Annapurna Base Camp

Way to ABC
I still can remember that morning on 30th Nov 2000... Woke up early at Machapuchare Base Camp (MBC)... Had a breathless night as the air was very thin at about 3700m in the mountains... Took our breakfast at the MBC inn... Set off to Annapurna Base Camp at 4130 metres...

I still can remember how happy I was... It wasn't the usual 'happy' happy... It was happiness right into my soul... It was a tiring climb... having spent 5 days up in the high mountains... but I was elated... elated from the fact that I am fortunate and priviledged enough to be near the roof of the world...

I still can remember how quiet and peaceful the mountain was... absolutely quiet... only the dragging sound of our tired feet and our deep breathing sounds could be heard... It was TRANQUILITY... I felt tranquility AROUND me... I felt tranquility WITHIN me... My soul felt free.. My soul felt at ease... I almost felt that I belonged there... I was with the mountains... In the arms of the majestic mountains...

I still can remember that I teared in the mountains... Teared because I felt grateful... Grateful for the fine weather... Grateful for reaching there safely... Grateful for having the chance to be in the mountains... Grateful for being able to see and feel the mountains...

I still can remember how reluctant I was when it was time to head back down to MBC... reluctant to part with the peace... reluctant to return to the chaotic world below...

I still can remember how much insights I have realised on my journey... How minute humans are... How immaterial are many of the material pursuits we chase after in our society... How vulnerable humans are at the mercy of the great forces of nature... How humble I felt and should continue feeling when I realised that Mother Nature could just shut me off the mountains by changing the weather pattern suddenly... How immature humans are capable of becoming by getting into conflicts over greed, ego and self-centeredness...

The mountains are capable of stripping off all complexities in Life and expose the absolute simplicity of our souls... I've come to realise that the needs of our souls will never be completely quenched simply because we are constantly feeding our souls with 'nourishments' that we do not need in our daily lives... It's perhaps another paradox that I could add to my list...

When faced with inexplicable meaninglessness over status, expectations and uncertainties, I sometimes wish that I could again embark on another pilgrimage into the heart of the mountains...