NYAC | 3min Read
Published on May 25, 2026
PEAK BLESSED OR DISTRESSED
PEAK BLESSED OR DISTRESSED
We reach the starting point and I suppress a shiver. The summit is very high up and the chilly winds don’t make it any more comforting. We were given ropes, knifes, harnesses and oxygen tanks. All I feel is excitement. You see; other family’s go to resorts and hotels to relax and reconnect. My family goes on dangerous hikes to unwind and argue. This time we are going to mount Karu. It is situated in a picturesque tourist town called Kailas.
We didn’t bother to get a hotel in town as there is a motel at the half point, the sad part is that we have to carry our backpacks halfway.
With that in mind, we start the hike. I hike a lot so stamina is not a problem but my bag is weighing me down. I grab a stick to distribute the weight, that’s when I hear the stampede.
“Yatra get back” my mom yells, but I can’t move. My dad grabs my hand and pulls me aside saving me from the four-legged race. Hundreds of goats come running and I silently hoped we would be safe. Being injured on a mountain is no picnic.
After thirty minutes the stampede ceases and we continue hiking while reminiscing how dangerous the stampede was.
We reach the halfway point and find our motel. I look up at the three-story, ivy-laden building with dread and disappointment. My parents say ‘that staying at a weird place is all part of the hiking experience’ but I secretly wished that the half-point motel was actually a five-star hotel.
Getting out of bed on a cold morning is a crime and I guess I’m guilty because I am awake at six-o clock; washing away my grogginess with cold water. I wore an outfit that I think looks athletic and ate some very hot bread with butter. I thought it would make me more awake
but it just burned my tongue. We walked more faster without the weight of the backpacks. Mum plays some music and we dance, laugh and tire ourselves out. I see a bench a couple meter’s ahead and I break into a run, yelling “I need a break” and collapse on the bench with a sigh. Dad tries to shake his head crossly but his smile gives it away.
We all rest a bit and drink some water until Dad keeps the bottle on the ground and it rolled down the mountain before we catch it. We just lost all our water. We start to walk again, slowly this time to conserve our energy. “Why did you keep it on the ground”. Mum hisses. “I was tired” explained dad “from all the dancing”. “So, you’re blaming me” Mum muttered to herself. They continued like this for some time so I diverted my attention to the sounds. Sounds tell you everything you need to know and I think I just heard water. I started running, ceasing their bickering; they followed me. Behind some trees there was a giant spring. We washed our faces, filled water in empty food containers, some apologies took place and we continued hiking.
We hike for two full hours and we finally reach the summit. Suddenly this whole trip was worth it. I feel so far away from the world. Beautiful flowers with jewel-like petals, the chirping of birds, lush leaves of oak trees. I feel my heart beat in my chest, even though I have climbed many mountains before. It’s the first time it feels like an achievement. I feel free and I think I’m laughing. All I feel is a state of euphoria! We click photos, visit summit shop’s and eat something called a tower of crystals.
Now all that’s left is going back down.
