The freezing nights
could be a nightmare for the travellers through these areas. The felling for a
cold and freezing night in an open tent could be awful experience that no one
could get to enjoy. Yet, dry winter months provided us with enough firewood to
stand for a night. Tshabjona, the first destination and halt was extremely a
joyful night. I learned that it’s where tourists halt for second night.
Day 2: Tshabjona to Loleythang
“Day two could be a
long journey” and the assumptions, “we may reach the destination by late
evening” were the cries that ragged my ear. And the truth was the cries I heard
was true. We rattled along the rocky paths and lured upon the high slopes. The
four legged full option dragons of the highlands travel before us looping their
way through the snow covered paths. As day one, day 2 was awesome too. In the
far distance of the sino-bhutanese boarder, stands mighty Jomolhari,
jiwchudrakey and tshering gang as if attached to each other. However, Jomolhari
and jiwchu drakey stands in the north of paro and Tshering gang in the lingshi
purlieu.
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| Jomolhari, Jiwchu Drakey and Tshering Gang from Bjabana way |
Learning
was never so easy yet not that hard to have a learned personnale standing and
guiding right beside you. Our destination was far ahead and time swept on a
winding clock. Beauty of nature was a joy forever and it never died even on
climbing along the altitude. Finally we reached our destination at the dusk
with exhausted and tiresome journey. Tour was never as joyous as leisure time.
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| Team on Move |
Day 3: Loleythang to Hare point
It has been long, long
enough of traveling for us and was time to carry out the tasks and fulfill the
objectives of the tour. At the dawn of the day 3, it was broad day light with
clear sky. We travelled across the evergreen forests and alpine meadows towards
the boarder. The camera was set far in the bushes of rhododendron. It’s worth
traveling to the places that I have never reached before as I could sense the
new experiences dripping through my nerves. After reaching the spot, I saw a
beautiful camera of U-Way ready and steady to capture ever organism travelling
nearby. I could reflect the words from the TSNR brochure which legalizes the
shooting in nation’s strict nature reserve, “shooting is legal as long as
weapon is camera”. Of all, it was great
to learn about the camera retrieval and setting management. Moreover,
communication was never easy in such areas, but the technology of wireless sets
made easier for us to communicate. Feeling the need for such knowledge, I
operated and used the wireless set of forester Dechen Wangda. It was a great
experience. I even sighted blue sheep grazing freely and happily on the rocky
alpine zone.
Sudden
change in weather and drizzling snow pallet speed us up back to loleythang. Changes are the law of life, and challenges are the aim of
of the life. We had to challenge the changes of weather to keep up our hope. Decision
was made wisely to cross the misty mountain of Hala and descend to the sweet
home, or we may be struck in the wilderness of loleythang for next few days.
Freezing cold froze our artery and veins making it hard for heart to circulate.
The iced jacked and the frozen paints on my body prompted the character of iron
man of the Hollywood movies, making it even harder to move. Not just me, almost
all the team members were freezing as we ascend higher to the Hala through the
never ending slope. It was a journey that I felt was a hunt for death and a
pitfall. Yet it proved to be a blessing in disguise for many of us as it came
out to be a memorable tour into the wilderness through the harsh weather. We
compare irrational humans to the animals but at such times, irrational became
rational and rational humans were ridiculous. Without the mule that led our
team, we could hear the death calling us from the near distance with a cruel
voice.
This speechless animal traded us through the snow covered paths as if no
snow covers the rocky path. After bumping through the knee high snow for 17 (9 hours from loleythang) long
hours, we could sense human settlements and the hoarse barks of the gaint
highland dogs. Praises and acknowledgements to the mighty ap chundu and gods,
all reached safely to the Damthang Army Camp without any causalities except for
agony and remains of pain in the muscles. The trust in god didn’t make the path
shorter but it made the climbing easy. Yet for another few hours, we froze in
the warmth less duty room. "Good Decision comes from Experience, but
Experience comes from Bad Decision" and I believe our leader had an
experience of bad decision that led him to take a bold decision. Thanks to our
officer in command, Mr. Ugyen Tshering for availing a vehicle that transported
us safely from Damthang to warmth of the home.
I would like to thank all the members of patrol from JKSNR for the support that i recieved during the tour and also making my intern period a memorable one. wish all the staffs of JKSNR a fruitful and successful life ahead. i must also not forget the kindness shown upon me by the CFo of JKSNR for accepting me in JKSNR for internship for a period of two months. I SHALL NEVER FORGET THE SUPPORT AND THE KINDNESS YOU ALL SHOWN UPON ME. I ALSO THANK MY BROTHER FOR BEING BY MY SIDE, SUPPORTING AND HOLDING ME UP. THANK YOU ONE AND ALL.
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