“This is what I love the most................... Holidays” Gayatri said.
“And this is what I hate the most...............Holidays.” Vinita said.
“Vini, you are always so bookish.”
“Yes, Books are my life, Geet.”
“This is your trademark dialogue!”
“That’s right. What about visiting somewhere?”
“A forest.”
“No way, Geet. You are mad or what?”
“Just a joke. We will go to a trek to a mountain. There we can see real snow.” Gayatri said.
“This is probably your best idea till date.”
“Vini, I will not leave you! I am also intelligent though you are more.”
“Finally, come on now.”
Gayatri and Vinita were best friends. Gayatri loved adventure and excitement but Vinita liked them but in a couch in any book with hot chocolate. That was the first time they were going for a trek. Along with them went- Madhu, Rashmi, Kabir and Sahil. They were to live in tents that made the children more excited and enthusiastic.
Madhu and Rashmi lived in red tent and were the red team. Gayatri and Vinita were given the blue tent and were the blue team and the boys had the orange tent and were the orange team.
“Geet............... to tell the truth I am feeling a bit scared.” Vinita said.
“Vini, you have your mobile and so you can be in contact with everyone and we all friends are here. Moreover madam is always there with us. ”
“Right Geet.”
Next day the instructor asked the teams to come to the ground.
“Welcome to the first day of this camp. Each team will be given a map. Following that map you have to reach the sunset point before sunset. All the roads are of length 8km. The roads are divided into 3 parts each. After the first 3km you all will find a tent in your way, there you will be given snacks. After another 3 km you all will again find a tent where you will be given a meal and after another 2 km all the roads will converge to the sunset point where we will have a picnic. Tents in the red team’s way will be painted red and likewise the other tents will be painted. Madhu and Rashmi, you wear this red t-shirt and this is your map. Gayatri and Vinita will wear these blue t-shirts and will follow this map. Boys you wear the orange t-shirts quick and take the map.”
“Yes Mam.” Everyone replied.
“Now please follow the map. Understand this is not a competition, if you walk slowly and carefully you can reach well before sunset. It is only 7am now. No one is accompanying you so go carefully and follow the map. If you have any doubt you can ask.”
“Mam, if we are a bit late say half an hour then what will happen.” Madhu asked.
“If you walk steadily then you just can’t be late as ample of time is given but if you are then I am afraid you have to miss the lovely sunset. I hope you don’t want it. Another thing that some of the trees are marked in real like given in your map. So that it is more interesting for you and obviously easy. So it is not a competition thus do not create problem for others because getting lost is very dangereous. Ok now best of luck. Take your backpacks and enjoy nature and freedom.Bye. Meet you all really soon. By the way you can click pictures.”
“Geet, I am scared.”
“Vini if you lose confidence how shall we cross the forest?”
“Ok Geet. I will try to relax. Geet, the road is from there. Come on.”
Vinita and Geet took the road.
“Geet, are you sure we have taken the right path.”
“Surely Vini, do you doubt.”
“Why are we not reaching the camp?”
“3 km is a long distance.”
Finally they reached one tent and filled their water bottles. Again they started walking. After sometime they reached a point from where the road broke into two with a dense cover of plantation.
“According to the map we should take the road that takes us to the right. Right Geet?” Vinita said
“I can hear the waterfall.” Gayatri said
“What?”
“Let us take left Vini.”
“Geet but..........................”
“Won’t you trust me? I just love waterfalls. Come on.”
“Ok.”
They walked a short distance and saw a magnificent waterfall and were mesmerized by its beauty. After clicking pictures they resumed walking. However instead of going to a tent they found themselves roaming in a forest.
“Geet, we are lost.” Vinita started crying.
“Vini do not cry. Let me do something. Give me the map.”
Vinita handed the map to Gayatri.
“Vini. Drink some water.”
“Thank you Geet.”
“Always welcome. Now we have taken the wrong road so doesn’t really matter. We need to walk just 4 kms extra.”
“4 kms....................................”
“I am afraid yes. Come on.”
“Geet, it is only 12. Let us sit.”
“Come on Vini.”
“Right Geet.”
They started walking. After sometime Vinita said “Geet, we just passed this tree. We are walking on the same road and returned from where we started.”
“Vini, Geet is helpless. It is ok, We can manage.”
“Geet, you are more scared than me and are consoling me.”
“Ok Vinita, Come on.”
They again started walking in the forest. Then they heard the voice of crumbling leaves like someone was following them.
“It is a BEAR Geet.”
“Ok cool down. There is a cave. Hurry up.”
They quickly hid in the cave. The bear went.
“Geet, now listen to me. It seems that again the two roads are converging at that point. See. Can you?”
“Yes.”
“Come on. I can see something blue. Maybe our tent.”
Vinita was right they had reached their tent and it was 1 pm. They ate their lunch filled their water bottles. They continued walking and also clicked pictures. Finally at 5pm they reached sunset point.
“Geet, the journey is a secret trapped for lifetime. Ok.”
“Ok, though a bit frightening but the journey was unforgettable right?”
“From today I will go for a trekking only in books. Not in real.”
“Ok, By the way I do not take cowards with me.”
“Coward? I showed the way.”
“Ok now madam bookworm you are not wrong but completely different from me.”
“You are also not right, Just completely different from me.”
“That is why we are Best friends. By the way we reached 2nd.”
Oh really. That good. I liked the rendezvous with the bear.”
