New Delhi, June 8 -- For many years, every trip to the Himalayas has brought me ample cheer through its stories-about the land and its people, the wild foods, and the flora and fauna. During leisurely walks in the forests, I have promised to return to the parts around spring when rhododendron blossoms take over the landscape with their spectacular hues. But life happens, and somehow I never managed to catch them. Last week, my eyes lit up when I looked out of the window of our century-old cottage in Binsar, Uttarakhand, and found the season's last flowers. I was told that the colours shift as you climb to higher altitudes-from bright red and deep pinks to purple, lavender, and white in some parts of the mountains. After all, nature knows ...