Climb every mountain, search high and low
Follow every by way, every path you know
Climb every mountain, ford every stream
Follow every rainbow, till you find your dream
A dream that will need, all the love you can give
Everyday of your life, for as long as you live
From the Sound of Music

Spent the new year doing what my mom thinks I should stop doing now – climbing mountains! Went to the Bandaje Abbe falls and camped near the stream, a place I’d been earlier in March so it was nice to go back again.

The 31st was spent lazing around the stream, watching the clouds move across the blue blue sky, cooking (okay, that’s a lie, but I did boil some water once!), chatting, reading and generally chilling out ~ a nice note to end a nice year.

We had carried enough for meals for 2 days and though it was a bit of a ration for everyone, we managed quite well. Our assigned cook was feeling a little unwell so everyone took turns to prepare MTR meals, tea, coffee, pulliogre rice, upma and other such delights. Cooking on the fire is quite challenging and takes quite a bit of time, but of that we had plenty.

Near the falls, is a nice sunset point and we enjoyed sitting out and watching the twilight colours paint the sky above us as the year came to a close.

Watching the sun go down. Taken on my last trip to Bandaje.

On the 1st we were back on the road, climbing upwards again. The hike to the falls is relatively easy as it’s mostly downhill. One way to get back is via the Mundaje Abbe village which is downhill through forest cover all the way from the falls.

But if you’re returning the same way (which we had to since we’d parked our vehicle at an estate at the start of the trek) it’s a little tougher. There are a few steep hills you need to climb, especially the one right after you emerge from the falls and there is no path as such so you pretty much carve your own.

I must add that this trek shouldn’t be attempted without one person who knows the route as people have been known to lose their way.

We started around 10 am and only reached the top at around noon. From there, it’s a relatively easy walk again through forest areas and another few kms walk to the estate.

A nice relaxed way to herald the new year.