***

Note: Give some time for the Gifs to load

*** ># *Saturday,8th August, 2015* > ### *In a Hotel room in Kollur* Had a very long day visiting the Mookambika Temple. Yup, You've heard the name before in [My Recipe Blog of Paneer Ghee Roast.](https://steemit.com/food/@backpackingmonk/from-the-monk-s-kitchen-series-blog-3-or-or-dinner-or-or-paneer-ghee-roast) I was really tired and was about to crash for the night, when I got a forward text message from a friend saying. Independence Trek to Mullyangiri: Two Days and One Night trek to Mullyangiri hill in Chikmangalur for Rs2500 Only with 18 strangers. We Plan to be at the summit of the hill on India's Independence Day Contact Puthraya for more Info:98******90 Well, A Trek did sound really interesting, but I am a Ambivert kind of a person who can be really quite with some people while really chatty with the rest.So at that point going with strangers was the best of Ideas. ***It was a totally new concept for me*** Besides I had gone to Chikmagalur a couple of times before with My Fam, but never heard of this hill named Mullyangiri. So I did what any other uncertain person do at such a situation ***Google for Images*** The Images of the place were so Pretty, Lush green landscapes everywhere. Just like the one below. ![mull-tree.gif](https://img.whaleshares.io/wls-img/backpackingmonk/141d80b5dec63cc3edc941193b69893552f1b786.gif) _{Deviraama Temple,Chikmangalur,India*(Mullayangiri Hill in the Background)*} The Images made me want to visit this place. I was still not comfortable about going with people I dont know, but I thought Ill drag and friend along with me. If that dint work out, I was going to join My First Job on the 10th August, I knew some of My colleagues already as they were batch mates in Pre university College, So I thought ill keep that as a back up plan. ># *Thursday,13th August, 2015* > ### *At My Office* I had a good first week so far, started friendly conversations with a lot more people than what I expected. I did ask a few of them to accompany me for the Trek, but all of them denied saying that they had guest who was expected to visit at the weekend or had to go somewhere else. *You know, The usual reasons people when they don't want to do something* It was the same response I had got when I asked My Friends outside My Office. This got me contemplating about The Trek again. ***"Should I be going to Mullayangiri without anyone I know?"*** ***"What if i never got along with the rest of them?"*** The Dual Nature of the mind came into play. It was also My last day to decide and confirm my seat to Puthraya who was The Trek Organiser. Given the situation, I was more inclined to say "No", but the google images of the Beautiful Lush Green Mountains Flashed in my head once again. That, Made me make up my mind and say Richard Bransons famous line. ***

"Screw It, Lets do it"

*** ># *Saturday,15th August, 2015* > ### *At The Boarding Point* This is where I actually met the rest of the Trekkers and to My Delight they were mostly People of My Age group. Most of these guys were Travelers and had already been to such Treks before, So they were very open to conversations and were quite warm. Tejaswi*(A Microbiologist)* and Navneet*(An Final year Engineerring student at that time)* were the first people I spoke to. Tejaswi is Tomboyish in nature and Navneet was that goofy guy who always upto something. https://i.postimg.cc/KY3XyQ9V/map-12-700-225.gif _{Monks Trail} https://i.postimg.cc/1tdmsfPR/GROUP-1.gif _{The Gang at Deviraama Temple} It was in the Van where we really started getting know each and started having fun. Puthraya*(The organiser)* and almost everyone else in the van were die hard fans of the folks songs of Raghu Dixit*(A singer from South India who once played for the played the Queen of England)*and we spent most of our "on road" time in listening and singing his songs. This was Pretty much My Formal Introdution to Raghu Dixit's Music and [Lokada Kalaji](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK2HwzB-unE) was my favorite track during the Journey. Apart from this, we spent the rest of the time chatting with the next person, which in My case was Tejaswi and Navneet. Also, Watch watching this Dude named Chelson Vlog about his Trek on his Phone in his [Malayalee Accent](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7Ed_KoUhRk) which was really amusing. He occasionally gave us some camera attention too. LOL. I wish I had a copy of his vlogs for this blog. ***They were GOLD.*** but sad truth is none of us have a copy of it. We then stopped by at Deviraama Temple for lunch, small formal introduce ourselves session and a group picture before we left to the Hill. > ### *At The Summit of Mullayangiri* This is when the plans changed, We initially planned to stop at the foothills and then pick up our Rucksacks to Hike our way up to the summit through the Trek Path, But Due to heavy rains and winds, we had to go on road in our van to the top. So you read it right. ***

OUR TREK WAS NO MORE A TREK

*** We still had a lot of fun on the way and pretended like we trekked all the way in front of other passerbys. ***We love showing off*** At the summit, Since It was Indepence Day and we had the Tri colored Indian Flag with us, We did a little patriotic and chanted the Famous Slogans of Indian Freedom Struggle. ***Here is the proof*** https://youtu.be/WWcFcb8yCVg We actually repeated these slogans on the way back home as well XD. ***HaHa*** It got really dark soon and visibility was bad due to the mist, So we had to go to the place where we had pitch on tents. The weather had to play spoilt sport again, The heavy winds dint really let our tents to be pitched properly. So we had to to move to a temple nearby to crash for the night. Some of us did smoke a joint which was followed by a serious deep conversation of *Our Perspective on life* ># *Saturday,16th August, 2015* > ### *At Hirekolale Lake* Next Morning we woke up and packed Our Rucksacks and went to this place named Herekolle Lake. We had fun, clicked few pictures here and then.. Reality started kicking in.. We realised the trip is getting over and contemplating about what next.. ![Swati.gif](https://img.whaleshares.io/wls-img/backpackingmonk/6714da41d38624dc03de572ca41e8883d35e4c01.gif) _{*Girls when they see a Dude with a Camera*
Swati is No Exception} ![Tej-swinging.gif](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYGrVNpSwTjLKa6tz7VCmESyWWHgEtf8DgQMRFCdgzVWX/Tej-swinging.gif) _{That's Chelson Vlogging while Teji getting Tossed into the Lake.
*Just Joking*
She wasnt thrown in to the lake but Chelson was surely vlogging.} ![tej-navneet.gif](https://img.whaleshares.io/wls-img/backpackingmonk/04bd093e4c6605b6b8306de0d54ad59012853300.gif) _{You think they are a couple?
Hell No!
There are just friends
You can just credit The Photographer for making it look Romantic :P} ![mull lake.gif](https://img.whaleshares.io/wls-img/backpackingmonk/b8157b1e4dd69708b277f154497a8a9ba2c1f76c.gif) _{Aditya contemplating about Life} At the end of the trip, We all bid byes with Hugs and promised to keep in touch to keep in touch and text regularly. We did meet up and text for while, but then eventually everyone just got busy and went back to doing thier own shit. We all did meet up again last year at Teji's *(Tejaswi's)* wedding and Trust me.. ***We had a blast.*** That's kind of bond we have, It never gets awkward even if we meet after age's. ![illustrator.png](https://img.whaleshares.io/wls-img/backpackingmonk/f1be8ba8b3f8b62dde276db57689c27083067185.png) _{Cartoon Art by @turtledance24} ![Man.gif](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWjmVgvKXt4ch8NGnk89zUmhtFWvvXbLCQvpNpw3rJfL2/Man.gif) An Easylife community for Men, By both Men and Women. The Brocoin is a Coin by The Man Cave to help Men be the best they can be. We plan to have real world hangouts for men like steem meet ups. [To learn more about us, Join our Discord](https://discordapp.com/invite/t9Hgwgh)