Meow CATS,
It has been a week since we all returned back from our memorable multi activity trip to Tirthan-Solang Valley.
Since just like everyone else, I was simply inundated with pending work upon returning after a long weekend, I originally had decided to forego giving you the feedback. However, after all the Tirthan-Solang Valley CATS met yesterday evening to exchange the photos, suddenly the trip became alive and our little group got rejuvenated all over again. I think I would like to share with all of you what we all are meowing about.
Honestly, I dont know where to begin.
This was one trip where we had kid as young as 7yrs, 2 teenagers and in all honesty I was quite apprehensive about the few newcomers too, since we would be living in each other's pockets for 4 days. I was hoping that everyone will gel in well with each other and all will fall into place. With hindsight, I was worrying needlessly.
We were a lovely bunch of 13 CATS who hit it off so well that nothing could stop us from making the most of the trip. 8 of us started off from Chandigarh on 04th whilst Om, Jyoti and their darling daughter Gauri joined us in Tirthan itself in the evening. Fresher CAT Amit met his match in CAT Ashish A behind the driving wheel :)
Snacks got late due to an accident in the base camp kitchen, so we shared every chip and peanut from our own food box. Nimbu Pani was served hot (!!!) so immediately CAT Om led us to cool off our steel glasses in the river flowing past few feet away. CAT Aman cracked open his scabbed knees and CAT Gopika had a huge cut on the inside of the knee (again!!) which were promptly bandaged by our Doc Couple CAT Om and CAT Jyoti.
Such a lovely soul that he is, CAT Om fell ill during the night unbeknown to all the snoring CATS, but he did not wake anyone up. CAT Amit offered to tow every scruffy CAT to the washrooms in his Safari to get them all cleaned up, even when he himself was ready a couple of hours before breakfast. CAT Om was laid up in bed whole of second day but everyone kept trooping in to check upon him. Even our hosts offered their cool and comfortable bedroom for Om to use.
Our first-timer teen CAT Gauri found a mate in our darling CAT Joey, CAT Aman was everyone's baby, CAT Navpreet was the joy of the gang, our another fresher nimble and light on her feet, CAT Shilpa was the surprise package. There was no activity that could scare her off. Infact, she was the only one who did Rappelling twice! and the less I say about CAT Gopika, the better - honestly. You just have to see the pics!!
After a session of rappelling, rock climbing, fishing and river crossing, CAT Paramjeet and CAT Madhvi joined us on Friday night and second night we spent in the dormitory since it had started raining quite a lot. Third morning we ran out of water in the washrooms and half dressed dreamy eyed CATS could be spotted brushing their teeth or washing their faces at every possible tap around the dormitory.
Whilst one pack of CATS went across Rohtang towards the Spiti side, two cars stayed back. CAT Gopika was suffering badly from high altitude sickness which we took care off with Diamox (thanks to fellow CAT Shakuntla who recommended it to us Leh CATS last year!). CAT Ashish A had a bad headache and his car was suspected to have broken a shocker. We all decided to click our Rohtang pics and head back before the fuel ran out in CAT Paramjeet's car.
CAT Joey and CAT Gauri were happiness personified after tubing in the snow, CAT Madhvi got to sleigh down the snow and are you surprised that the rest of us felt a little green with envy? Snow blizzards and heavy rain meant that we could not indulge in a spot of Hot Air Ballooning, but were really looking forward to the paragliding and rafting the following day.
We had the luxury of running hot water to scrub ourselves clean for the first time in 3 days! Infact, I had to make CAT Aman forego his rendevouz into the Manali Bazaar on account of giving him a bath! We moved into our rooms only to be woken up with the sight of snow capped mountain from the bedroom windows.
Chirpily we all jumped into an open jeep to be taken to a lovely hill-top, which I understand is rated as 2nd best spot for Paragliding. However, winds played spoil sport and only 3 of us could paraglide our way down. Disappointment was writ large on everyone's face but you can not fight with weather Gods. Since it was CAT Madhvi's final exam on Monday, CAT Amit declared he was going to come back to Chandigarh but the rest decided to stay behind to try their luck for paradling again the following day.
After lunch in Kullu, we jumped into our rafts to rapid down the Beas, only to be greeted by the news at the finishing line that CAT Amit's car had broken down and had been taken to a garage. This meant that most of us did not have a change of clothes after having merrily soaked ourselves wet whilst rafting in icy waters of Parvati/Beas combine. Here again, hats off to the Catty spirit. CAT Paramjeet immediately offered his shirt and CAT Gopika gave her pair of shorts to our little CAT Aman who was shivering away. Others also shared their chappals and T-shirts and jackets to ward off the chill. Infact, CAT Paramjeet still has a pair of unclaimed black Reeboks and a pair of socks knocking around in his car :)
Upon reaching the garage we found that CAT Amit's car can not be mended till the following morning. CAT Ashish A being the saviour that he is, he refused to leave CAT Amit by himself to sort out the car and declared that he was going to stay behind till the car got sorted. CAT Paramjeet immediately let go of his dream of paragliding and offered to drive down to Chandigarh since CAT Madhvi's exam was hours away. 6 of us packed into his car to reach home by 2 in the morning.
All this happened WITHOUT a word of request from anyone, without a whimper of help being asked. CATS managed everything by themselves, between each one of them they have the strength and courage to stand by each other, not just in good times but also in rough times. It is this spirit of CATS that humbles me each time I meet any of you, for each of you carry a story which comes alive for me when I meet you.
Anyway, going back to our trip, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for 6 of the 7 CATS who stayed behind. Everyone got to paraglide simultaneously the following morning as the winds were favourable whilst CAT Amit got the car partly fixed. After lunch they pushed the car into action to be looked at the authorised car dealer in Mandi. Unfortunately even after a diagnostic session of 2hours when they could not pin point the problem, CATS came into action again.
They decided to drive down from Mandi to Chandigarh non-stop as even though it meant no loo-breaks or food/chai breaks along the way. The second lot reached Chandigarh monday night at 11pm.
We had a lovely time during our trip. For the first time we went over the schedule, for the first time we had a car break down, for the first time we had to suspend a long distance activity, but there is no obstacle that we could not overcome... there was no adversity which my fellow CATS did not hit on its' head and shouted MEOW!
Any wonder we are such proud CATS?
CAT Supreet
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