Lesson #101: How I Fought My Pandemic Blues!

It was June, we were in the thick of a pandemic, and I was locked within the four walls of my flat for three months, alone, aching to break from the #NewNormal. After much deliberation, I decided to head home, but I could not imagine being free from my flat in Delhi only to be locked in my home in Uttarakhand. And so a plan was devised.

I packed my bags and left for my hometown in a sanitized cab (with a shield between the driver and me!) but decided to take a detour. Just 36 km from my hometown, lies a quaint little hamlet of bliss called Bhowali, and I planned to stay there for a day.

After entering the state border, I was tested and reported COVID-free, and thus my journey continued without hurdles. I booked a homestay run by the family of a school friend, and hence was assured of the safety and sanitisation protocols.

By the time I reached the homestay, it was dark and the sky was lit up with stars. I enjoyed a scrumptious dinner by the bonfire and called it a day.

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of birds and dreamy rustic views. Oh, what a blessing it is to be in Uttarakhand!

I decided to take a short walk to the stream nearby (thanks to the suggestion of the home owner), and to say that the view and vibe treated my pandemic blues instantly, would be an understatement.

With the sounds of the gushing water, the cooing birds and the singing wind, I had left COVID miles behind.

Just when I thought this moment couldn’t be more perfect, it became profound with a hot adrak-chai and a steaming plate of Maggi!

But as all good things must come to an end, I had to leave for home and quarantine for two weeks, but it was all worth it. When you stay in a state like Uttarakhand, beauty and bliss aren’t hard to find.