The attempt to move out of the comfort zone and know your mettle does not always end with one’s youth. A trek to Rupin Pass allowed a septuagenarian like me to put this theory to test.

An energetic bunch of 32 trekkers left the slopes of Sonamarg a week earlier, weathered trials and tribulations to emerge humbled by the sheer majesty of Kashmir’s beauty.

The Maldives with a population of 270,000 has been isolated from the outside world for much of its history. The affable people here have adapted to island life with the main source of nutrition being fish, coconut and imported rice.

Located in the picturesque Kangra Valley, Palampur is a tourists’ delight. Within reach from the town by short drives and walks are numerous fascinating destinations which become even more mystical in the rains.

The travel to the Holy Mountain of Kailash is full of moments of anxiety and yet the trek offers unrivalled glimpse with nature at its best. A mix of tradition and modernity, the trek provides a life time experience with its challenging and yet mesmerising landscape and history.

A fleeting visit imprinted a memorable frame in our hearts inlaid with spoonbills, Asian openbills, coots and common moorhen swimming in languid grace. Last season there were as many as 75,000 birds in this 30 hectare Sanctuary.

The deafening roar of the mighty Ganga, nearly three times its normal width, transporting boulders and earth from the majestic Himalayas must be experienced to be believed. Framed at one end by the span of the Ram Jhoola the muddy waters trundled down as black clouds gathered strength in the background. Soon golden spotlights through the dark clouds were obliterated as the River turned into a boiling cauldron.

An idyllic sojourn is the natural settings of the Wildlife Institute of India campus in Dehradun coupled with a short visit to the cloudy realms of Mussoorie were prefect ingredients for a memorable weekend.

The idyllic rhododendron town borrows its name from a 350 year old temple of Shiva, Mukteshwar Dham, situated atop the highest point in the town, within the Indian Veterinary Research Institute campus. Close to the temple precincts lie the overhanging cliffs, Chauli-ki-Jali, which are used for rock climbing and rappelling and provide an excellent view of the valleys below.