Seven-year-old Dhruv, who had stayed in our property from September 20 to 25, along with his dad, shares his experience in Hartola. Here’s what he has to say:
Since I and my dad haven’t had a vacation in last one-and-a-half years, we decided to have one in September. Papa booked a homestay in Hartola, which is a village in Uttarakhand and we started our journey early morning on Sunday which was 20th September.
We went through various cities and after a few hours we had to go to the COVID center in the stadium in Haldwani to get an E-pass. Because of the coronavirus everyone must have an E-pass to travel to another state.
Once we got the E-pass we continued on our journey and before reaching Bhimtal we stopped at a place called Salari to have breakfast. We had packed some yummy paranthas and sabzi from home which we had with juice. Papa had them with tea. After a zigzag journey in the beautiful mountain roads we arrived at Katie’s Abode in Hartola at about 2 pm. The house was really beautiful…our room too.
During our vacation in Hartola, I read five books from the library of the homestay and after reading I played with my Hot Wheels cars. I had also carried some books with me. One book I left in the library so that anyone who comes later can read it. We had an early dinner and after watching Tintin on papa’s mobile, we went off to sleep.
My online music class in progress
The next morning I woke up at 8 o’clock, bathed and then took my online exam. We then had a tasty breakfast cooked by Joshi uncle who is the caretaker of the homestay, and after resting for a while, went trekking with my dad. We took a circular round of the house and explored several winding walking treks that villagers use. It was really fun.
After coming back to the homestay I studied for some time. Soon it was lunchtime! After lunch we watched some show on dad’s laptop and then we played board games. After resting for a while it was time for our evening walk in the mountains. Once we are back after our walks we have our early dinner and go to sleep.
During our many treks in six days, dad and I would buy milkshakes, Maggi, biscuits, etc. so that we can come back to the homestay and enjoy. We also trekked to the end of the road from Katie’s Abode to buy Bournvita from a shop at the end of the road where there was a lonely tree that could be seen from far away.
In the evening the Joshi uncle lights the fireplace where we used to sit and relax before having our dinner. Sometimes we have some snacks while enjoying the warm fire.
During our vacation in Hartola, one morning we saw clouds coming down to the level of the house. It was very windy and we were surrounded by the clouds.
When we went trekking I befriended a dog whose name was Ruby. I’m still confused because Ruby is a female name and the dog was male. Ruby and I played treasure hunt. He dug a hole with his paws and I dug it even deeper with a stick. Although we couldn’t find any treasure, it was fun. We clicked photos together and Ruby wouldn’t let go of me. I really wanted to bring him home, but dad told me that he was someone else’s dog.
The day before we came back home, we went for a picnic. Joshi uncle had packed us a delicious meal and we had taken disposable plates and glasses with us. After tracking for some time we reached our picnic spot above a rock where we ate and rested for a while. We had taken a garbage bag with us, where we collected all our waste and carried it home to be disposed properly. We should not litter in the mountains and should take care of our environment.
On Friday, after spending five days in Katie’s Abode, Hartola it was sadly time to come back to Noida. We woke up at 3 in the morning and left at 3:30. I drank milk at the same place where we had lunch when we were going to Hartola. After many hours of travel we had brunch at a south Indian restaurant midway.
In between our journey, I slept for a while, and by 11.30 we reached home.
I loved our vacation in Hartola which is nestled among the mountains. All the mountains were green. It is a nice place to go for a vacation. Also the food cooked by Joshi uncle was yum. I hope papa takes me again and I can play with Ruby one more time.
