Testing my limits 1

I've been living barefoot on a 24/7/365 basis since December 2000 - for almost eight years - which means I'm quite used to all kind of challenges. But from time to time it's good to test one's limits, and last May, I got an EXCELLENT opportunity: A three-week endurance trip to Uttaranchal, high up in the Indian Himalayas!



May is the hottest month in North India, especially in and around New Delhi. But it's a perfect time to visit the remote valleys of Uttaranchal which are inaccessible by road during the winter-break (November - April) when the whole region is snowbound. And up there, at an altitude of more than 3.000 m, you'll forget that you're actually in a tropical (or at least: subtropical) country... Temperatures hardly cross the 15 C mark, and in the evenings and nights, it's chilly, often below 5 C!



I boarded my flight to Delhi (the indian roadhead for the Himalayas) on May 15th, carrying nothing but a handbag and a small backpack - I was going to do some serious hiking after all, and I didn't want any bulky luggage. One thing was sure: I wouldn't need footwear! But I also opted against long pants, selecting only two pairs of shorts. Not only my feet would be bare for the coming three weeks, but also my legs ! I knew: This journey would give me a perfect chance to relax, to enjoy the fresh mountain-air and the beautiful landscape, to recharge, to experience "oneness" – with Mother Nature and everything around me, to gain new spiritual insights (Uttaranchal is a famous destination for Hindu-pilgrims from all over India)… And " testing my limits", finding out how well my body – and especially my bare feet and legs – can adjust to the harsh environment up there would be very much part of the fun.



It was evening - 6 pm - when I arrived in Delhi. There I was: In shorts and barefoot, my tanned feet decorated with three colourful anklets on the right and a chain of little brass bells on the left, plus a couple of shiny toe rings and my motto "Bare is Best" written in blue ink (I had to renew this one every second evening, but I just LOVE to inspire people!).

 

I checked into a cheap guesthouse in the tourist ghetto of Paharganj where I spotted my first three barefooter: A colourful hippy-couple with pitch-black soles and another guy. Delhi is a rather dirty place, especially in the bazaar-areas, and my soles - already stained from walking around in the airport - soon changed their colour into dark brown.



The next morning I went for some last-minute shopping (a woolen shirt plus some toiletries). It was HOT out there (46 C), and after almost 7 hours on the road, I had developed some extra callouses...

 

I wasn't the only one who didn't care about the hot tarmac! Some of the locals were barefoot too, and their black, dry and calloused soles looked just like mine...



There were also some Sikh pilgrims from Punjab, some of them barefoot with strong feet:



In the evening it was time to leave for the mountains! One night and one whole day in a bumpy bus... There was that french-brazilian couple from my guesthouse: They didn't fail to notice my bare feet while we were walking to the bus-stand (which was only 10 minutes away). They told me they've been travelling barefoot for the past six month, but this was their last week in India, and they were actually afraid they wouldn't fit into their shoes anymore once they reach home. Anyway: While waiting for our bus (they wanted to spend their last few days in the mountains), they removed their sandals and stayed bare for the rest of the journey...

 

I reached Badrinath, a small town in northern Uttaranchal (only 30 km from the tibetian border!) by 7 pm. Gosh, it WAS cold!!! At least if you're coming all the way from Delhi... But I was ready for it - this wasn't my first time in the Himalayas, after all! The next three weeks were all about hiking: Up to 26 km a day, indeed an extraordinary challenge for my bare feet!







The first night: My "colourful" feet get a little bit of rest before the adventure starts! And a chance to adjust to the low temperatures... I carried a warm sleeping-bag, but it has zips at both ends. Which is quite handy 'cause it allows me to leave my feet uncovered - exposed to the chilly air! That's convinient - they don't have to get used to the cold again and again, every morning...

 

May 17th - time for my first hike! The first thing I realized when I left the guesthouse was: I'm not the only barefooter! In fact, Badrinath was crowded with pilgrims, and MANY of them were barefoot! Some of them actually WALK all the way from Haridwar in the plains - almost 300 km !!! - and their feet are incredibly tough...



I saw a guy weaving anklets (looking just like those i was wearing!), and his feet were so dry and calloused that there was no doubt he's a full-time barefooter like me!





After a steep 5 km hike, I reached the snow line... Now, that was the opportunity for a first endurance test! Crossing a field of snow that extends for a kilometer or so wouldn't take more than 10 minutes, but I took my time - 45 minutes! It took me 5 minutes to adapt, but then... well, it wasn't uncomfortable at all! My feet actually liked the sensation, it was very refreshing!

 

At one stage, I was covering my feet with snow - they looked red after that, but the air felt much warmer!

 

It was time to dry them in the sun, feeling the fresh mountain air...





Suddenly, a pilgrim came down from the mountains, barefoot like me. His feet looked quite "used" leaving no doubt that they have gone through a lot! Cool...

 

Hiking, hiking, hiking... Sometimes, the rocks were quite sharp, but that wasn't a problem for my soles - they're made of "living leather", after all!
Mud and little rivulets provided some refreshment whenever my feet got tired. And meeting barefoot pilgrims was inspiring and encouraging...











Even some of the workers, doing their best to improve the rather lausy roads, choose to work barefoot.

 

Each evening, I was giving myself a foot-massage, vigorously kneading my soles, using only my fingernails. A good opportunity to examine my soles! I was surprised just HOW tough they got...

 

One day, I had to walk on a freshly made road, leaving me with stains of melted tar...

 

Even washing my feet didn't help in this case!








It was a sucessful trip, and, back in Delhi, my feet got a chance to "warm up" again! They have NEVER been that strong...

 

It's cool to see how the colour of my soles changes, depending on where I've been roaming around!

 

Some more:

 

I personally like that dusty, light grey...

 

It's amazing just HOW tough they got...

 

And sometimes: How black!

 

Look at my heels: They are hard like stone, but NO cracks at all - it proves I'm an experienced full-time barefooter!

 

Heels tell a lot about a barefooter's life!

 

It took me quite some time to write this trip-report, but I wanted to share this beautiful, amazing experience with you. I hope reading this will inspire you to test your own limits - our feet adapt easily to new challenges, that's a fascinating part of our barefoot lifestyle... PLEASE don't just READ but take a few minutes to reply to this post, shaing your own experiences, and maybe some pics! Keep 'em bare!

 

Great pics! You're so lucky you got to go to the Indian Himalayas! I especially enjoyed looking at the locals and how your pictures captured their way of life. Great job! My favorite is of the man with the bicycle.

I'm not a full time barefooter, I only go barefoot around my town but never in malls or food stores. My feet are nice and dirty, they get harder and stronger everyday. I love hot pavement, stones, mud, grass, moss, sand and especially the dusty dry dirt roads that are abundant in my town. Although barefooting is new to me (I started in San Francisco about seven months ago and currently barefoot in Upstate NY), I feel like I've been barefoot all my life. To me shoes are cages that keep my feet, entire body and soul in bondage. I avoid wearing them at all costs and will wear flip flops with good soles (No Boundaries makes a good pair with boot-like soles; enabling me to walk on all types of surfaces when shoes are an absolute must) when "forced" to. Being barefoot is natural and is the way we were intended to live.