The first time I touched snow
THE only picture I ever had of India was what I saw in the movies. Coming from a small coastal country, Fiji, whose population has not even crossed a million to a state with the sheer size of the population and volume of vehicles where traffic is immense, though never stagnant is an eye-opener.
And touching snow was something else.
Witnessing the crystal thick snow balls liquidising in my hands is something which I felt for the first time in Manali, an enchanting hill station in the Kullu Valley of the mighty Himalayas.
Prior to that, I only felt small ice cubes from my refrigerator melting in my hands but walking on snow, skiing and just holding snow was a dream come true for me.
Freezing legs, shivering hands, bundled up in four layers of clothes, but we were super excited and eager as we started our journey to the snowy paradise of Manali, all in the hope of experiencing the joy of playing in the snow for the first time.
When we arrived at the hotel on January 25, we were desperately praying for it to snow and according to Google it was predicted to snow at 9pm so we stayed awake until 10pm.
With every gentle sound, I along with my three other friends used to run to the window to check if it was snowing but every time we returned with empty hands and hopeful eyes.
A friend kept on asking, “Okay, you’re 24-years-old and you’ve never seen snow before?” — “Ugh, I live in snow and it’s such a pain!”.
I’d reply: Well, I live in Fiji and it never snows there. Ever. So, this was huge for me. This is one of my “firsts”.
The whole night I tossed and turned from side to side and on the bed felt like an elaborate dance of anticipation, fuelled by the hum of excitement coursing through my veins. Early in the morning, I woke up, walked through the freezing floors, showered in four degrees Celsius of temperature.
It was freezing cold but it couldn’t dampen the exhilaration that came with embracing the day.
For me, even in the coldest moments, there was a unique beauty in the quiet resilience of nature and the warmth of fulfilling my long-awaited dream.
We started our journey at 9am and driving through winding mountain roads to the serene landscapes, every moment was a symphony of nature’s beauty, offering a refreshing escape and memories etched against the backdrop of majestic peaks.
As we passed the mountains, the view of snow-capped Himalayas was definitely paradise on Earth. Along the way, we kept on marking the areas where we would take pictures on our way back as we didn’t want to stop because of our excitement to reach the Rohtang Pass (the snow place) quickly.
Passing through the longest tunnel of India, Atal Road Tunnel, we finally reached our dream land of snow. Emerging on the other side. It felt like a journey through time, as daylight welcomed us with open arms, our eyes beamed with happiness as we were approaching the pristine wonderland. Snow covering the ground in soft white and cool blue.
As I walked into the snowy landscape, my boots made a satisfying crunch with each step, leaving temporary marks in a world that seemed frozen in time.
The quiet beauty of the snow-covered scenery told stories of peace, inviting me to be part of its calm tale, where even simple things became extraordinary, and each snowflake held the magic of a peaceful escape.
I gave snow tubing and skiing a try. Whizzing down the snow-covered slope in a snow tube was a thrilling ride, and the cold wind rushed past as I laughed with joy.
On skis, I glided over the snow, feeling a mix of excitement and a bit of wobbliness as I learned to navigate.
Both experiences added an
As I walked into the snowy landscape, my boots made a satisfying crunch with each step, leaving temporary marks in a world that seemed frozen in time. The quiet beauty of the snow-covered scenery told stories of peace, inviting me to be part of its calm tale...
extra layer of fun to my snowy adventure.
My trip to Manali was magical as it offered a stunning amalgamation of nature’s beauty, thrilling adventures and rich cultural heritage.