Papikrung is a remote village surrounded by forests atop a mountain close to the India-China border. Transport options are limited; a few households have motorbikes. No person owns a car here. The only car present in the region belongs to a local political leader who resides in a bungalow in the neighbouring village. Any other vehicular movement is by the Indian Army and the ITBP whose camps and posts are reachable via Papikrung. So if we have to go to Monigong — the nearest large village about 9 km by road — we just have to walk the distance hoping a faint hope to hitch a ride. 

That’s what Meena and I did today for our Monigong trip in preparation of school reopening from tomorrow. We started around 10 in the morning with the weather being mercifully rather mild on account of moderate showers at dawn. This was my first trek on the magnificent Arunachali mountains offering splendid views thanks to steep-sloped humongous mountains jostling to the horizon and plunging into deep, deadly valleys. The gushing river on the bed of the valley – which seems like an abyss – was terrific and terrifying. I take pride in my fitness, but today’s hike put me in my place testing the limits of my stamina. By the time we had covered roughly three-fourth the distance, often availing shorter foot routes that climb the steep slopes rather than walking along the winding, circuitous roads, I couldn’t carry myself a single step further. Breathing heavily I slumped by the roadside, fatigued. My throat burning, I craved water to quench the thirst and longed for rest. Wild berries on the roadside trees were a welcome refreshment. Meena, having trekked this route multiple times, was going much stronger and finding the ascent way easier without any visible signs of tiredness. About two-and-a-half hours of a taxing hike made me deeply appreciate the challenges of a couple of part-time teachers who come to school trekking on this route on a daily basis from Monigong; I admire their commitment.