It was in the second week of March
that I landed at the Academy- a breathtaking structure built amidst the
most picturesque of locations! (Though that makes us do quite a bit of
"mountaineering" every day- negotiating these slopy paths is not easy,
but that's another story...)
No, this is certainly no pose designed
to emulate Alice when she may have been in wonderland, but this certainly
is Somil in Academyland! I am standing in the lawn where we have most our
tea parties (you can see one being prepared for in the backdrop). Also
visible are two of the Academy's main buildings- the one just behind me
is the admin block (named Dhruvashila) and the one to my behind and to
my left is the teaching block (named Karmashila- quite apt, because most
of our work is done within this building) and as its name signifies, this
building is also the location for the Officer's mess, Officer's Lounge,
Conference Hall and the Library- it has two basement floors, which can't
be seen in this picture.
This is a picture taken in the Academy's
riding ground, where I am seated on one of my favourite horses, Mastana,
while the other horses are visible in the backdrop. Horse-riding is one
of the high moments in the academy (can be a low moment too, particularly
when you find yourself on the ground courtesy an agitated horse and maybe
break a bone or two...).
Talking of high moments, this certainly
is another. We were on our short trek (11 kms each way is very short by
the Academy's judgement- our main trek is several times this!) and this
was taken enroute. This was a trek to Kempty Falls- our first trek in Mussoorie.
Note the picturesque valley behind, and this is actually at a lower height
than the academy! If you see carefully you will also see an international
school behind. And if you do notice people trekking in the background,
see if you can identify the trekking route!
And this is the destination, the Kempty Fall- not much
water in it as of now, but the height of the water is clearly visible,
though not completely, because I had to show myself also in the pic, didn't
I? While I pose for the camera, my colleagues frolic in the cooooooooold
water....
This is not all....still to come are pix of parasailing, National Park and lots more....watch this space!!!