July 18, 2016, 1025 hours.

Somehow I am beginning to believe that this trip was meant to be… more than just an itinerary, more than just a great travel experience.

Kaushal and The Wayfarer are lost in their own thoughts as well, and I can sense that this trip is making them go deeper into themselves. It’s rare to find such companions who are with you and yet not intruding, who are great conversationists and also make good conversation with themselves, who are very sociable and also perfectly at home with solitude.

I am learning a tremendous amount from these three (the third being Parvinder) about life and living, simply by being here in this moment and time.

My first sight of The Key Monastery was just that: it opened a lock in the recesses of my mind, a lock I hadn’t noticed was there. And lo, I am seeing so much more, listening so much more and as a result: perceiving a whole lot more. Check out the cloud formations hovering above the Monastery.

Key Village with Key Monastery in the background; Photo: Sanjay Mukherjee

Key Monastery; Photo: Abhishek Kaushal

The elements of nature at play, above the Key Monastery; Photo: Sanjay Mukherjee

The Wayfarer; Photo: Sanjay Mukherjee

The Wayfarer captures his next shot, while Kaushal (in the hat) walks around in the background; Photo: Sanjay Mukherjee