Travelogue

4 th June 2013 After spending night at Bhojbasa, at Rambaba's Ashram, got up at 6am. After finishing our morning chores, we had a wonderful Suji at the Ashram. We departed from the Ashram at 7am. Again we treaded carefully between Bhojbasa and Chirbasa, as there are few land slide areas. We reached Chirbasa at 9am. After resting for an hour and having some breakfast we back on the track.   We were enjoying the stupendous surrounding with huge snow capped Himalayas on both sides. We reached the first check post by 12.45 in the noon, at were at Gangotri at 1330hrs (1.30PM). On reaching Gangotri we paid our guide/Porter Rs 1200. We also collected our baggage from the cloak room managed by the hotel where we were residing. I instructed my family to have lunch and I went to enquire for a bus to Uttarkashi. I was told that there is a bus to Uttarkashi at 2.30pm. So I came back quickly and had my food. We collected our Rucksacks and were at the bus stand which is just a few meter

3rd June 2013. Today was a Monday. The most eagerly awaited day had come. We got up at 5am. We were out of the room by 5.30am. We had a very light breakfast in a nearby hotel . A young guy was seated next to us and seemed as he was either going to Gomukh or coming back. After enquiring with him, he said he is coming back from Gomukh. He informed that this is a very tough trek.   He was somewhere around 30 years. It had taken 4 days for him to complete the trek. He said on the first day he could go to Chirbasa only which is 9km. Second day he went to Bhojbasa which is 5 kms more. Next day he went to Gomukh and came back to Bhojbasa, and fourth day he came from Bhojbasa to Gangotri. He also warned that we should not take this trek as we had young kids, (My younger one is 11 years old). We reassured him, and said we have done all the necessary things. We had physically prepared ourselves, we had done acclimatization, and also we had hired a porter to carry a small load that we int

2 nd June 2013 We got up at 7am and were ready to go by 8. After calling Mr Manjit Singh, we were on our way to Gangotri. We reached there by noon, and had the entire day for our disposal. On reaching Gangotri, we told   Mr Manjit to leave as we had a contract only till here. I paid him Rs9000 and tipped him Rs 500 for his excellent service. Then we checked into Gangotri Vashnav restaurent and hotel. As we had not got permit at Uttarkashi because we were late, the officials had told us that permit to Gomukh will be available at Gangotri. So after keeping the bags in the room, the first thing that I did was go to the forest office and check for the permit. On reaching there we were told that it will be available after 5pm. So we went back to the room, had our food and relaxed for some time.   Then we went for the darshan of Ganga Mata Temple. Having taken the darshan, we spent some quality times at the banks of flowing Bhagirathi. The water was so cold that our fingers used to