NEPAL – UNFORGETTABLE TREKKING EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE
Someone once said, “If you are an adventurer, it’s impossible to overlook Nepal, the paradise of the highest mountains in the world.”
SOMEONE ONCE SAID, "IF YOU ARE AN ADVENTURER, IT¶S IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERLOOK NEPAL, THE PARADISE OF THE HIGHEST MOUNTAINS IN THE WORLD." WITH GREAT CURIOSITY AND EXCITEMENT, MANY TIMES I WONDERED IF IT’S TOO IMPRACTICLE TO START MY TREKKING JOURNEY BY CONQUERING THE HIMALAYAS - THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN RANGE IN THE WORLD.
THE DREAM TO CLIMB THE “MOUNTAIN OF PARADISE”
My boyfriend and I decided to go to Nepal in the middle of November, the most crowded time but also the time with the most beautiful climbing weather. Before the trip, I had to spend 6 months exercising and climbing some mountains in Vietnam to “warm up” both my body and my spirit. Perhaps in all of my trekking journeys, Nepal is the most obvious destination. In my imagination, this trip would give me the opportunity not only to enjoy my passion for climbing but also to experience the challenges of height and a test of endurance and strength. In return, the oppoturnity to admire the beauty of nature and discover the unique culture of the Nepalese in the majestic Himalayas would be a “milestone” in my life.
NEPAL IS WHERE WE CHOSE...
As expected of a trekking paradise, Nepal has many routes to choose from. Choosing the right one will determine the success or failure of your trip. So I spent a lot of time searching for information about Nepal and scheduling the trip in detail.
Each route brings different experiences. There is a simple route to see the snowy peaks of the Himalayas such as Annapurna Base Camp; while on another route, you can see a beautiful blue lake like AC; other routes offer combined experiences such as Upper Mustang and Langtang; and Gokyo is where you will discover 5 beautiful lakes. If you are adventurous and are in good health, Everest Base Camp is the best choice. The more I found out about it, the more I got excited. With neatly arranged luggage and complete information, I confidently started my journey.
Before coming to Nepal, I spent 10 wonderful days in Ladakh (India), which has a similar terrain to Nepal. Overwhelmed by the beauty in Ladakh, when I arrived in Nepal, I felt... disappointed.
My first impression was that Nepal was very dirty. On all roads, there was dust everywhere, so if you’re too obsessed with sanitation, you should consider the conditions carefully before you go. The roads in Nepal are also very bad. There are not potholes but many "abysses" on the roads. The gateway to Kathmandu was always congested. The food here is very similar to Indian food so almost every dish has a curry flavor. Its rare advantage is that the Nepalese are very friendly and most people know English. So if you get lost, just say “Hi”, smile and ask directions, they will show you the direction right away.
NEPAL - AN UNFORGETTABLE TREKKING JOURNEY IN MY LIFE
The trip was the complete opposite of what I imagined. I did not get a trekking journey to remember for life, thanks to our bad choice of Annapurna Base Camp. It’s such a long route, every day we had to trek about 45,000 steps in the hot weather from the foot of the mountain up to Poonhill. The landscape was nothing too impressive, except for the withered terraced fields after the harvest season.
I trekked through many villages lying on the mountainside with lots of tourists and packhorses. Donkeys and horses are the only means of transporting food and water to the households in the mountains, so the higher it gets, the more expensive the transportation costs.
On the third day, we reached Poonhill - a famous sunrise
THE OPPOTURNITY TO ADMIRE THE BEAUTY OF NATURE AND DISCOVER THE UNIQUE CULTURE OF THE NEPALESE IN THE MAJESTIC HIMALAYAS WOULD BE A ³MILESTONE´ IN MY LIFE.
spot overlooking the peaks of the Himalayas. Around
4:30 am, I got up to go to Poonhill and wait for dawn. Fortunately for us, the sky was very clear that day and the most famous mountains of Nepal gradually appeared to the cheering of the tourists. The weather was extremely cold. On the ground, the trees had started to get frozen, while I sat there and rubbed my hands together, I tried to forget the chilling cold and focus on enjoying the splendid scenery ahead.
Because Poonhill is the shortest trek in Nepal, it is chosen by many tourists, including both children and adults. But Poonhill trek was not easy. Three days of continuous trekking and a 6 kg backpack made even a person who does regular exercise like me unable to endure. I decided to stop on the third day of my pre-booked 10-day trip, partly because I was too tired, partly because my efforts were in vain. My boyfriend continued the rest of the trek on his own. To trek to the top of Poonhill, it took up to 3 days but going down was faster and I was alone on the road. Then I met a Dutchman, who also chose Annapurna Base Camp and gave up halfway. At this time, I was somewhat relieved and less anxious to know that I was not the only one who quit. About 5 hours later, I reached the starting point and took the jeep back to Pokhara.
What I learned from this trip is that I should search for more information carefully. I should have chosen AC, Gokyo, Lang Tang or Upper Mustang. The Himalayas are probably not the destination for everyone. This land is suitable for those who love to learn about culture and have a passion for trekking and are in good health.
I hope that in one day in the not-to-distant future I will return to Nepal to complete my unfinished dream.