With heavy hearts we had to return to the smoggy plains in December last year because we had to embark on our yearly sojourn amongst family and friends in Assam. However, the fog situation was bad and we didn’t want to take any chances because it is a long drive from Noida.
And as we waited for the skies to clear, we were deep into official assignments, social commitments and disgruntled friends who couldn’t meet us the entire 2023 because we had spent the year away from the polluted city in nature’s lap in Hartola.
So, after our one-and-a-half-month stay in Assam we were back in Noida on the 3rd of April. After two days of resting and giving our old bones a temporary pause, we are now waiting for Katie’s last round of vaccinations next Thursday and we are all set to hit the road again to Hartola where we intend to spend the rest of the year—well, at least most of it.
The panaromic view of the Himalayas from the windows of the family room, Padam, of Katie’s Abode, Hartola
And that’s not all. Both of us are waiting with great anticipation to exercise our voting rights from Hartola this Lok Sabha Elections (2024). So we are eagerly waiting for April 19 – may the best candidate win!
As for our stay in Hartola, our agenda is set. Apart from a little renovation of the cottage to get it ready for the tourist season, we have cleared a small patch beside the sitting area that will provide another area to sunbathe and to just vegetate. Also, I have a couple of incomplete writing projects which I would love to see at the printer’s before the end of the year.
Deepa, meanwhile, is embarking on a week-long trip to Darma Valley with friends and of course her hectic daily office work would continue.
In the meantime, we have already started on our journey of farm-to-table. So the focus will be more on honing our farming skills.
Pea farming among other vegetables at Katie’s Abode Hartola
Since we see an abundance of fruits which are impossible to consume, with the help of our dear friend, Sandeep, we will be trying our hand at making some fruit wine. Last year, Sandeep brewed plum and peach wines, which were delicious. BTW Sandeep also runs a beautiful homestay in Nathuakhan, 10 kms from our place called ‘The Calm Cottages’. One must stay here at least once to get a homely feeling in the mountains.
Fruit wine tasting at Katie’s Abode, Hartola
As I write about our forthcoming plans in Hartola starting next week, I just can’t wait for the week to pass. Except for a couple of posts from our recent travel to Meghalaya, I think the next post on Hartola will be from our home in the mountains and I will be posting overlooking the Himalayas.
The Yamuna river and farming on its beds as seen from our apartment in Sector 151, Noida
Not that I’m complaining about our home in the city; I’m keying in this blog from the 21st floor of our Noida apartment overlooking the Yamuna and the golden farms on its banks. Not bad either, I would say.