3 Cohesion
I have traveled alone and I have traveled with 130 people too. But never had I seen such cohesion and co-operation among people as I saw this time. Feeling little bit out of the place in the company of 5 mechanical and one electrical engineer from UET but with time, I realized that it was the best place to be. We were ten in total. A software engineer and two businessman and finally an accountant. I had a very warm welcome and introduction. Later I was offered front seat, something to kill for in Lahore.
Free Float - I clicked this photo as they wanted to be seen jumping. But it was a few milliseconds earlier. But it makes them all look like floating. Look at the one on extreme right, he is like an astronaut in space.
Now fast forward to the time right after “Foolish Mistake”, everyone was concerned looking at that amount of blood. I was told to put my foot back in the water and I did but it was of no help. I had no idea how many of the fingers shared the cut. I had no bandage or disinfectant. But luckily someone else did. I sat near the water as the funny fat fella (‘F3’) (not trying to judge here) diagnosed my wound. Software engineer also joined with some items to help out. They both worked together and washed the wound, to stop bleeding they put a piece of cloth on it and applied pressure for a while. F3 asked if he could use my scarf to clean up the blood for which I, still managed, to give him "it's branded" look. I was thinking to go back from there and wait with the driver, whom we had left back at Besal to wait for us, till rest of the group was back I told them to move forward without me.
F3 Upfront alone with our Lead Engineer. I am in the extreme Back and Extreme right. Still trying to figure out an easier way. This photo was taken just before "A Foolish Mistake". In the middle of water, our porter is helping to the guy who would later on carry my baggage
“We will all move together, or no one will go at all.” F3 said. And in my head I said to him, “do you know I am like the snake who will try to bite as soon as he gets his strength back”.
After a while when they realized that bleeding had stopped, they got a roll of bandage out and wrapped it around very strategically and tight to keep the bleeding and pain contained. I disagreed at the time how they were doing it but later on trek I realized how much supportive the bandage was for me. I thanked them later on as I stood up after getting into shoes. They had tied 4 of my toes together very tightly. I told him that i would lose balance this way. But it was helpful as it kept the pain and bleeding minimal.
“oh, this guy just thanked me, no one has ever thanked me in life” F3 shouted. after i thanked him for his efforts.Now you realize why I called him funny at least.
Just after two minute, one of the mechanical engineer asked me to let him carry my bag, I refused to do so as I just wanted to try and see how far I could go with it but he was quite persistent and I handed it over to him. Dream came true, after that I left everyone behind as I don’t wait for anyone on trek but more importantly I did not want the wound to get cold as it would start to hurt then. At moments I felt terrible for leaving everyone far behind and the poor engineer who was carrying my ruck sack. I had told him I would take it back when it starts raining. But I did not, even though it rained a lot and a lot. A trek with never ending steep hikes where I would feel exhausted, I had caused someone to rather carry my baggage through all that. I could not imagine doing all that with my bag and later in the evening after the events of “Water Washes Everything”, I saw the person coming to “Mullah ki Basti” with my bag and I felt such gratitude for him, but did not say a word of it. I am head to toe in his debt, for some it might not mean that much, but for me if God had given me two options, either get a cut and trek without bag and trek with the bag without cut, I would have chosen former.
Night was much fun all thanks to the guys who managed everything and I did not have to move a muscle. After everything was soaking wet, they got me warm bed and medicine to sleep through and regain my strength for next day. Some are just born and then brought up to be helpful and considerate and luckily I had not less than nine of them. Not to mention unintentionally how much entertaining my night was because of them. Those moments when you wake up at night and can’t go back to sleep, I would cherish those, thanks to “Social Media Session”.
A strange morning
I was aided by our sole Electrical Engineer next day to fix the bandage of my wound. And the wholesome company of everyone on the travel back home, which was not that sad as it usually is.
Was it because majority were engineers? Do engineers are that well behaved? Or was it because of Isloo culture? I don’t know but this group defined cohesion and group itself. Where everyone fills in the empty places in the plan no matter how much more or less others are doing with true vision of the goal.
