Millennium Sunrise from Nagari Nose
It
was around noon on the 30th Dec when the advance party got its first glimpse
of the majestic Nagari Nose, standing 3200 ft above sea level. Shimmering
blue in the haze of the noonday sun, rising high above the surrounding range
of hills that suddenly appeared as if by magic, the imposing peak beckoned
to all of us in the jeep with the promise of adventure and beauty. "That's
where we are going," the Major grinned at cook Kannan, who had been commandeered
for the camp. This is your last chance to run!" Fortunately for us, he
didn't run, and turned out to be as game as any Wildertrailer!
By sunset that evening, we were up at our base camp for the next two days
to come, tents and all, ready for the starlight and the blissful quiet of
the night in the hills, ready to ring in the millenium the Wildertrails way...
At around 1.30 pm on the 31st, we spotted, from our vantage point at camp, what looked like a long line of colourful ants down on the plains below - the 25 strong group of Wildertrailers had arrived! Forty minutes later, the fittest of them - and the youngest - had arrived after tackling the steep 2 km climb with gusto. Over the next two hours, the group arrived in fours and fives, at their own pace, till the oldest members - ANJ and his 70 plus friend - made it to hearty cheers and claps!
Lunch and tea over, it was time to watch the last sunset of the millenium, as the light disappeared over the hills. By now it was good and breezy, and there was a strong nip in the air, chill enough to warrant sweaters and caps! Soon there was a roaring campfire, marking the beginning of the celebrations that was to last till the midnight stars twinkled down on the hillside, and the new millenium whispered in with the morning mist...
It
was a night full of surprises around the campfire, with the fiery antakshari
bringing out the musical side of many Wildertrailers - and the fire the culinary
skills of others, who discovered the thrill of roasting potatoes! The evening
was full of music, laughter, leg pulling, camaraderie - and suspense - with
everybody wondering what was in the kettle hanging over the fire! Then came
a luxurious camp dinner of puris, channa, pullav, and kheer! Dinner over,
it was time for more masti, and as the countdown began for midnight, the suspense
was broken - the kettle contained boiling water for hot chocolate, tea or
coffee to refresh the late-nighters... At zero hour, the jubilant revelers
went around exchanging greetings, waking up the sleepyheads, and of course
wishing a Happy Birthday to our very own Duracell!
By 6.30 am the
next morning, the group that was to do the stiff climb up to the Nose was
ready to take off, to meet the millenium sunrise at the top... The Major set
a brisk pace, and the trekkers reached the top and back in record time, after
planting the national flag given by ANJ, taking photographs, and paying respects
to the deity of Ganesha at the top...
Soon, it was time to break camp, and before you knew it, the sun was setting
on the first day of the new millenium... and it was time for Wildertrailers
to file away memories of Nagari and get back to the reality
of Y2K...
Yes! I'd like to spend New Year's Eve the Wildertrails way!
Become a Wildertrailer! Sign up NOW!
Wildertrails home | about Wildertrails | feedback | site map
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
