Should I start with January! My life took a turn into green meadows on Jan 16th 2008, when I got admitted to HBS. All worries at work about transfers, promotions and eventual future took an immediate backseat. Work didn’t stop then and there; I was actually starting to perform even better (or maybe the team just got better) and was happier than ever before.
Anyways, as a result of constant poking by Meenakshi, and spending a few restive days at Karaikal, I decided to take a month off at work from the huge kitty of vacations that I had accumulated – I had 90 surplus vacations pending. In other words, ideally, I could sit at home for three months, and eat, doing nothing. It’s a nice feeling. Meanwhile, Meenakshi visited her Bombay office for work and the visit paid rich dividends. An idea for a week long vacation was mooted and I simply piggybacked. Eventually, Meenakshi had to drop out of the trip because of the usual reasons but I was deep into it to call it quits. I knew noone in the group of people going on this trip but I thought, how bad could it be (It turned out to be quite allright actually). After long discussions, research and email exchanges, a trek in Sikkim was decided upon.
Sikkim is an extremely tourist-centric, environment-friendly state. Usage of plastic/polythene is strictly prohibited and people seem to be surprisingly law-abiding and well off in general. The state shares its border with Tibet in the north and is home to a lot of Tibetan population, as also, few of the oldest Buddhist monasteries.
The entry point for all treks into the hills and forests is manned by Forest and Tourism Department. Entry and exit into the forest is to be logged and the number of polythenes being carried declared. A registered guide is mandatory for the treks.
Take my word on it; inspite of having worked out in the sun for long hours, having done literal physical labor at work and being generally fit, I found this to be one of the more physically grueling experiences. Cold and altitude can be merciless killers and so can cigarettes be. 14,000 ft cannot be as easily trekked as can be thought of or written, definitely not by a first timer like me.
Anyways, as a result of constant poking by Meenakshi, and spending a few restive days at Karaikal, I decided to take a month off at work from the huge kitty of vacations that I had accumulated – I had 90 surplus vacations pending. In other words, ideally, I could sit at home for three months, and eat, doing nothing. It’s a nice feeling. Meanwhile, Meenakshi visited her Bombay office for work and the visit paid rich dividends. An idea for a week long vacation was mooted and I simply piggybacked. Eventually, Meenakshi had to drop out of the trip because of the usual reasons but I was deep into it to call it quits. I knew noone in the group of people going on this trip but I thought, how bad could it be (It turned out to be quite allright actually). After long discussions, research and email exchanges, a trek in Sikkim was decided upon.
Sikkim is an extremely tourist-centric, environment-friendly state. Usage of plastic/polythene is strictly prohibited and people seem to be surprisingly law-abiding and well off in general. The state shares its border with Tibet in the north and is home to a lot of Tibetan population, as also, few of the oldest Buddhist monasteries.
The entry point for all treks into the hills and forests is manned by Forest and Tourism Department. Entry and exit into the forest is to be logged and the number of polythenes being carried declared. A registered guide is mandatory for the treks.
Take my word on it; inspite of having worked out in the sun for long hours, having done literal physical labor at work and being generally fit, I found this to be one of the more physically grueling experiences. Cold and altitude can be merciless killers and so can cigarettes be. 14,000 ft cannot be as easily trekked as can be thought of or written, definitely not by a first timer like me.
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