Hart Journeys

If you know me well you know that I love mountains. Nothing is more beautiful to me than an alpine lake ringed by pine trees and high mountain spires. For many years I had a dream to see the Himalayas. In November and December of 2007 I took a trip to visit good friends in Calcutta (more on this later.) From there I took an Explore UK Tour to Bangladesh, northern West Bengal state, Sikkim and Bhutan.

I clearly remember the long, dusty day that we left the flat river valleys of Bangladesh, switched guides and vehicles at the border and re-entered West Bengal. From the border it was a steep climb up to Darjeeling in two jeeps - six tourists, two guides and two drivers. Darjeeling is a beautiful tea growing center that sits at over 7,000 feet in elevation. It is also the perfect place to view Mt. Kachenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. But the mountain is very temperamental and is often shrouded in clouds. It is very common for folks to spend two weeks in Darjeeling and never see Kachenjunga as was the case when we arrived.

The next morning we awoke way before dawn and made the drive to Tiger Hill near the town of Ghoom. Tiger Hill, at 8,500 feet, is the ultimate viewing place to see the mountain. As the sun began to rise we saw light on the very tip of Mt. Kachenjunga and then watched sunshine spread down the mountain. It was a breathtaking site and I felt such a deep feeling of alignment with the universe. The mountain stayed cloud-free for the next six days of our journey as we traveled into Sikkim and to Kalimpong. She seemed like the eleventh member of our little group. She was once more shrouded with clouds as we prepared to enter Bhutan and out of her view.

One more note: That morning on Tiger Hill the views were so clear we also spied Lhotse (#4) and Everest (#1).

When have you followed your dream and been richly rewarded?