Photo Gallery - Tirthan-Solang Valley Trip (Day 4 and 5/5)

DAY 4

Day 4 began quite early for me. Though our room was the tiniest but it was blessed with the best views. I had mildly sun washed snow capped mountains to admire with burds chirping away in the balcony. As declared, I did not make any wake up calls or usual knocks on the doors to anyone. Infact, I was pleasantly surprised when CAT Om gave me a wake up call at the appointed hour in the morning! I felt completely spoilt :)

.

Soon after the usual hustle and bustle began to ensure that everyone was ready in time. Most of us were ready by 7.30am for breakfast but a handful got late. We had to leave for Naggar early as winds were not showing any favours and we wanted to have as much opportunity to paraglide as was possible.

We were most pleasantly surprised as we were marched into this open van along with a Korean girl, a driver, 6 pilots for a joy ride of 20mins... At one stage, I head counted 19 people hanging from every possible hook of this van!


We had hardly caught our breath from the joy ride that we were told to start trekking along a steep hill to the top... But hey.. give us a moment to take a photo ;-)

We thought we were huffing and puffing our way up but the guide told me later, 'You guys were verry verrry gudd'

.
Chalo - yeh trekking kahin to kaam aayi ;-)

All the layers had come off by the time we reached the top of the hill... the base for paragliding... we were told that this is the best place to paraglide from, after Bir Billing...

in case you are wondering why we are lying around after only 20 mins of hike... then just look at the next photo...

Look at the valley below... this is how far we had travelled since morning!!
Breath taking views awaited us.. if only the winds would start picking up in the right direction...

The Catty Gang from the car of CAT Ashish A in the meantime indulged in some games where we had parked the cars before jumping into the open van... CAT Ashish A got the bull's eye in archery... just as they caught a fish also...

Praying for the winds, pilots got the parachute ready for us...

CAT Jyoti, all strapped up.... Hawa ke intezaar mein!!

With some strange change of heart, the pilot sent off the Korean girl first instead of CAT Jyoti.. CAT Gauri got lined up next but she tumbled down in the aborted attempt.. I was the first CAT to eventually take off whilst the winds lasted and CAT Aman the pilot said would be taken, even if there's no wind!!

Everyone feels that this is one moment which would always remain fresh in the memory of CAT Aman.. not many get an opportunity paraglide at the age of 7, which is something he has been able to achieve thanks to all the CATS... and ofcourse he has something more to tease his elder sister with now.. He has done paragliding whilst CAT Amanat has not!!

This is one moment which simply can not be described in words CATS...

You are in the air... You can go round in circles, you can hop, you can come down and then suddenyl go up again... you are in control..... MEOW

.
What rafting is to water.. Paragliding must be to the air...

and this is the landing site in the fields not very far from the Beas River....

This is the moment when CAT Aman suddenly gained confidence manifold...

He started prancing around like Dog with Two Tails... and dancing like a peacock in the rain.. and hopping across the fields like a wild goat... Suddenly, he could do everything without a hoot in the world!

.

I just wish that every child within CATS atleast gets to avail the opportunities life throws at us and stride ahead in life full of vigour and confidence, rather than limping through it. Let us all give our children the ability to dream beyond the 'possible'.

With archery and fishing over, the last pack of CATS also started trekking their way up the hill, but not without indulging in the usual mischief ;-)

Unfortunately, winds were not too kind that day. We could not arrange the weather for this activity too. Only myself, CAT Aman and CAT Gauri could paraglide. Rest had to be trek down with a heavy heart. We had to travel down to Kullu to have lunch and then raft you see. CAT Madhvi had her exam the following day at 9am, CAT Shilpa had to get back to work and CAT Navpreet had to get a project off the ground too.

CAT Gauri and I felt guilty as hell as the rest could not paraglide.

.

If only we could arrange the weather!

After a delicious lunch at Kullu HPTDC resort, we quickly changed into rafting gear and jumped into our rafts....

CAT Gopika opted out as she had fever, CAT Amit chose to supervise driving down of cars to the pick up point though CAT Ashish A agreed to sit in the raft upon exhortion ;-)

Amidst chants and cheers and memories refreshed from last year's rafting trip... we put our pedals to work... Whilst CAT Navpreet was at the helm of entertainment in the other raft, CAT Om took the position in our raft.. Apart from the usual frolicking and throwing water at each other and the occassional call to 'Huqooooommm'... CATS in both rafts had great fun.

CAT Aman suddenly lost all his confidence at the sight of cold water being splashed at him from all sides, even though the rapids were only of grade II and perhaps an odd grade III. From 'Maine rafting ker li aur Didi ne nahi ki' he started shouting, 'Mujhe bukhaar ho jayega!!'

CAT Om surprised us all with his impromptu rhyms:

.

Billiyan - Gilliyan

Billiyan - Dhilliyan

Billiyan - Jhalliyan
.
After all this fun, we were 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 had a pair of unclaimed black Reeboks and a pair of socks knocking around in his car for a week :)

.

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.

.

.

.

DAY 5

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. Mind you, this all happened due to the adulterated diesel !!!

.

The joy is written all over their faces... I dont need to say a word.. They had been to the top of the world at back :)

However, I do promise a paragliding trip for the CATS who could not paraglide on either of the two days; especially CAT Paramjeet, CAT Shilpa, CAT Navpreet, CAT Madhvi and our reluctant CAT Amit. I would include CAT Amanat too so that she can get CAT Aman off her back!

After lunch CATS 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!

- CAT Supreet