To me, nothing is more pleasurable than trekking in the hills of Munnar, either solo or with company—something I’ve been doing regularly since boyhood. As a teenager I used to hike alone well beyond the beaten track, sometimes getting all but lost in the wilderness. With advancing years, however, I now stick to known paths and tracks as well as manageable terrain and distances.
I’ve found that trekking brings out the adventurer in one, tempting us to go that extra mile quite literally or to climb that daunting peak, to be richly rewarded by the spectacular view that unfolds. Further, hiking in the verdant hills of Munnar enables one to commune with nature in all its pristine splendour and variety.
There are other benefits too.
Hiking builds up our reserves of stamina and makes us physically fit. Besides, hikers enjoy the privilege of gulping unlimited lungfuls of fresh mountain air absolutely free of pollutants. Nothing can be more rejuvenating. It’s a bonus only the wooded hills can offer—and one that urbanites gasping in smog-bound concrete jungles would actually crave. And what promotes camaraderie and bonhomie better than huddling around a campfire on a chilly evening under a star-spangled sky?
However, trekking is not advisable during the monsoon when the terrain is slippery and leeches abound. Despite smearing my legs with a mixture of powdered salt and snuff—a commonly used deterrent—I was once targeted by these parasites. They penetrated my thick trousers and woollen socks as though they were famished!
Yet, as a change from a monotonous routine, nothing is more welcome to me than an occasional hike in Munnar’s hills—indeed the mist-capped mountain ranges seem to beckon me irresistibly! And the very prospect of setting off on a trek is exciting enough to keep my morale high.All that’s needed is a good pair of sneakers, a strong staff for support while climbing and the will to take on the rugged wilderness. I’ve been doing it for decades and it’s kept me physically fit and mentally alert notwithstanding a few unavoidable ‘spills’. Incidentally, it has also kept my figure trim, making me the envy of youngsters half
my age!