The Colorful Colorado Diaries: Part 3

The Missouri Lakes and Pass Hike, Redcliff, Colorado

Lately my husband and I have kind of got addicted to treks. Whenever we plan to visit any place we first look up for the trekking locations around it. We had waited for almost a year to visit Aspen just because we wanted to visit the place in the fall to get a glimpse of the much talked about “Aspen fall colors”. The drive to Aspen takes approximately 3 hours from Denver and we wanted to be at Maroon bells at the sunrise. So it was imperative that we leave Denver the day before, stay at some place at night so that we can wake up early morning to visit Maroon bells.

The falls is said to be an offseason at Aspen but when I looked up for the motels and hotels for the night stay I realized that no season is an off season at Aspen. The accommodation prices at Aspen were very high. So I decided to look for accommodation at some place at an hours distance from Aspen. I found that Twin Lakes at Leadville, Colorado is good place to visit in Colorado and Leadville was at an hour drive away from Aspen. So this was the perfect place for stay as the motels were also available at a reasonable price. Since we would have an entire day at Leadville, I thought to look up for some place where we can go hiking and zeroed on the Missouri lakes and Pass hike. I do not know what made me decide to go on this trail but ever since I have been here, I thank myself every day for choosing this.

This place is not only difficult to find but also difficult to reach. There is 10 mile dirt road up to the trail head which takes a huge toll on your car. It is advisable that you venture to this unknown territory only which a SUV which has a 4x4 drive. When you drive up this dirt road you will be amidst White river national forest’s Holy Cross wilderness territory. While driving up, there will be many points where you would want to take a U turn and go back but I would strictly suggest not to. Always remember that the most beautiful places on earth are the most difficult to reach. The nature preserves them for a reason and you need a heart to explore them. I was waiting desperately to start the trek. There are 2 trail heads that start from this point: The Missouri lakes and Pass trail head and the Fairy Lake trail head. You can actually start on one of them and exit on the other by completing the entire loop but that would require you to do backcountry backpacking in the mountains and complete the loop in 2 days. Since we only had one day we decided to do the Missouri Lakes and Pass trail and come back. This is a complete backcountry trekking on a non-maintained trail. Of course, this is not for the people with weak hearts or low physical fitness. Among all the treks that I have done so far this trek was by far the best and the most difficult too.

To be in the wilderness takes you to a completely different world. The smell of the wood, the crackling of the leaves under your foot, the anxiety of losing the way or going the wrong way, the sound of the rumbling streams and the ecstasy of the breathtaking views on the way. It was so silent everywhere that I did not want to speak and break the serenity. The falls colors were dancing all around. The cold winds on our face and the flakey snow of the top of the mountain peaks were embracing the oncoming winters. I was dead tired, I was breathless and yet I was feeling so complete. I was feeling so happy, so ecstatic. My 3 months old puppy (Doga) was also with me on this track. This was his first ever trek and he completely nailed it. This trekking experience would always hold a very special place in my memories.

I would say this is a must do trail for all the insane nature lovers.

Trek Information:

Trail length: 3.5 miles (7 miles round trip) up to the last lake. 4.4 miles (8.8 miles round trip) up to the Missouri pass.

Difficulty level: Moderate to very difficult

Pets: Allowed

Fishing: Allowed

Campfires: Not allowed

Direction: (on navigation device you can search for “Missouri Lakes, Redcliff”)

Travel west on I-70 to Exit #171 for Minturn, Leadville, and Hwy 24. Exit here and turn right onto Hwy 24. Proceed south for 13 miles to Homes take Road #703 (road in very bad condition). Turn right and proceed past the Gold Park Campground to mile 8.5. Turn right onto Missouri Creek Road #704. Turn right and continue 3 miles on this dirt road to a T at 10,200 ft. turn left and trailhead will be on the right.

Must Haves

1. Extremely good and sturdy shoes
2. Lots of water
3. Instant energy giving and easy to carry food
4. Extremely comfortable clothing
5. Sunscreen

The Missouri Lakes and Pass trail

Wild flora all along the way

Lets try flying

Ha Ha ..n they thought I cannot do it...

I love this place...Can I stay???

On the third lake..The joy of making it ...

Those moments when you cannot resist going offroad

The Colorful Colorado Diaries: Part 2

The Hanging Lake, Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Located at about 156 miles from Denver, (approximately 2 hours 30 minutes), nested in the dense canopy of trees and surrounded by the towering rocky Glenwood Canyons is the beautiful Hanging Lake. To arrive at the lake, you need to trek the 2.4 miles long hanging lake trailhead. The distance might appear small but its not a cake walk.The fact that you take more than an hour (approx. 1 hour 30 min) to climb a small distance of only 2.4 miles can give you an idea of the level of difficulty of this trail head. But you will never once be disappointed on this trail as it will keep surprising you at every corner. It passes through the densely covered trees and waterfalls and springs all along the way. You will encounter numerous click worthy spots all along.So enjoy your climb and take moments to sit, relax and appreciate everything that you see around you. As you reach the lake, one glance of it will act like a magical potion relaxing you from head to toe and you will realize why nature has done its best to preserve this beauty.

This place is a must do if you ever visit Colorado. I will let the pictures do rest of the talking…Oops!!! Not talking….Writing.

Must do’s

1. Carry enough water with you for the trek. The climb is strenuous and the last thing you would want is to get dehydrated.
2.  Dress comfortably. The trek is difficult and in most of the places you will need to trek on unpaved and very uneven rocky path. Easy, comfortable clothing which permits you to stretch your legs would be what you want to wear.Wear sturdy shoes.It is a must.
3.  Getting the parking is a tiresome activity. You might have to wait for several hours before you get to park your vehicle. So plan accordingly. Early birds with have advantage. Either leave early in the morning so that you reach there by 7: 30 or 8 am or leave late so that you reach in the afternoon to avoid the peak traffic. But as you will be climbing high up in the mountains it is always advisable to reach early and be back by afternoon to avoid any storm or lightning.
4. Carry something instant to eat. This will fuel you up for the climb up and down.
5. Do not rush. Sit back and enjoy every moment and sight.
6. And yes … never forget to carry your camera when you visit here.

On the Trail Head...Posing for some clicks by this beautiful stream

Small bridges on the flowing streams make the climb very interesting

On the trail head!! cannot wait to get there...

The mesmerizing Emerald Green "Hanging Lake "

A beautiful Spectacle...Nature's treasure

That was the nearest I could get to the falls...

As the water splashed on the rock and the sun peeped through , I could not stop but click

A necessary Selfie.... :-)

The trail surprises you at every  turn

With the Glenwood Canyons

The ecstasy of liberation @ The Beautiful Sprouting Rock forming the lake below it...

Perfect place to get clicked!!!!

So are you Reaaaadyyyyy?????

The Colorful Colorado Diaries: Part 1

The enchanting memories of the Memorial Day weekend 2015: Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes and the Rio Grande National Forest

A 3 day weekend and three great places to visit. Was it a little more than I could take? You just wish it was. I am waiting for the day when I can say that I had an overdose of travel. That will be the day when I can rest in thy peace but that has a long way to go.

The Memorial Day weekend of 2015 left with us many thrilling memories to cherish and relive. We visited two National Parks and one National forest. While the Mesa Verde National Park took us thousands of years back on the wheel of time, the Great Sand Dunes and the Rio Grande National Forest left us gasping for more close encounters with nature.

The Beginning:  Lately every journey of ours has been starting with a thug. So was expected from this one too. When we were about to leave for Las Vegas about 2 months back all the highways were closed due to bad weather and we were on the verge of cancellation of the trip. Surprisingly this time too, we were about to cancel our trip. And was it the weather this time? Or Roads? Or our car? Or some unexpected guest? Actually, none of the above. It was because both of us had a bad Cat Fight. So after an hour or two of flaming out mean words and being as sarcastic to each other as possible and almost deciding to cancel the trip, God enlightened us and suddenly the horns on our heads turned into a bright halo. We embraced each other, our friendship and our relationship for the sake of travelling and “Get Set Go”. Such lightning swift change of attitude towards each other is never possible under any other circumstances for us.

The Route:  I always say that destination is just half the fun. It is the journey which keeps you alive and going. The journey gives me a feeling of life, energy, fullness and vitality. We took the state highway 285 (US 285 S) and what a drive it was. The highway passes through four national forest areas: Pikes national Forest, San Isabel National Forest, Rio Grande and San Juan National Forest which makes the drive a delight unsurpassed.

The drive on US 285

The spring showers had turned the landscape into a bed of green. The landscape along this highway will keep surprising you as the mountains suddenly give way to flat green grasslands and rivers. The numerous small and narrow black paved roads shying away from the highway and winding mysteriously into the highlands, makes you curious to wind along with them and explore them. We spotted deer many a times over the foothills overlooking the highway. There are numerous ranches and pretty small towns all along the way like Center, South Fork, Pagosa Springs etc. If I describe my visuals like a painter it will be “In the foreground were the wooden fences of the ranches on the lush green grassland and meadows guarding the numerous horses and other cattle grazing away at ease.Contrasting them beautifully was a background of blue snow covered peaks of the mountains enveloped in a sheet of grey clouds with silver lining.” 

Plan your travel in such a way that you save the sunset for the Rio Grande and the San Juan National forest. Driving through them during the golden hour is a nature’s spectacle not to be missed. As the sun sets, get absorbed in sound of the gushing water through the pine forest of the Rio Grande and the thick mist surrounding the conifers of the San Juan. Though we were forced to move slow on most part of this highway as the roads were mostly double lane, we did not mind the speed at all .We felt as if we had all the time in the world driving away in this picturesque surrounding.

The drive through San Juan National Forest

The destinations

1. The Mesa Verde National Park: To go to Mesa Verde National Park we had booked our motel at Cortez as it is the nearest town to the National Park. Just 10 miles from this small town is the entrance and the visitor center. We had reached pretty late and while checking in the motel we were informed that the lightning had struck and so most of the lights and electrical connections in the rooms were not working. A bad start huh??? Not at all …. We got a pretty good discount and who wants to go to sleep with the lights on anyways!!!!

About Mesa Verde: If you google, you would all find a big Wikipedia page telling you all about this National Park. So I do not think I can add any knowledge to that. So instead of putting down any more history, I think I will write about that sunken feeling of being there.

Mesa Verde National park has the preserved remains of the home dwellings of the ancient Pueblo people (the Red Indians or the Native Americans). The moment you watch these dwellings you race thousands of years back in the wheel of time. These are living fossils of the evolution of mankind long before the axe of civilizations dawned upon them. 

The dwellings below the high cliffs or the Cliff Dwellings as they call it leave you in a state of awe and admiration. Awe because you are left to think how people would manage to climb up so high on these cliffs and construct these beautiful estates. And admiration because you realize that they were in true sense the people and the preserver of the nature, living and protected under it. It’s an awesome feeling to be standing right inside the home of some human being who lived thousands of years back. And if you are a believer of the Hindu theory of reincarnation, this could very well be your house too!!!You are in a different era. An era when most of the civilizations of the world untouched and unhurt by the brilliant yet deadening glow of modernization had lived and lived peacefully with nature.

Must Dos: There are self-guided and guided tours in the national park. Most of the cliff dwellings are the Guided Tours. You need to buy the tickets for a ranger guided program from the visitor center. There are limited slots and tickets for each dwelling. So, “an early bird catches the worm!!”

A.      Balcony House: You must do one of the cliff dwellings under the ranger guided program and my personal favorite and pick is the spectacular “Balcony House”. Known to be the most beautiful of all cliff dwellings, the balcony house has more to offer than just the dwellings. 

The Balcony House

      It’s exciting because you have things to do along with watching and admiring this beautiful dwelling. You need to climb two long and straight wooden ladders, one to reach the Balcony house and the other to exit.

Climbing the Ladders in Balcony House

Squeezing through the small tunnel at Balcony House

      While exploring the dwelling you will also have to squeeze yourself through a small tunnel, the entrance of which is of the size of a hat.All these activities add to the fun of exploration

B.      The Spruce Tree House: Amongst the self-guided places, I highly recommend visiting the Spruce Tree House. You should in fact start your tour from Spruce tree House mainly because of 2 reasons :

Ø  The museum is located just next to it. I recommend that you should visit the museum before you visit any of the dwellings. Yes the museums sound boring even to me and I have always avoided them but visiting this museum before you visit any dwelling will help you visualize graphically and understand  all that you see .And visualization is very important when you visit such places.

The Spruce Tree House

Ø  The beautiful Petroglyph tail head starts from here: When you visit the Spruce tree House, you must do the Petroglyph trail. It is a small 2 miles moderate trail loop but is very exciting and has a super view of the Canyons. At some places the trail gets very narrow and you need to pass through narrow gauges and cliff lines which make it exciting. A good trail for fun and working up an appetite!!

On the Petroglyph Trail

The drive in and out of the national park takes around an hour. You will witness the nature’s fierceness on the way when you see the entire forest wiped out because of the lightning strikes and

huge forest fires. The naked, burnt black trees stand as a witness to some of the nature’s fearsome Tandavs.

The Lightning Struck Trees

1  2.  The Rio Grande National Forest:  The delectable beauty of this National Forest is hard to resist for any nature lover. To stop here was not a part of our original itinerary but as encompassing as it is we could not resist but include this in our itinerary on the way back from Mesa Verde. We put up at a motel in South Fork at night and had our dinner at Ramon’s Mexican Restaurant. I would like to give a special mention to the restaurant for its fabulous food, service and location. Located on a backdrop of mountain and the sound of gushing river this place is a perfect stop if you are craving for some delicious meal at the end of a long day.

The next morning we went for a trek on the Beaver Trail. This entire forest area is so beautiful that you can take any trail (there are numerous) and you will only be delighted over and over again. Take your time to stroll lightly through the forest, smelling the pine and feeling the sun on your face.

 Take breaks by the side of any lake or stream that you pass by to enjoy the peace, silence and serenity of the woods. The best part was that we did not find many people along the way so it was a perfect place for some solitude. I felt that I owned everything around me. The solitude inside me was sinking deep into some quiet, unknown land yearning to get lost. This National Forest is an iceberg and we had just touched the tip. A definite “To do” if you ever visit Colorado.

As I slowly started to come out of my state of Déjà vu, we left deciding that we are definitely coming back here for more.

2  3.  The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Zapata Falls: We had more than half a day with us when we left South Fork for the Great Sand Dunes. A couple of friends had actually recommended that whenever we go to the Mesa Verde, we should also go to the Great Sand Dunes. I was though not very keen, because I had already been to Hunder in Ladhak and assumed that Great Sand Dunes would be very much similar. But man how wrong could I be and I am so glad that we did decide to go there.

These sand dunes are majestic. They are huge. While you approach the National Park, you will be able to see the sand dunes from quite some distance. DO NOT let that vision fool you. The vastness of this land cannot even be half estimated from the distance. So hold on to all your imaginations and wilderness till you get there.

When I reached the place I was awestruck by its vastness. The place is a geological marvel. There is a creek, snow covered mountain and desert all in one place. A beautiful and an amazing natural sight. It is super fun to cross the creek to reach up to the dunes. The golden sands were dazzling with the sunlight. Just when you feel that the sands were too hot to bear, the sight and the cool breeze from the snow covered mountains would cool you off. The place was buzzing with people and kids. Kids were enjoying themselves to hell splashing in the water, slipping on the sands and sand boarding on the slopes of the dunes.

The distant view of the Sand Dunes

 While I was sitting atop one of the dunes looking around, I realized that even such huge and majestic dunes are not permanent. The whisk of the wind and the flow of the water has been changing and shifting them for ages and would continue to do so for years to come. You suddenly feel so immortal, so tiny, and so irrelevant to let go all airs around you.

The Great Sand Dunes National Park

A little away from the Sand Dunes, hidden secretly in the lap of nature is the beautiful Zapata falls. It is a must do place if you ever visit the Sand Dunes. After driving on an unpaved road for 3.5 miles and trekking for about a quarter mile, you will reach the beautiful Zapata Falls. 

The Zapata Falls

Do not worry about your feet or shoes getting wet and walk up to the base of the falls. We were there in June and the glacier was still melting. It is a beautiful, serene, quiet and mystic place.

At the base of Zapata Falls

No wonder that Mother Nature has well preserved and hidden this gem. You will be able to hear nothing else except the sound of the pounding water.

There is also a trail to the Zapata Lake but we were unable to do that because of paucity of time. However, I can only imagine that the lake would be as beautiful and mystic as the fall. If you have time and the stamina, I feel that you should do the Zapata lake trail too.

The end:

 On our way back, nature bestowed on us all its blessing. I was thinking and wishing all along the way to see a rainbow. And Lo Behold, it turned out to be a day of Rainbows. We saw multiple rainbows on our way back. Bright, colorful, mesmerizing, magical. We were fortunate to see double rainbows and a full rainbow rising from one side of the land and ending on the other. As our car passed through this full rainbow, I could only imagine if heaven could be any better.

Passing under a full rainbow

10 Must Dos for a Leh - Ladhak Trip

Think about the most beautiful thing that you have ever seen, now go beyond it and think about something more beautiful than that, done? Now workout little more on your imagination and try to think something more beautiful , only this time you should go till infinity. Done? You know what,

You haven’t reached Ladakh yet……..
The mesmerizing, astonishing, enthralling, hypnotic and spellbinding beauty which lies beyond infinity is unimaginable to any Human mind and thinking. I have used all the superlatives that I know in a single sentence so that you ppl are not bugged time and again, but I bet that all the superlatives available in any known language of mankind will fall prey to the beauty of Ladakh.If you are an atheist you ought to visit Ladakh, you will start believing in God and if you believe in God you should certainly go to Ladakh, you will meet him.

Its been almost an year and I do not think I am capable enough to describe Ladhak and its journey to you. 

So I thought let me write about few things which you certainly should not miss doing/visiting if you are ever in this paradise.

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1. Take a bike trip from Manali to Leh :

On way to Leh from Manali

This is one of the must dos for all the travel fanatics out there. When you google Manali to Leh road trip you will find hundreds of you tube videos (one of them is fortunately ours) write-ups , articles and blogs. You will get mesmerized and terrified at the same time by what you see and read in there. So I do not want to write anything more about it and load you with additional vocabulary. All that I would like to tell you is that “DO IT TO KNOW IT”. No video, no photograph and no article or blog can ever explain that feeling. Believe me I have tried to explain a million times to friends and family what it felt like but I have always fallen short of words. It is the epitome of beauty that your two peppers will ever observe in your lifetime and it is the ultimate adrenalin rush that you will ever have ( yes no sky diving or bungee jumping can ever give you that). So go ahead and DO IT!!!   

2. Stay at one of the dormitory tents at Pang or Sarchu :

The dormitory tents at Pang- elevation : 15000 ft

On the way from Manali to Leh , people normally take a break on the second day of the travel at Sarchu or Pang. You will find some high end tents to stretch your legs at Sarchu but our recommendation is that you should avoid the luxuries of the high end tents and rather go in for a dormitory tent where you will have other fellow travelers staying with you. Skip your privacy for a day and talk to people about their experience, pain, hardships, learnings etc. Travel is not only about crossing places, it is in fact about meeting people, food and cultures when you cross lands. Is it not this way how the cultures of one land traveled far and wide into another world with the travelers and conquerors? These tents are the best places to experience the joy of making friends while travelling and who knows you might meet some really seasoned traveler who might share his best kept secret with you!!

3. Climb to the top of the Castle Tsemo at Leh :

View from top of Castle Tsemo

There are many local sightseeing to be done in the city of Leh including the Leh palace , Shanti Stup and many monasteries. But one place which probably does not rank very high on the tourist to do list is the fabulous Castle Tsemo. We were also quite apprehensive in going there as we did not see many people opting to do so. But now since we did go there, I can certainly say that it is a must do. Do not just visit it, but climb to the top of it for 2 reasons.

 a. No other place in the whole of Leh can give you such a spectacular sight of the city and the landscape together. What we were able to capture in our cameras is not even half of the beauty and the vastness that your naked eyes will ever lay upon.

b. The top of this place has the serenity of the moon and the depth of an ocean in it. I had a feeling of the birthing of my luminous self. Out of the two moments on the trip when I could feel my tears roll down, this was one. (Read on to find out the second moment)

4. Stay at the homestays or home guest house at Leh :

Ladhaki Kid peeping at us

The belonging of a home away from home, being one with the different people, their culture and traditions. It is like a cradle of joy. This feeling of oneness and bliss can best be experienced by staying in a homestay and home guest house. Moreover, it’s a must do in Leh because you will meet one of the warmest and friendliest people ever. The quintessential forever smile on the faces of these people give you the much needed warmth in those cold terrains. Stay in one of these homestays to enjoy one of the most hospitable and amicable stays ever.

5. Eat at the Gesmo Restaurant in Leh :

Gesmo Restaurant on Fort Road

As the city of Leh is the capital and the most important and largest city of the entire Ladhak and Zanskar region, you will find many good places to eat here. Also with the ever growing popularity of the place among the foreign nationals, you will find many restaurant serving multi cuisine dishes. However, one place to eat which clearly stands out among all of them is the Gesmo Restaurant for an exceptional food, service and friendliness. It is centrally located in Leh on the Fort Road. It is a small road side restaurant with no frills but a lot of character. It has a multicuisine menu and every item is just heavenly. However “The must haves” are the Israeli dishes (Laffa), the local Ladhaki / Tibetian dishes ( Thukpa , Mentuk and Momos) , burgers , coffee and their fresh bottled juice. Even all the Indian dishes on the menu are worth a try. Everything is freshly cooked, delicious and scores very high on the Value for money. Highly recommended place for all the food lovers.

6. Try to grab a picture of the Santi Stup at night :

Shanti Stup at night

Shanti Stup is one of the favorite site for local sightseeing in Leh. But most of us always visit the place during the day. My recommendation is that even if you have already seen it in the day time, give it a second visit after the night has fallen. The sight of the Stup after it is all lit up is just a spectacle to watch. This is one of the most photogenic sights for all those who love to click. So pay a visit to this magnificent piece of architecture at night and grab your stunning click!

7. Read the Maggi Story at the Khardungla Pass:

"Maggi Story" at Khardungla Pass

Who is the savior of all the bachelors in India? Who is our best friend in the college hostels and the dormitories? Who holds the omnipotent place in all the midnight snacks? Who used to satisfy our hunger and craving after that evening play during childhood? Who is the best childhood, teenage and the adulthood friend of essentially all us Indians? Yes it is our ever favorite and our savior forever, the 2 minute noodle “Maggie”. But how many of us really did know the Maggie story? Do not worry. After you discover a new fact that Maggie was not only your savior on all those above occasions but also a big savior on your road trip in these mighty towering Himalayas, the pleasure to read the Maggie story on the World’s Highest Motorable road will be second to none. Yes, the Maggie story is written down on army café in the Khardungla Pass. So, while you sip your cup of hot tea (highly recommended) and gobble your Maggie up there, enjoy reading the story of your favorite and all time savior up there. And yes you can say those words there which you always wanted to say “Oh! Maggie. What would I have ever done without you? I love you forever and ever”

8. Go for a walk in the desert of Hunder on a full moon night:

Desert of Hunder on a full moon night

Yeah, I do understand it is not very easy to plan this. But if you are on a road trip then you will in all probabilities spend around a week in an around Leh. So if carefully planned with the calendar, it’s not very difficult to achieve this. Spend a little more efforts in your tour planning to witness this forbidden beauty. The sight of the full moon rising beyond the hills, the white sand shimmering away to the white light of the moon in this plaintive land, the snowcapped peak far beyond shining even after the night falls and watching the multiple colors in the night sky playing hide and seek is a feast to the eyes of any beholder of beauty and to the lens of any pro photographer. The photograph below was clicked by us (extremely naïve photographer) with a very basic lens. But if you are a pro travel photographer, you will not want to miss being at the right place at the right time to capture a memory which will help you relive that moment a thousand times.

9. Take your bike down to the Pangong Tso Lake and give it a click :

Our machine at Pangong Tso lake

All through your trip you will fall in love with your machine again and again. So much so that you will virtually get married to it during your journey. So why not allow her to pose herself away at one of the most photogenic and postcard perfect location on earth. Yes, your machine will love to be clicked against the emerald blue waters of the ghastly beautiful Pangong Tso Lake. So please make your muscles work a bit and pull her down to the lake to give her that perfect moment.

10. Take the Dha -Hanu route while going from Ladhak to Srinagar or vice Versa instead of the regular NH 1 :

Twilight view  on the way to Srinagar via Dha  - Hanu

While going to Srinagar from Leh or coming to Leh from Srinagar , most of the travelers mostly take the NH1. Basically because the road condition is good to ride and drive and also because it is likely to take less time. But who the hell cares about time when you are on a trip of your life. So chuck the NH1 and take the road less travelled – the Dha – Hanu route and you will not regret. You will pass through a completely different world of tiny villages, mystic green, yellow and orange covers, blue green glacier water running by your side and white, blue and purple mountains. Will it mesmerize you? Will it leave you stunned? Honestly speaking I do not know and I have no words to describe it. May be a poet of far more worth can describe those visuals. I only know that I was frozen, I did not want to speak and yes it was the second moment when tears slowly rolled down my dry, worn and sun tanned cheeks.

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I hope that this write up will make your journey more memorable like it did to us. However it was not an education tour but I learned. It was not a spiritual tour but I became more God loving.I learned to care.

I learned to care about people, time, resources. I started loving everything that that I have. I started respecting the air that I breathe and the water I drink. I started trusting people not only the other people but the person inside me. I started believing myself. My abilities. I had a good meeting with my shortcomings my fears and the methods to overcome them. I developed a sense of being passionate about something, it is weird that I don't know what that something is. But it is somewhere deep down, of doing things and not sitting idle. I became more human.