A friendship that has lasted 56 years, twice my lifetime.
At The Corbett Rajae Homestay, every guest brings a different story. Some stays are short and quiet, some are busy with safaris and bird watching. But once in a while, a few days happen that stay with you for a long time.
Recently, three senior guests stayed with us for four nights and five days. All of them were over 70 years of age, and what made their stay special was not just their age, but the bond they shared with each other.
They have been friends for 56 years.
When they told me this, I had to pause for a moment. I am 25 years old, and their friendship has existed for more than twice my lifetime. Spending time with them felt special in a very personal way. Since my grandfather passed away recently, I rarely get the chance to sit and spend long conversations with people from that generation. But during those five days, while hosting them and doing the daily work around the homestay, I felt a strange warmth that reminded me of those old family conversations.
Age is just a number when it comes to curiosity and new experiences.
Every morning during their stay at The Corbett Rajae Homestay, we would go for a morning walk of around four kilometres.
They had come from Delhi, yet their energy was remarkable. No hesitation, no complaints. Just steady walking, quiet conversations, and occasional laughter while watching the forest slowly wake up around us near Jim Corbett National Park.
Watching their discipline and enthusiasm made me realise how much mindset matters more than age.
Stepping into the cold water without a second thought.
During their stay, we explored the surrounding landscape together. They experienced a wildlife safari in the Sonanadi Zone, one of the quieter and more forested parts of the Corbett landscape.
We also went for a heritage walk through Rathuwadhab village, where conversations slowly moved from wildlife to life stories.
Conversations were often spent sitting together while they shared travel memories from their younger days. They spoke about road trips they took decades ago, sometimes even borrowing a friend’s car without permission just for the excitement of travelling together. They remembered movies they had watched together in their youth, including classics like Yaadon Ki Baaraat.
Listening to those stories felt like hearing small pieces of another time.
A bond that has survived decades of life, careers, and responsibilities.
One day we planned a short outing to KTR waterfall. The water there is quite cold, and many younger travellers hesitate before stepping inside.
But these three respected gentlemen had a different spirit.
Without hesitation, they were ready to step into the cold water, laughing and encouraging each other. Their enthusiasm was contagious. In that moment it became very clear that while their bodies had aged, their spirit and curiosity were still incredibly young.
Honestly, many younger travellers hesitate more than they did.
Every guest brings a different story to our home.
Among many conversations we had, one thought they shared stayed with me deeply.
During our walk, one of them said something very honestly about growing older. He mentioned that at the moment they feel they are still about 20–25% relevant to the new generation, they can still understand some things, still relate to certain ideas and conversations.
But he also said that with time they feel that connection might slowly reduce.
Not because they don’t want to understand, but simply because the world keeps changing faster with every generation.
It was a very simple statement, but it stayed with me.
Listening to someone say that with such calm acceptance made me realise how gracefully some people look at life and change.
Of course, not all conversations were serious.
During one of our evening walks, they started teasing me about my life. Seeing how happily I was managing the homestay and living my routine, one of them jokingly said something along the lines of:
“It doesn’t feel right that you are this happy and still unmarried.”
Everyone burst into laughter.
They playfully told me that I should get married soon so they could come and enjoy the celebration. One of them even told me and my father that whenever the wedding happens, they should definitely be invited.
It was said with the warmth that elders often carry, playful, affectionate, and full of good humour.
Moments like that made their stay feel less like hosting guests and more like spending time with respected seniors who genuinely cared.
Watching these three gentlemen together was quietly inspiring. They tease each other constantly. They laugh easily. They respect each other deeply. Their friendship has survived decades of life, careers, families, responsibilities, and losses. Yet the bond remains strong.
In a world where people often celebrate friendships that last a few years, witnessing a 56-year friendship felt truly meaningful.
Experiences like this are the reason homestays near Jim Corbett National Park feel very different from hotels or resorts.
At a resort, guests usually remain within their rooms and facilities.
But at a homestay in the Jim Corbett landscape, conversations happen naturally. Guests walk together, share meals, exchange stories, and sometimes leave behind memories that stay with the host as well.
At The Corbett Rajae Homestay, we often say we are not only offering a place to stay near Jim Corbett National Park.
We are sharing a part of our home, our village, and the forests around us.
When people talk about slow living near Jim Corbett, they often imagine peaceful landscapes and quiet mornings.
But sometimes slow living looks like this:
Three gentlemen in their seventies walking four kilometres every morning.
Laughing about memories from fifty years ago.
Stepping into a cold waterfall without hesitation.
And gently teasing a young host about getting married someday.
Those five days reminded me that age does not limit curiosity, laughter, or friendship.
And if life allows, I hope that when I reach my seventies, I carry the same spirit they showed during their stay at The Corbett Rajae Homestay.
By – Shiwank Negi, Rajae Homestay Host
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