Windy Rock — A Hiking Adventure Through a Tea Plantation
A story of healing with nature amidst leeches and the rain
There are two kinds of people in this world. One group patiently tries to pull out the leeches that latch onto our legs to travel with us. The other group consists of those who scream their lungs out, demanding that we remove those leeches.
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Belonging to the second group, my wife asked me if we really needed to complete our hike. She wondered if we could just turn back after I had already removed the 23rd leech from her leg.
“Nope, we can’t turn back now. You decided to join this trip, and we’re almost there. Look, you can see the peak. Just after that bend, we only have the final climb left. I don’t want to chicken out at the last moment, and you should bear the consequences of disturbing my precious day off.” I responded.
Last Monday was a public holiday for us, and there was a slight drizzle. So, I wanted to spend the entire day on our comfy sofa, reading a few stories and catching up on some posts that I hadn’t had a chance to write due to my busy schedule at work.
Suddenly, my wife declared that she wanted to go somewhere. I was like, “What? Again?” because I was sure we had recently taken a trip.
However, it turned out that it had been almost four months since our last one. My previous experiences have taught me not to argue about this matter because it only delays the inevitable.
Therefore, I was more than happy when my wife started complaining about the hike on our way to the top of the mountain. Our destination was a place called Hulangala, which literally translates to “Windy Rock.” It was a rocky mountain with a steep slope on one end, often referred to as a “world’s end” in common practice.
The path to the top of the mountain runs through a tea plantation. Tea is a gift we received from the English, who cleared existing virgin forests, leaving only the peaks untouched. It is true that they acquired those lands at a low price and reaped the benefits for over a century.
However, we cannot ignore that tea exports are the backbone of our economy.
Have you ever seen a tea flower? It is a beautiful little flower.
Those are not the only flowers we have encountered. The patches of purple Heen Bovitia here and there create a picturesque view.
There were several cows freely wandering and peacefully grazing, minding their own business. They didn’t even bother to acknowledge our presence as we passed by.
Did you know that these drainage paths and retaining walls have endured the sun, rain, and other elements for a long time? It’s amazing how they continue to fulfill their duties.
Despite the leech attacks and slight rain, we managed to reach the peak. The view from the top is truly marvelous. However, the strong winds make it challenging to stay steady at the summit. At times, you feel as though you could be carried away by the wind, living up to the namesake of this place, “Windy Rock”.
After spending some time at the top of the mountain, we descended. However, we also had to face continuous leech attacks on our way down. Surprisingly, my wife’s complaints were non-existent as she was enamored with the final outcome of the journey.
It turned out to be a well-spent day, even though my initial thoughts were not aligned with it. The unexpected break was much needed, especially after the extremely busy past few weeks. Nature acted as a reset button, preparing me to face the upcoming month.
Thank you very much for reading this. And make sure take a moment to connect with nature amidst your busy schedule. It could be a hike, a camp night, or a simple walk outside. It will help us to recharge our mind and body.
