[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

The next morning.....

It was not actually chilly when we slept, but by the time we woke up in the morning, it was pretty cold. Good thing we had our sleeping bags. We woke up at 6.30 and went to the eastern part of the mountain to view the sunrise. We waited and waited and waited for the sunrise. Slowly, the sun started coming out behind Ettina Bhuja. The weather was just lovely.

I cant think of a more perfect way to start a morning. I envy you. Thanks for the lovely travelogue

Praveen

[MX6]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Have you two heard about a great carnivorous creature from hell called the "leech"?

Come on. Leeches aren't carnivorous. They are just haemophilic creatures.
Forget them. Recollect this song from The Sound of Music.
"Climb every mountain, ford every stream
Follow every rainbow, till you find your dream".

@Addy. If you can plan something with sufficient time, I shall definitely work some time to make it. Let me see when earliest I can get a few days off from the great carnivorous creature from hell called my boss.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by gops

Great Trekkalog & very well written. Thanks for sharing!

~Gops

Thanks a lot Gops

Originally Posted by jacs

Again nice photos. Do they allow fishing there? anyone can demonstrate fishing expertize there, even with bare hands

No fishing at all. This area is a designated fish sanctuary and no fishing is allowed within a 2km radius from the temple. In fact, when we were feeding the fish, the temple guys advised us to throw the rice a bit farther from us. Apparently, the fish get hurt when the feeding frenzy starts in the shallow waters (on the steps).

Originally Posted by smartcat

Have you two heard about a great carnivorous creature from hell called the "leech"?

Originally Posted by MX6

Come on. Leeches aren't carnivorous. They are just haemophilic creatures.
Forget them. Recollect this song from The Sound of Music.
"Climb every mountain, ford every stream
Follow every rainbow, till you find your dream".

@Addy. If you can plan something with sufficient time, I shall definitely work some time to make it. Let me see when earliest I can get a few days off from the great carnivorous creature from hell called my boss.

Of course, who can ever forget leeches. I have had my fair share of experiences with them. Lets see, I'll dig up a pic as proof.

@MX6, I generally go for treks only on weekends. If you can make it any weekend, we can plan something. You see, even I have trouble getting leaves from my carnivorous creature from hell

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

I cant think of a more perfect way to start a morning. I envy you. Thanks for the lovely travelogue

Praveen

Very true. It is not always that you can see a sunrise right from your bedroom.

Thanks for your wishes

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Addy,

as i said before great trek, morning photographs have come nice
which camera you used during the trek ?

the thing with the money is very common when friends go on the trip/trek.

Everyone thinks someone would pay, someone would think anyone would pay, anyone would think every one should have paid, eventually no one pays

it is good of your guide to travel with you to Dharmastala to collect his money. it was only possible because he was a guy fromt he village. if he would have been a city guy it would have been difficult for you.

any way great experience, thanks for sharing

I use a regular point & shoot camera. It is a Sony W55 model.

You have put it very well. It always happens with friends

We really felt sorry for taking him all the way to Dharmasthala. Especially because connectivity is an issue for villages in the interior. If he had missed that bus, he should have waited till the last bus. He really was a nice man. He could have easily kept our bags and asked us to go and get the money ourselves.

[MX6]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

@MX6, I generally go for treks only on weekends. If you can make it any weekend, we can plan something. You see, even I have trouble getting leaves from my carnivorous creature from hell

I'm game. Only issue is that I have to drive down from Pune and after the trek, drive back up. That makes a weekend trek as a full fledged holiday for me! And the Carnivorous creature from hell is just baring his fangs at me stating his own name "Naja Naja". In hindi it means don't go - don't go. Etymologically, it's the name of Indian Cobra. (yeah yeah. I love snakes. But this carnivorous creature from hell is a venomous snake who spits only venom and lacks a back bone. It's a standard feature of all bosses!).

[SmartCat]

For some of my office colleagues, I guess I'm the Carnivorous Creature from Hell

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by smartcat

For some of my office colleagues, I guess I'm the Carnivorous Creature from Hell

Originally Posted by smartcat

Have you two heard about a great carnivorous creature from hell called the "leech"?

This definitely proves that I have heard of leeches

[SmartCat]

Is this from the railway track trek?

Whoever said "Leech bites don't hurt. You won't feel anything" is an idiot - don't you agree?

[addyhemmige]

Yes, it is from the railway track trek. We encountered the leeches for 2 days. They won the battle on the first day, they did not win on the second day (I can't say we won)

Well, it depends. If you have 'leechophobia', then it hurts (all in the mind). Otherwise, you'll never know that they are on to you. Of course, it will start itching after a couple of days whether you have 'leechophobia' or not.

[mpksuhas]

wow. ie an entire team of leech. During which trip did this happen? and what were you trying to do sitting on railway track, waiting for leeches to be run over by train

[jacs]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

Yes, it is from the railway track trek. We encountered the leeches for 2 days. They won the battle on the first day, they did not win on the second day (I can't say we won)

Well, it depends. If you have 'leechophobia', then it hurts (all in the mind). Otherwise, you'll never know that they are on to you. Of course, it will start itching after a couple of days whether you have 'leechophobia' or not.

Bit off topic here! I heard leeches suck only the bad blood and hence even used in some therapies. Not sure how true it is.

I had experienced leech bites during my college days in Kuttikkanam which is a hill station in Idukki with Tea estates and forest all over. We used to use cigarettes to take them away :P. Salt would also help.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

wow. ie an entire team of leech. During which trip did this happen? and what were you trying to do sitting on railway track, waiting for leeches to be run over by train

This happened when we went on the Green route trek (Donigal-Yedakumari-Kaginahare)

The leeches got on to us under the canopy. We came running back to the tracks & when I pulled up my track pants, that was the scene I saw.

The railway track was the only open space which was hit by sunlight. Leeches don't like the sun to hit them. So, I was torturing them by facing them to the sun

Originally Posted by jacs

Bit off topic here! I heard leeches suck only the bad blood and hence even used in some therapies. Not sure how true it is.

I had experienced leech bites during my college days in Kuttikkanam which is a hill station in Idukki with Tea estates and forest all over. We used to use cigarettes to take them away :P. Salt would also help.

Yeah, even I have heard of medicinal leeches. But I'm not sure of the difference between those and the regular ones.

One of my cousin's cousin had undertaken leech therapy in an Ayurvedic hospital in Hassan.

Using salt/cigarettes/lime(sunna in Kannada)/snuff powder will help in removing leeches. Saffron powder is used to stop bleeding.

[MX6]

holy cow. So many blood suckers on your leg. Now I'm rethinking.
My cousins went to BR hills and one of them came back with not so good memories. Rather, she was damn pissed off donating a lot of blood to the leeches.

That photo you posted reminds me of a scene from a Tamil movie called Anniyan. Was dubbed in Hindi as well as Apariskshit.

Loads of OT here. But what do leeches generally feed on when they don't find trekkers to feast on?

[Ranjan Sharma]

Originally Posted by jacs

Bit off topic here! I heard leeches suck only the bad blood and hence even used in some therapies. Not sure how true it is.

I had experienced leech bites during my college days in Kuttikkanam which is a hill station in Idukki with Tea estates and forest all over. We used to use cigarettes to take them away :P. Salt would also help.

lol, there is nothing called Bad blood. They suck Blood..!

Therapy you are talking about is: These leaches are stuck on places of body where the blood circulation has stopped. Motive is to, let suck the leaches so that the circulation is up again.

Originally Posted by MX6

Loads of OT here. But what do leeches generally feed on when they don't find trekkers to feast on?

They lsuck blood from animals like goats, cows etc..

[jacs]

Originally Posted by Ranjan Sharma

lol, there is nothing called Bad blood. They suck Blood..!

Therapy you are talking about is: These leaches are stuck on places of body where the blood circulation has stopped. Motive is to, let suck the leaches so that the circulation is up again.

Hey Ranjan, thanks for showing light.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by Ranjan Sharma

Also, could you mention a few details too?
Things to carry:

I'll just put in a small checklist of the things to carry. These are in no particular order.

1. Backpack/rucksack

2. Sleeping bag with foam mat

3. Raincoats - Only if it is raining

4. Water bottle - At least 2 lts per head

5. Knife - A swiss knife would be handy and convenient

6. Lighter/Matches - Very important

7. Petrol/Kerosene - Just a little bit, only to start a fire. Very important in case of rains

8. Lightweight utensil - for cooking

9. Plastic covers - For wet/dirty clothes and garbage

10. Torch/cells

11. Food items - MTR ready to eat foods, Instant noodles (Maggi, Top Ramen etc)

12. Energy foods - Energy bars, Electrolyte drinks (Electral, Glucose etc)

13. First Aid kit & Any personal medications

14. Toilet kit - Soap, towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, Tissue paper, Sunscreen lotion etc.

15. Map & Compass or GPS

16. Tent - Not always necessary. Depends on locations & weather

17. Newspapers - To start fires or for any other use

18. Camera - Very very very important. Don't you guys ever dare going on a trek without a camera.

19. A spare shirt

20. A pair of slippers (to walk around the campsite)

Originally Posted by MX6

holy cow. So many blood suckers on your leg. Now I'm rethinking.

Loads of OT here. But what do leeches generally feed on when they don't find trekkers to feast on?

It seems, they hook on to anything which has blood in them (even snakes).