A Day in the Hills: The escape we all Need

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Chandigarh, August 16

The road less travelled often leads to the most beautiful places-Robert Frost
We are all living in a world jam-packed with tight schedules, constant responsibilities and days that seem to pass in a blur. A world where deadlines hang over our heads like the sword of Damocles, lined up with back-to back meetings and endless strings of workdays, leaves us longing for a pause, and travelling outside the city offers a much-needed escape. After all, life is all about gathering new experiences, and the more we travel, the more we learn, discover, and understand ourselves. And when the destination is the hills, the experience becomes all the more special. The hills have a quiet way of washing away our fatigue, replacing the stress of everyday life with a brief yet profound sense of peace and bliss.

Last weekend, I travelled to Solan, and for someone caught in the rhythm of corporate life, the weekend felt like a small window of freedom for me. The moment I caught sight of the lush green valleys, something inside me seemed to slow down. The exertion of a long Monday-to-Friday work week began to fade as I stood there, simply gazing at the endless green slopes. We often consider ourselves so important in the grand scheme of things, yet standing amidst the vastness of the hills reminded me of how small I really am compared to the might of the hills and life itself. There is something humbling about being surrounded by nature, something that makes our everyday worries seem much less significant than we think.

We have all heard the popular saying-Nature is the best healer, but experiencing it firsthand is an entirely different feeling. Travelling through the valley after a tiring week at work felt like pressing a much-needed reset button for my mind. The cool breeze brushed against my cheeks, gently playing with my hair, and bringing along with it a sense of freedom that is difficult to find in a busy city. For a few hours, there were no deadlines to chase, emails to answer, or meetings to attend only the sound of the wind, the greenery around me, and the simple joy of being present in that moment there. Perhaps that is why a short trip to the hills can make one return to the office on Monday feeling lighter, fresher and ready to begin again.

While in the hills, I stopped over at a roadside shack to savour some Maggi being cooked there on an open stove and the taste of this Maggi I had in the hills was simply amazing. It was a simple Maggi that somehow tasted extraordinarily delicious. The same Maggi that seemed just okay in the city suddenly became the tastiest dish I had ever had, sitting against the backdrop of the misty valleys, the cool air, and the towering Pine trees. Perhaps the hills really do cast a spell, or the food simply tastes better when one is happy, relaxed, and surrounded by nature.

Every visit to the hills also awakens a little dream within me, in which I find myself owning a small bookshop tucked away in the valley, adjoining a cozy home and a little vegetable garden where I can grow my own produce, slow-cook it,, and enjoy a peaceful way of life.
It is an enchanting thought, but living in the hills is not always the picture-postcard experience we sometimes imagine as tourists. Life there can be incredibly challenging, with limited amenities and long distances that people have to walk simply to reach the essential services available there. The beauty of the hills comes with their own set of struggles, and it is important to accept both sides of this reality.

Yet, despite everything, the hills have an undeniable pull. The time spent in the hills is never enough. There is always a desire to return to take one more walk along the winding roads, breathe in some more fresh air, watch one more golden sunset, and spend a little longer there, away from the humdrum of everyday life. Perhaps the greatest gift the hills can offer is not merely relaxation, but reflection. They bring us face-to-face with our true selves, away from the roles, responsibilities, and routines that often define us in the city.

My trip to Solan was short and sweet, but it reminded me that sometimes we do not need a long holiday to feel renewed. We simply need to step away for a while. Living in Chandigarh has its own advantage, as the hills of Himachal Pradesh are close enough to turn an ordinary weekend into a refreshing getaway with friends. And sometimes, all we need is a little road, strewn with some lush greenery, topped with the cool air kissing our faces and a piping hot plate of Maggi, and voila! What a day we have, set in the hills to remind us that life exists beyond the confines of the office.