I was away… in Kufri, Himachal Pradesh with Blogger Friends

My journey in blogging started in 2007. Initially it was just a trickle of visitors, and a desperate wait for comments, but within 6 months I got the hang of how to blog and get visitors and comments.

In 2008 after the Mumbai terror attack several bloggers came together to voice their opinion. During this phase I made many new blogger friends. Though all of us blogged on different themes, this incident of terrorist attack united us. Friendship went to a new level!

Our virtual friendship continued for years. Though there would be discussions and comments about meet up it never materialized.

Then, Dhiren one of the most active bloggers among us took the initiative of arranging a meet. When he shot out a mail in January 2013 I grabbed it. The meet was still six months away, yet I was quite excited at the thought of meeting the virtual friends and confirmed my presence for the meet.

It started with a mailing list of 20 bloggers, gradually as the date of travel approached due to unexpected problems some of our blogger friends had to drop out. Finally we were just 10 and it turned out I didn’t know some of them. Yet that didn’t deter me from going.

Ten bloggers from different parts of India decided to converge at Himalayas to give a new meaning to our association in virtual world. The prospect of making new blogger friends kept me thrilled, excited and dreaming about the event. The venue of meet was Kufri in Himachal Pradesh. It was summers but the chilling temperature forecast of the hills made us look forward to the meet.

So, finally on 10th May two of us, Aathira and me, started from Bangalore. It was Bangalore Delhi Chandigarh flight. All of us had planned to meet in Chandigarh and hire a mini van from Chandigarh to Kufri via Simla. Bloggers were coming for the meet from different parts of India, some via train, and some via road on bikes. By evening all of us were there.

All of us assembled at Chandigarh on Friday (10th May 2013).

As soon as the final batch arrived we all met up and it was such a happy moment. Though we didn’t know each other personally yet the effect of virtual interaction was such that we seemed to know each other for long. Away from virtual world, in the real world making virtual friends in to real friends – what a meet it was! Three bloggers got their kids too and I am sure they must have wondered what these adults are so excited about. Temporarily they lost the attention of their parents as the parents were busy making new friends.

After a night’s halt at Chandigarh the next morning, on 11th morning left for Kufri by road. This was the best part of the trip. Thirteen of us in the mini van and two bikers following us, sometimes leading us, we were on a six hour drive to Kufri. Lot of singing, munching, halting, clicking, sipping tea and eating maggi noodles along the way… life seemed perfect! Kufri was our world for the weekend!

Kufri, Himachal Pradesh with Blogger Friends

Kufri was our world for the weekend! There was lot of voting and discussions before we decided to meet in Kufri, Himachal Pradesh.One particular halt due to rains is here: Unexpected joy watching rains in Solan.

Kufri, Himachal Pradesh

I had not met any of the bloggers before this meet. We blog on different themes; me a travel blogger, there was a food blogger, yet another who blogged on feminist issues more… The entire thing was planned through mails and chats. Thanks to Hitchy for taking the initiative and coordinating the entire meet. Hope we will have more such meets!

Kufri, Himachal Pradesh with Blogger Friends

Hill Journey - God keep us safe!

Brrrrr…. It was cold in Kufri.The sky was cloudy, wind chilly and there was slight drizzle, we had these ingredients to keep us indoors. Some of us had layers of clothing on; some were gulping down hot tea, glass after glass. The other best thing we could do then was chat. We were busy chatting, having a small session of ‘getting to know each other’.

Meanwhile, one of the waiters there was struggling to keep the cast iron cylindrical stove burning. He had inserted quite a few pieces of wood in to the stove and was stoking it continuously from the opening below, but the desired result wasn’t there.

After sometime he opened the cover from the top, usually this top of the fireplace is used for cooking food or heating water. I guess the waiter wanted to stoke the mellowed burning wood pieces for more fire, when all of a sudden huge blast of fire came out of the top. There was silence for split second; the waiter shut it up immediately; all of us got back to chatting again!

Wild daisies were in plenty in Kufri. The ox-eye daisies were thriving so well by the roadside, in the bushes, totally uncared. As I crossed them on the paths, I was confused whether they annoyed me or delighted me.

I wondered why they act so pricy in my pots here in Bangalore, never showing a bud or a bloom. So small and dainty, I walked carefully so as to not stamp on them accidentally or brush my feet against the petals. Let them be!

A for Apple Trees of Kufri Himachal Pradesh
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