Sar Pass – Himalayas: How it started

Got a call from a friend when I was about to hit the bed on a February night.

Conversation starts:

Friend: “Hey did u check out the Youth Hostel Association India (YHAI) National Trekking Expediture on Himalayas. I am going”. (All excited).

 Me: Ya? Super.

F: U should come too…

Me: Seri thukirvom (sure, we will pull it off). But now I am almost sleeping, tomorrow morning I will book.

F: awesome, it’s called the sar pass. The max height on the route is 13800ft. U cross a frozen river and then slide down. I have booked for June 3^rd….

Me: (with lot of other interesting information and me not in a state to process all of that at once because I was sleepy) tomorrow morning sure thing.

F: (since I attended the call when I was half asleep, u should have figured by now, it’s a she. so let’s call her S) don’t forget, bye.

and she hangs up.

NEXT MORNING...

TEXT message from S: dai, the slots for June 3 is booked. USELESS.

Understanding the demand, I ask 6 guys and sign up for the adventure, with reporting day on June 4^th. I get updates about the whole thing via S from blogs, news articles, websites, etc. My mind voice, it’s only march now and we have a time till June. Paathukalam da.

 “We are in April now, have u booked the tickets”? Another message from S. We book tickets from Chennai to Delhi, both ways flight (We are employed u see). The thought of not asking dad money for flight ticket because we are employed rings a bell. We are employed, two weeks of leave is impossible. First of all, am I eligible for that much leave?

I told my boss “I am going to Himalayas for a trek and I need leave for 2 weeks”, seriously I told my boss I was going for a Himalayan trek and there are bosses who approve it. After impressing the boss with some good work and few weeks of waiting, Leave approved.

Now we are on the last week of May. Making a checklist took me only a few seconds because the most important things were covered in the YHAI website and their specifications were shared by Ms.S.

Things to bring along with you:

1. Rucksack - if you have one, if not, don’t worry YHAI will provide u a good one.
2. CottonShirts – 3 on the trek. Done carry too many, ur pics will look better in that place even with a dirty shirt.
3. Cotton Pants or tracks. Jeans is also good
4. Sun Cap – 3 minimum.
5. Torch – don’t plan to buy this at the base camp.
6. Shoes - Can be bought in the base camp for 300Rs, but for good ones go to woodlands or Quechua.
7. Slippers – to walk around in the camps.
8. Socks – 4 cotton and 1 woolen. Woolen can be bought the base camp.
9. Enameled or Steel Mug / tumbler – if it can keep the tea/water warm for long and it not very heavy. Go for it.
10. Tiffin box – forget plates. Take tiffin boxes which has at least two partitions. Reserve the biggest for deserts.
11. Water purifying tablets – will be mentioned on the website but don’t spoil the water up there with these stupid tablets. Forget the purifying tablets.
12. Pen knife.
13. Dry fruits – Don’t eat everything on the first day. Believe me, u will be tempted to, but DON’T.
14. Shoes in-soles.
15. Sun glasses – black or brown. Strictly no blue.
16. Cold cream / Vaseline and Sun screen – SPF 70 or more.
17. Toilet Paper – Water will be available.
18. Light weight Towels (2) – it should dry easily.
19. Rain sheet – plastic sheet quality that can cover till knee. Don’t take heavy raincoats.
20. Jerkin/ Winter Jackets – preferably water resistive.
21. Medicines which you normally use at home.
22. If you want to contact somebody take a simple mobile (that can hold charge for a long time) with Airtel connection. We had people who bought 4 cell phones, so that they can talk full time. If u meet similar people, don’t tell them u have an Airtel connection.
23. Camera with extra battery – if your friends don’t have one.

After borrowing the shoes and the bag (Wildcraft - Alphine 55), putting the most of the above mentioned things into the bag and buying some toilet papers, I was packed on June 1^st. Since everything was set, went out to watch a movie and chose ”yeh jawani hai deewani”. Awesome timing, first half was completely about a trekking expedition in the Himalayas. The number of girls who came to the trip (in the movie) got my hopes high. With full of hopes, an extra full bag and 3 friends with mutual feelings, I reached Delhi on June 2^nd.