Looking Forward

Recently had been to Dharmasthal, to a Shiva temple.

Dharmasthal is an 8 hour drive from Bangalore on the Mangalore highway. The road condition on the ghat section was such that I can safely say that it was the worst ghat road I have ever seen .

However the scenery along Western ghats is breathtaking. Parallel to the Ghat road runs a river and also a railway track that is being converted to meter broad gauge.

This track provides a great opportunity for trekking.

In December the trains will start thus closing the trek route. So this may be the last few days that the trek is open. Hence a trek has been planned and am looking forward to this one.

The trek is along the track, and better known as a Tracking expedition, I am looking forward to this trek especially because

• A goods train comes along once a day and if at this point one is stuck on a bridge, then the only way to get out in one piece is either to jump into the river or run back along the bridge. What could be more exciting ?
• There are quicksand traps along the trek and this provides a whole new meaning to the word adventure
• Snakes, Bats and Leeches make it all the more fun.

I have encountered Leeches at Coorg, I think leeches have some of the coolest mechanism when it comes to sucking blood (they actually inject a chemical that has anesthetic qualities, hence one does realize there is a leech until it bloats).

I had a very close encounter with bats in a cave formation near Bangalore where we had to lie down on our backs and slide down a cave on Bat Guano, with Hands touching the cave ceiling. That cave was a nightmare I will never forget. (I slid down the wrong fork in the cave and got lost, this was in total darkness as torches would disturb the bats, and panicky bats in a claustrophobic cave that’s 3 feet in height is not the best situation to be in).

Though I am quite terrified of caves with tiny crawling spaces. Bats, Leeches and snakes (provided anti-venom is at hand) are fine. It’s the lizards that I fear and until I don’t have to deal with them I am ok.

More on this trek once I am done with it. Hope it materializes….*rubs hands in anticipation*