Mussoorie - My first view of the "Big Guy's"!

My first views of the Himalaya’s were at approximately 6:05 am on Saturday, September 19th, 2009.It is not very hard for me to describe my reaction to that first view of the peaks…….when the alarm sounded, I didn’t linger in the bed for very long…….I found myself stepping barefoot onto the balcony with my camera, there was still a crisp coolness in the air from the prior night………I remember gazing in the direction of the range……and wondering at first if what I was seeing were clouds on the horizon……I immediately started taking photographs because the scene was so beautiful and unlike the views I witnessed as the sun was retreating the day before…….The sun was glowing and the color of the sky was beautiful....it was then that I realized that I did not have my glasses on.
I retreated to my room, put my glasses on, and made my way hurriedly back to the balcony.....I am quite sure that I spoke out loud……something like……”wow” or “amazing” or “unbelievable”……or maybe even all three. I simply can’t remember. With my glasses now in place, I could clearly see that what the glow of the sun was not bouncing off clouds......but it was forming the perfect backdrop to outline the jagged peaks that were in the distance.Having lived in Colorado with my family for 4 years, I have witnessed some very spectacular views of the mountains….and of the range…..and the incredible peaks that exist……. 53 peaks that are above 14,000 feet in the Rocky Mountain Range…..the highest peak which is 14,401feet (4,400 meters)…….so I was not in awe because this was my first time seeing mountains………those reactions were in genuine respect to how unbelievably huge the peaks I was seeing are.
The Himalaya’s have over 220 peaks over 14,000ft and 10 of the highest peaks in the world……..Mount Everest is almost exactly twice the size of the highest peak in the Rocky mountains……these mountains are BIG GUYS!!!!!!!From my vantage point in Mussoorie, I am estimating that the peaks that I was able to see without the aid of my zoom lens are at a minimum 250 – 300 km away…….if there is a reader to my blog that could provide the exact distance I would be most appreciative.
Little did I know at the time, that the best was yet to come……..how is that for a teaser for my next blog entry??????In one of my previous blog entries, I mentioned that I received some misinformation regarding Mussoorie……..very bad information from my “expert source”……information that I would have chosen to take my family to another location juts based on this. I would have probably returned to Shimla with my family rather than Mussoorie for that glimpse of the Himalaya’s.
I recently shared my photographs with this very same person……a person who has been to Mussoorie on several occasions………..and they could not believe their eyes……as a matter of fact, my pictures have now changed their view of Mussoorie and was amazed at what has been missed for many years.
I had challenged some readers in a previous blog entry to take the time to truly discover what is in your own city……or at least close by…….to become a “tourist” and explore….find out what makes the place you live in “special”……….(see the archives from January….Republic Day Adventure and a personal challenge”)
I urge all of you to take the challenge….get to know your city……….and get to Mussoorie.
I hope you enjoy.