I've landed in Uttarkashi. Among the highlights in these first 4 hours - introductions with the team, surveying our organisational setup, the Bun Tikkis in the main market, witnessing an epic drunken walk, chasing fireflies, and agile fly swatting.
It took 7 hours to get here from Rishikesh, in a shared taxi. There was an additional 2 hour wait at Rishikesh for the taxi to reach full occupancy, since this peak season is now an off-season, and a few - if any - taxi guys are risking it to Uttarkashi; there were rumors about dicey situation of roads around Dharasu (26km from Uttarkashi) but we found them restored, at least until the next batch of rain hits. We - Jade, Amber Lamps, and me - lost a good hour shortly after Narendranagar, in a queue of traffic, owing to sections of the road that were washed away not yet fully restored; but there wasn't much difficulty besides. Even buses and trucks are plying on the route now, albeit a fraction compared to the usual.
But beyond Uttarkashi is a different deal. The road goes a mere 5 km further ahead, to as far as Gangori, and thereafter it had been washed away at several places, which makes prayers of any immediate restoration impossible. It is beyond this point that the bugle calls us into action.
The action plan is detailed. By the time of our arrival, a few tonnes of relief material had been bright up, preliminary surveys and data gathering had been carried out, stay had been arranged, and - most importantly - the permission from the newly-appointed DM had been obtained (the earlier DM was replaced on corruption charges, and it was the first day in the office for the new one).
Tomorrow, one batch does a recce to Maneri, and onwards to Bhatwari (this village is the branching point for Dayara Bugyal trek which I did last year). We are, in the first leg, targeting villages around Bhatwari, so making contacts and arranging for stocking space is the immediate aim, so that in the following days we establish an ABC at Bhatwari. Another batch of us - which I'm a part of - would be preparing food packages and seeing to the logistics (ie non mountaineering stuff, but I can wait). I'm in awe of the art and the sincerity of these teammates, who - in short note - are as cool and hardworking as they are experienced.
At dinner, the conversation(s) didn't leave the mountains. Mad people talking about fellow mad people. I can already see the differences...
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