-am and living-my-favorite-role-of-a-mother as I screen-kissed my girls before tucking them to bed every night. While some part of me was enjoying the new-found independence, a major part did miss my better three quarters when the first beam of sunlight smiled at me; the turquoise blue lake brushed my feet; the uncountable prayer flags rejoiced my spirit; and the hidden village cuddled me.

My finest five days of solitude came to an end with a lot of immersive thinking, self recalibration, pushing my own limits, embracing the discomfort, fighting my own demons and instilling faith in goodness.

Was it worth redefining my trending motherhood-derived happiness? Was it worth walking alone and catching up with my own self? May be.. For now I am already being haunted by the thoughts of dreamy sunset, colorful Tibetan flags and soulful me!