Aneeda

You expect a trip to Ladakh to change your outlook on life. To make you question your perspective on what really matters. To touch your soul, and leave you wanting for more.

The most mesmerising thing that happened to me on this trip wasn’t those pristine barren peaks that can move proverbial mountains inside of you.

It wasn’t the vastness or the sheer exquisiteness of the Nubra valley.

It wasn’t the bluest hues of Pangong.

It was a person. It was Aneeda.

Not every girl I know can travel alone with 7 guys to a land as remote as Ladakh and then disappear off on an Activa as soon as she reaches.

Not every girl I know has been to Russia in December in -40 degrees celsius, braving frostbite and avalanches as she indulged in snow fights with strangers.

Not every girl I know can create a social atmosphere in distant lands, as fellow hostelers gather around her, while she rolls a joint and regales everyone with her favourite travel tales.

On the first day, as fate would have it, I would run into her driving her scooty in the local market, Changspa, and spend the evening with her while everyone sauntered off to Shanti Stupa. We would find ourselves in a charming open air cafe set against the backdrop of the majestic ice-capped mountains, our stories unravelling, getting to know each other. I would learn about the wonders of the Russian winter, she’d come down the memory lane with me on my favourite adventures with friends. I’d experience first-hand her power to make friends with strangers within minutes, and engage them in fun conversations. On a chilly Leh evening that had me shivering, I found find warmth in her voice as she chatted with the cafe owners about their experiences and life in Leh, and shared her life philosophies with me. As the sun went down on one of the most defining days of my life, I’d cosy up in a blanket the cafe owner had happily provided, watching the transition of colours over the mountains, and the stories would keep flowing as that moment got imprinted in my memory forever.

As with all our adventures in Ladakh, no ending could be uneventful, and as we walked through the lanes of Leh to what we thought was a comfy room awaiting us, we would find ourselves ending up at the wrong Rainbow Guest house. Imagine walking into your guest house only to find it totally transformed. The people of Leh are known to be extremely kind and helpful though, and we would have the owner offer us a jeep ride halfway to our own Rainbow guest house. Another long and slightly oxygen-deprived walk later, as we dozed off, completely exhausted, we knew it was just the start of a week of some Truly-Ladakh experiences awaiting us. But right now, it was time for some rejuvenating sleep.

This one goes out to you Aneeda. Thanks for giving me, my wanderlust. Thanks for an avalanche of a week.