My Trip to Ladakh

From the moment we soared into the mystical realm of Ladakh, over snow-capped mountains, witnessing a dreamlike gradient of the early morning sky, I knew this trip was going to be special. What followed were some of the most extraordinary experiences an ordinary 10th grader could have hoped for.

One by one, we all awoke from our slumber, and it seemed like the entire world was waking up with us. I remember clearly seeing the pure, magnificent orange sunrise, slowly fill up the pitch-black night sky, with stars as far up as the eye can see... well at least from the aeroplane window. It almost seemed to me as if nature wanted to show us a glimpse of herself, a scenery whose beauty one can never forget.

When I took the first of the many thousand steps I would take, I felt a surge of an unnamed collective excitement, that I believe was fuelled by the wonder of all those of us present. I mean, you couldn't deny the sheer beauty of the distant white peaks and the glorious shards of rock that rose so very high above the ground, reaching for the cotton clouds above. Lost amongst the beauty and excitement, I think I didn't even notice the cold! It was not until I got into the bus that I decided to wear a jacket.

The next few days, acclimatizing to the surroundings, getting used to the fact that I was not in Mumbai, it's all a blur now. But I can still make out the after-dinner games and songs we sang at the top of our voices, most probably disturbing any life in a radius of about a 100 meters. Well, it surely was fun. And then, the day of the trek begins, the longest I have ever probably walked per day, in the scorching, sharp heat, with little oxygen to spare, making even the lightest bags feel like they were filled with rocks. But despite the test on our endurance, there was a strange enjoyment I felt. A strange satisfaction, a purpose, where there was nowhere to go but ahead, one path, one walk, and the support of all those friends that I hold ever so close to my heart. We walked, difficulties of all shapes and sizes blocking the narrow roads to follow, climbing up steep paths, going down gravel alleys, even my fear of heights was not enough to stop me from enjoying the adventure. From waddling over ice cold rivers, to casually walking over mountains, I did everything I could have hoped to achieve.

I truly felt gratitude that I got the opportunity to be part of this journey in grade 10. When we stopped for a day at Nimaling, we sat and discussed how each of us would like to bring a difference into the world, in our own ways. It was truly amazing, I would have never thought there were such creative ways to solve world problems, and these small discussions have sparked a want in me to bring change into the world.

Now, it would just not do if I did not mention the night sky, possibly the most unreal, and amazing experience of my life. Clusters of stars, a brook of constellations flowing across the night sky, in the complete silence of the darkness of night, there were the microscopic beams of light originating in the stars, that collectively fused together, creating the most mind-numbing scene any human could wish to see. Seasoned with the joys of life and garnished with natural wonders whose value just cannot be described. I can tell you, it's an experience you'll never forget.