Day 6 – Gunji
22nd June 2018: As per schedule we needed to start our journey towards Naini Saini Airport otherwise called Pithoragarh Airstrip at about 5:00 am. So we woke up at about 3:00 am. Some of us packed their toothpaste inside their main luggage which was already submitted to luggage committee. Netrawati packed her toothbrush also😢
Anyway, we all were ready for our most wanted journey before 4:00 am. When We came outside of our hotel it was still dark outside. But people of Pithoragarh are health conscious. We found lots of morning walker at the time of morning also. After reaching the airport, the authority person told us to check our hand luggage so they asked them to make a queue. The airport not so much similar to any known airport like Indira Gandhi airport. It looked like a stadium. You can find some helicopters far away. You easily spot some Air-force pilot with their usual jumping suit. Our Bus driver told us, we are lucky otherwise Airforce does not allow the civil person inside this airport. This Airport is used only for the emergency purpose otherwise Airforce’s own use.
But before that, they told us that this evacuation would be performed under Airforce supervision. Airforce would provide 3 MIG-17 among them only 2 would be in use & their load capacity is 17+13. So we 59 yatris were divided 17+13+17+13. Again I got the preference due to my name 😃. So I along with Enakshi came to the 1st batch. We both were the last two of the 1st slot. We were the only two girls in the 1st slot & there was a separate line for girls to check their bags. So our checking was done very quickly.
The MIG 17 was standing about 200mts away. I never saw MIG-17 so close. I was super excited. Then when it started, it’s propellers was started to rotating very high speed. It was created a clearly visible circle in the air. Then the airport person told to go to the helicopter with our handbags and tightly holding our caps & there should be no loose things with us. With the help of a small ladder, we entered the helicopter. There was some round shape window & two long bench at both sides. In the center, there was a parallel wide bench to put our main luggage which was already loaded by the porters.
After came back to Delhi I came to know that the helicopter was MLH class of heptrs from the Kirpan and Nubra Warrior units of the IAF.
As the helicopter flew not so high. It was clearly visible at the top of the mountain along with the lush green plateau. We can clearly saw the cloud, snow clad mountains with their every edge. I was feeling me very lucky. When we saw the Mt. Api, the snow-clad mountain wearing a white snow crown…word is not enough to describe the feeling!! The aerial view was awesome. When I saw the green plateau, it felt me that most probably some green ‘gulal’ ( or Abeer, is the traditional name given to the colored powders used for the Holi festival in India) fallen down from God’s hand.
It was 45 mints journey. We reached Gunji Helipad at about 7:45am. Don’t expect it’s a traditional helipad but more or less similar to any open helipad in mountains or hilly regions. The only difference was lots of ITBP personal was there. Usually, when you reached somewhere your friends, relatives welcome you, but this time ITBP jawans welcomed us. They were too much happy when they met some people from their own state. Their happy face made me emotional. When we are far away from our home, seeing our own state’s people we feel so happy that one cannot describe in words. I felt the same thing when I used to meet any bong in Delhi also.
Whenever heli landed in the helipad, it swept everything from both sides of the helipad. Every time, the jawans warned us to hold tight our caps & all loose things if we had any. Gunji is a small village in Pithoragarh district in the northern state of Uttarakhand, above approx 10,500 ft from sea level. It The surrounding view was also very splendid. We can view Mt. Annapurna in front of us. At about 8:00 am, all yatris reached Gunji. Along with our 2 LOs & ITBP personnel, we started towards the camp. On the way, we met a person, informed us that due to not passing the health test conducted by ITBP medical team, returned back. Everyone in our group felt sorry for him.
Our camp was just beside the ITBP camp. When we reached the camp, we came to know there were 2 rooms were allocated to all girls, 6 beds in each room. We were total 12+1 ladies. Actually, people consider ’13’ as unlucky (I don’t know why ). So we usually told 13 in such a way. There was another secret. Our second LO Vishal Ji went with his family & his wife always stayed with her husband. So she never spent any night with our ladies group. so we marked I mean count her such a way!! What an innovative idea… is not it!! 😲
After reaching the camp, the rhododendron juice was offered to us. It was cool!!! Here I met the KMVN person at Gunji camp, Mr. Vinod, a nice boy from Pithoragarh who treated the yatris more than God, served food before asking it. During our stay at Gunji, sometimes I felt embarrassed due to his humble service. We never expect such devotion of job he offered to us. He asked us to take the breakfast which was poha or dhalia. Actually, poha was consumed totally & when I tested the Dalia, it was so sweet, So I decided to skip it. Our LO Kutty sir told us to gather nearby ground as ITBP doctors would like to come & brief the details.
Two ITBP doctors (Dr. Tarun & Dr. Rahul) along with some other officers came & informed us about what we should do & don’t. They suggested
Though the doctor asked to take Diamox at night just after dinner, I knew the Diamox invites the pee. So I had decided to take it at that time. I took some biscuits & took the Diamox.
Do you know Diamox. It is as simple as ‘Die without get Moksh’, Actually it requires to drink lots of water & as usual lots of pee. We had renamed the ‘Loo’ to “Swarg” as it was easy to inform our girls’ group that where we are going when we were in a group meeting also. The new name was given by me. How creative I am 😎!!
Afternoon, we went to Gunji village which was only a few handfuls of houses. We spent the evening chit-chatting. Our LO declared that our tomorrow destination was a small trek for acclimatization. We took our dinner at about 9 pm.
Anyway, we all were ready for our most wanted journey before 4:00 am. When We came outside of our hotel it was still dark outside. But people of Pithoragarh are health conscious. We found lots of morning walker at the time of morning also. After reaching the airport, the authority person told us to check our hand luggage so they asked them to make a queue. The airport not so much similar to any known airport like Indira Gandhi airport. It looked like a stadium. You can find some helicopters far away. You easily spot some Air-force pilot with their usual jumping suit. Our Bus driver told us, we are lucky otherwise Airforce does not allow the civil person inside this airport. This Airport is used only for the emergency purpose otherwise Airforce’s own use.
But before that, they told us that this evacuation would be performed under Airforce supervision. Airforce would provide 3 MIG-17 among them only 2 would be in use & their load capacity is 17+13. So we 59 yatris were divided 17+13+17+13. Again I got the preference due to my name 😃. So I along with Enakshi came to the 1st batch. We both were the last two of the 1st slot. We were the only two girls in the 1st slot & there was a separate line for girls to check their bags. So our checking was done very quickly.
The MIG 17 was standing about 200mts away. I never saw MIG-17 so close. I was super excited. Then when it started, it’s propellers was started to rotating very high speed. It was created a clearly visible circle in the air. Then the airport person told to go to the helicopter with our handbags and tightly holding our caps & there should be no loose things with us. With the help of a small ladder, we entered the helicopter. There was some round shape window & two long bench at both sides. In the center, there was a parallel wide bench to put our main luggage which was already loaded by the porters.
After came back to Delhi I came to know that the helicopter was MLH class of heptrs from the Kirpan and Nubra Warrior units of the IAF.
As the helicopter flew not so high. It was clearly visible at the top of the mountain along with the lush green plateau. We can clearly saw the cloud, snow clad mountains with their every edge. I was feeling me very lucky. When we saw the Mt. Api, the snow-clad mountain wearing a white snow crown…word is not enough to describe the feeling!! The aerial view was awesome. When I saw the green plateau, it felt me that most probably some green ‘gulal’ ( or Abeer, is the traditional name given to the colored powders used for the Holi festival in India) fallen down from God’s hand.
It was 45 mints journey. We reached Gunji Helipad at about 7:45am. Don’t expect it’s a traditional helipad but more or less similar to any open helipad in mountains or hilly regions. The only difference was lots of ITBP personal was there. Usually, when you reached somewhere your friends, relatives welcome you, but this time ITBP jawans welcomed us. They were too much happy when they met some people from their own state. Their happy face made me emotional. When we are far away from our home, seeing our own state’s people we feel so happy that one cannot describe in words. I felt the same thing when I used to meet any bong in Delhi also.
Whenever heli landed in the helipad, it swept everything from both sides of the helipad. Every time, the jawans warned us to hold tight our caps & all loose things if we had any. Gunji is a small village in Pithoragarh district in the northern state of Uttarakhand, above approx 10,500 ft from sea level. It The surrounding view was also very splendid. We can view Mt. Annapurna in front of us. At about 8:00 am, all yatris reached Gunji. Along with our 2 LOs & ITBP personnel, we started towards the camp. On the way, we met a person, informed us that due to not passing the health test conducted by ITBP medical team, returned back. Everyone in our group felt sorry for him.
Our camp was just beside the ITBP camp. When we reached the camp, we came to know there were 2 rooms were allocated to all girls, 6 beds in each room. We were total 12+1 ladies. Actually, people consider ’13’ as unlucky (I don’t know why ). So we usually told 13 in such a way. There was another secret. Our second LO Vishal Ji went with his family & his wife always stayed with her husband. So she never spent any night with our ladies group. so we marked I mean count her such a way!! What an innovative idea… is not it!! 😲
After reaching the camp, the rhododendron juice was offered to us. It was cool!!! Here I met the KMVN person at Gunji camp, Mr. Vinod, a nice boy from Pithoragarh who treated the yatris more than God, served food before asking it. During our stay at Gunji, sometimes I felt embarrassed due to his humble service. We never expect such devotion of job he offered to us. He asked us to take the breakfast which was poha or dhalia. Actually, poha was consumed totally & when I tested the Dalia, it was so sweet, So I decided to skip it. Our LO Kutty sir told us to gather nearby ground as ITBP doctors would like to come & brief the details.
Two ITBP doctors (Dr. Tarun & Dr. Rahul) along with some other officers came & informed us about what we should do & don’t. They suggested
- Drink a lots of Water
- Wear monkey cap & close the ear,
- Wear socks & never ever walk without scocks
- Last but not the least take Diamox
Though the doctor asked to take Diamox at night just after dinner, I knew the Diamox invites the pee. So I had decided to take it at that time. I took some biscuits & took the Diamox.
Do you know Diamox. It is as simple as ‘Die without get Moksh’, Actually it requires to drink lots of water & as usual lots of pee. We had renamed the ‘Loo’ to “Swarg” as it was easy to inform our girls’ group that where we are going when we were in a group meeting also. The new name was given by me. How creative I am 😎!!
Afternoon, we went to Gunji village which was only a few handfuls of houses. We spent the evening chit-chatting. Our LO declared that our tomorrow destination was a small trek for acclimatization. We took our dinner at about 9 pm.
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