Online Trekking

"Who said its tough ? Its a walk " said a friend. I looked at him and started wondering. Either he has been for that trek several times or he is a might accomplished trekker.

I knew he had just started trekking last year. So he hadnt been to that place. And he has trekked with me ever since he started. So I knew how accomplished he was.

Wondering to myself, I asked him "Have you been there ?"

He said no. I read about it on the internet.

Great to know that the friend had done the research. But unfortunately, his assessment of the trek was based on judgements of others who might be much fitter than most in our group. It could also have been written by someone who wants to show that what others find tough, a walk in the woods for him.

Another friend who wanted to join this particular trek asked me. I said I wouldnt encourage beginners to join the trek. But its definitely a beautiful place.

This friend agreed quoting a friend saying "He feels this place is great in the monsoons. But you can also go now"

Thanks for the permission I felt. Also thought to myself. There are so many experts all over !!

On further inquiry the person who expressed this opinion turned out to be a common friend. For one I know that the person who made this judgement was someone who had just been for 3 treks till date and never before been to the place where we were planning to go. But yes he knew that its good to go there in the monsoons, but thank God for small mercies, we could also visit the place now.

I have been to this place during monsoons as well as the winters. It so happens that the sunset is the most beautiful sight from this fort. And in the monsoons though it is beautiful, its much more beautiful when the sky is clear.

I started wondering, what made the person get this impression. I confronted him and asked him the logic behind this opinion. He said he had read it somewhere on the internet.

I have been trekking since 1993 and have never made judgements about trekking routes and destinations.

I have observed that on a particular day when our energies are low (in my case it happens mostly when I have had dialysis on the previous day), the easiest of treks become very tough and vice versa. It is about our mental frame. Its about how well hydrated we are. Its about how well rested we are.

It definitely depends on how tricky the rock patches or routes are. It depends on the distance.

But it definitely does not depend upon what some Johny has written on the internet

Comments

Abhijit said…
For a occasional trekker like me, internet research for the location is something which is common. But then its true that there is a lot of difference between what is written on the net and what actually is. I have done some very difficult treks and when I have read the review about it, they have been kind of mentioned as easy or medium. Well here's my advice for the amateurs or the newcomers
1) Downgrade every review by atleast half. If some one online says, easy its medium and if some one says difficult, it simply means you need a lot of training to go there.
2) Trekking is fun provided you believe in the people who go along with you on the trek rather than with occasional trekkers (like me) or through the mousepad / armchair trekkers :)

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