My Crazy 2019 Year Recap
Tags: Travel, Himachal Pradesh, Solo Travel, Himalayas, Year In Review

In 2019, few unexpected events happened in my life they triggered a chain reaction and gave crazy and amazing experiences!

I used to watch a lot of films back then, one of my internet friends asked me to watch ‘Into The Wild’, I watched it and I was curious to read the book (Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer) based on which the film has been made. I Loved the idea of Chris McCandless to get rid of all possessions and materialism, I completed my read of Into the Wild on 13th Oct 2019 it disturbed me (Existential crisis), on 16th Oct 2019 evening I watched Into the wild again and decided to go Varanasi by Hitchhiking. The next day, here I am

on 17th Oct 2019 Morning, I’m standing in Coimbatore — Salem Highway to Hitch a ride

It was really hard to get a ride because I had to explain about hitchhiking to them, then tell them why I’m traveling, What Inspired me to do this, I’m was not very good at pitching an idea. It took me 8hrs to reach Bengaluru without spending a single penny (Lorry Drivers offered me free food also), totally I changed 7 Bikes, 1 Car, 3 Lorry to reach Bengaluru.

3rd Lorry and Longest ride I had on this Trip

the last lorry on this trip dropped me at Thoppur Kadu Checkpost, I was walking for 40 mins and didn’t get a ride after some time one pulsar 220 stopped and That rider (Ram) asked me where I want to go and why I’m standing with a big bag, I pitched the idea and reason for me traveling like this and he gave me a ride till Bengaluru and dropped me in the city (time was around 7 pm) and took a one-day bus pass for me to reach Yelahanka, Everything was alright till this point.

Bengaluru — Varanasi Highway

I was walking in Bengaluru — Varanasi Highway and time was around 10.30 pm, I was looking for a temple to sleep and planned to start hitching from the morning, one bike stopped near me I didn’t ask for a ride this time. He asked me a few questions like Who are you, where are you from, what are you doing here and as I was answering his questions, he parked his bike and came near me and he took his phone out his pocket and called someone then he was making me stay there, I thought that was my last day and he is going to kill me, I got panicked and in a few mins his friends came, one of them knows to speak Tamil he asked me about everything. When I explained it to him, he told me to go back to CBE and the route was not safe for solo travel and he dropped me off in nearby Bustand and waited till I get on a bus then they left. I came back to the KSR railway station and slept in the waiting room. The next day I took a passenger train to Coimbatore and reached home, my parents were shocked to see me the 2nd-day coz I told them that I was going to stay in my friends home (In KL) for a week. Then I told them that I had Hitch hiked till Bengaluru and returned home (No dark story to parents!), they scolded me for obvious reasons.

I was neither happy nor sad, I had hitchhiked till Bengaluru, it was great, I’d have been happy if I reached central India but it didn’t happen. I was stuck in this swing for a month.

In November, after the semester exam College announced 10 days holiday, This time I told myself that I should reach Central India to feel better about myself.

I asked for 10,000 INR from my parents and told them that I’m going for an inplant training in Bengaluru, so after this time I decided to make it to Central India (at most).

CBE railway Station

On 15th Oct 2019, I took Kerala Express from CBE, you are thinking that I took AC 3 tier or Sleeper class, but no, I was in Unreservation Compartment it was crowded AF in CBE station itself there were more than 130 people in a single compartment, I somehow managed to get inside. It really got harder than I expected it to be, I even thought to get down from the train in erode station and return home, then decided to move forward whatever it happens. It was very uncomfortable for me to travel in unreserved because suddenly one guy will spit on the window next to which I’m sitting. I ate 2 samosas and some water as my breakfast, lunch & dinner for 2.5 days and never moved from my seat not even for peeing coz I was so much afraid of everything that happened around me on that train. I thought that people would steal my Bag and beat the shit out of me and throw me away (that is what my friends told me when they heard that I’m traveling alone with strangers and I believed it too). After 2.5 days I reached NDLS (New Delhi) station.

14–16 people were sitting in this section, I was sitting on the left corner window seat | Pic taken in NDLS

So I was happy and hungry AF, wanted to get some food to eat and while walking out of NDLS station, I saw an LED screen in Platform saying the train to Srinagar is at 8.30 pm & I reached NDLS at 2.30 pm, I thought to visit Srinagar. After having delicious lunch in a hotel near the railway station, I saw an HRTC Bus with Manali board, so went inside a travel agency nearby and asked about bus details for Visiting Manali, he offered me 3k for up and down (AC semi sleeper), we negotiated and I got a deal for 2. 5k, I took the bus in the evening 5.30 pm. Next morning I wake up in the mountains

Kullu, Himachal Pradesh

It was so satisfying for me to wake up to this view, it took me 3 days to realize that I really came to the Himalayas (I thought that it was simulated), after getting down from Bus in Manali. I didn’t know where to stay, So installed Hotel Booking App (Idk what pushed me do these crazy things) and checked for the cheapest hostels, my luck I found a hostel named red house cafe for 99 INR per Night, I Booked for 11 nights.

I took a bike for rent and reached Hostel after checking In, Took that bike to Solang valley and Gulaba Valley to see snow, on my way to see snow, I saw a beautiful place and there were a lot of apples

on my way to Gulaba Valley

Then Finally, I saw Snow!!!

Gulaba Valley Foothill

I used to place Phone/DSLR and start a timer and then hope that I’d get a good picture, but 9 out 10 were blurred or I’ll be out of frame.

Gulaba Valley peak

I learned lots of new things about the culture of people in the mountains, their practices and learned about their lifestyle in this journey and also I realized myself.

This journey busted a lot of myths I had & I heard, Original plan was to stay 11 nights in Manali then Return to Coimbatore but one of my old school friend Shahaab, who is doing his UG in GL Bajaj (an Engg Clg In Greater Noida) asked me to visit him, I was very much excited to see him coz we had studied from 6th — 10th together, I went to greater Noida and was staying with him for 1 night and 2 days.

He tried to make me stay in his room (in his hostel) but the warden who gave permission for me to stay before 3 days have gone home, so the new warden wouldn’t allow me to stay in a hostel. He took me to a college near his college (ITS college of Engg) his friend Sandeep was there and he arranged for my stay in his room, hospitality they gave was amazing,

he took me a couple of malls around Noida, I don’t remember the name of this mall

The pic was taken in ITS College of Engg in Greater Noida

I didn’t know where I wanted to go or what I wanted to do, but everything happened. I felt that thought to be exciting, to go to central India all alone, but it took me to the Himalayas also met my old friend. Thank you for reading until the end.