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Nostalgic Nepal

Nepal is nostalgic and will unleash a love for traveling that will last the rest of your life. Words: Helen Smith / Photos: Max Seigal

By KAVU

March 13^th, 2018

It goes without doubt that Nepal has left us wanting more...

...more time, more trekking, more freedom. Nepal is nostalgic and has unleashed a love for traveling that will last the rest of our lives.

As I feel my heart pulsating with excitement at the thought of my second return to Nepal, I stop myself to take in the surroundings as my plane touches down in Kathmandu airport. Nepal is a place where everything is unpredictable - where spontaneous decisions and actions are made and you discover things about yourself you never knew. To me, one day seemed like enough to experience all the bustling beauty, temples, dust and dispair of the streets which give shape to Kathmandu.

It wasn’t until that evening when I was having dinner with a Nepalese friend that I decided to skip my overnight stay in Kathmandu and catch the night bus straight to Pokhara. I’ve heard many stories about the legendary buses in Nepal. The fast paced traffic, over-taking other vehicles at 50mph on thin rocky mountain edges with 300 meter drop-offs is something that would alarm anyone during the day... however, I was going to experience this in the dark of night.

The bus seemed to bounce and jolt over every crack in the road making it difficult to get comfortable. After a long sleepless night I finally arrived safely to Pokhara just before dawn. The nostalgic smells and scents filled my nose and lungs, bringing back memories from my visit one year ago. I began to walk the streets, dragging my suitcase across the uneven grounds and keeping a close eye on the feral dogs that approached me. A few locals were opening their shops to attract travellers both staying and going but in the early morning hours, the street remained unusually quiet. The town was still resting although, it wouldn’t be long before the sun rose and the streets were again filled with life.

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

My boyfriend Max had spent the last few weeks here, paragliding throughout the Himalayan Mountains but basing in Pokhara. When I arrived at the hotel, we shared a long heartfelt embrace and both were overcome with excitement at the thought of the adventures ahead.

I thought back to a year ago when Max and I had first met here in Nepal as two adventurous strangers. Now we sat here as a couple in the local coffee shop, drinking masala tea and planning another memorable journey together. We discussed the details of the trek, scanned the map, checked the weather forecast, and decided to head up to the mountains the next day. That afternoon we packed our things and got all the permits and paperwork we needed to head into the Annapurna Conservation Area which surrounds Pokhara.

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

The next day, Max and I began our journey by catching a local bus which took us to the start of our trek toward a small town tucked away in the mountains, called Ghandruk. The actual bus stop is about a mile shy of town and required around an hour of hiking up staggeringly steep steps before the first houses begin to appear.

“Namaste”

...the locals called out to us as we marched up and up the seemingly never-ending staircase. We continued on until we reached the far edge of town, where we stopped for tea at what seemed to be the best view. There are tea houses scattered throughout small villages in the mountains, making overnights a breeze because you don’t have to bring your own tent, food, water or even a sleeping bag. In fact, you can easily make the 10 day hike to Annapurna Base Camp (4100 meters) with just a day pack because, there is lodging and food available all along the way. For this reason, Max and I had extra space in our packs which he promptly decided to load up with extra camera gear! Our ‘lightweight hiking’ concept quickly became a distant memory.

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

opportunity

The following day we woke up to a beautiful sunrise and ate breakfast on a tiny wooden table at the edge of the mountain. We stared out at the beautiful golden glow as the sun’s first rays lit up the massive 8000 meter peaks in the distance, and slowly, all the surrounding peaks in the valley.

After a lazy morning, we continued our hike towards the village of Tadapani. We were excited and giddy, moving with great speed, and it seemed our legs were already becoming accustomed to the steep, weaving trails.

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

As we arrived in Tadapani, we were told it would storm that night so, we scrambled around the tea-house for extra blankets and prepared for a cold evening. We stayed up late into the night wondering when the storm would hit, but the sky remained clear and the stars came out in full force.

We stepped outside to look up at the sky and stood there in awe as thousands of glistening stars shined brighter than we’d ever seen before – their light reflecting off the snowy mountains in the distance created a beautiful glow in the valley. We grabbed our cameras and for hours, played with exposure and lighting, trying to capture the beauty of this incredible night.

Nostalgic Nepal

After another slow morning playing backgammon by the fire while soaking up the beauty of a fresh snow, we continued onward towards yet another beautiful mountain town called Chhomrong. This time, the trekking took us down a steep wooded forest accompanied by a nearby stream. The morning light was beginning to glow through the forest canopy and the birds were alive and chirping with a sense of vigour. It was...by far...the most incredible morning so far.

The beauty of the forest was overwhelming and we felt a heightened sense of awareness to our surroundings. We could hear the sound of each footstep as it pressed on the freshly laid snow. We watched the sun's rays glisten across the forest floor as they peered through the windblown treetop canopy above. We listened as the snow slowly melted and the falling droplets orchestrated their own natural symphony. There was a buzz of energy around us that morning, and it left us with an overwhelming sense of inspiration and faith in the natural beauty of the world.

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

feed the soul

When we arrived in Chhomrong, we had the option of continuing up- towards Annapurna Base Camp which was our original plan or, to head south down the river basin which would bring us to a legendary hot spring the following day.

We had a look at the weather forecast. The storm that had just passed left Base Camp at a blistering MINUS twenty five degrees!!.... a temperature neither of us had prepared for. The decision was a quick and easy one… hot springs!

I had never been to hot springs before but Max assured me it would be well worth the detour. Just the thought of visiting a frozen Base Camp chilled me to my bones so, it seemed like a no-brainer to us;-)

Nostalgic Nepal

make the moments count

Days in the mountains pass quickly, and we took in as much as we could with the time we had. Waking up to the morning bird songs, watching the first rays of sun hit the nearby mountain tops, hearing the ringing bells from horses and mules that carried heavy supplies from one village to the next, watching the locals conduct a way of life which has seen very little change in thousands of years;

it was all a very magical experience.

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

.....an enchanted place with so much to explore and discover. We know soon enough we’ll be back. These are the days we love. These are the adventures we live for. This is the life that inspires us.

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

When we finally made it to the last small village in the mountains, we found a jeep back to Pokhara and just like that, we were headed back to the hustle and bustle of big city life.

We looked at each other, wishing we had more time, more trekking, and more freedom in the hills. We sighed knowing that our adventure in the mountains had come to an end, but at that very moment there was a glimmer of hope in our eyes. We knew that we still had another week together in Nepal to create more fun filled adventures no matter where we ended up......

and that’s exactly what we created for ourselves.

We spent that week exploring new towns and villages, paragliding together through clouds and over mountaintops, feasting on amazing food, meeting fellow travelers and sharing far-fetched stories while enjoying the magic of this incredible country.

Aerials website

Nostalgic Nepal

Nostalgic Nepal

Footnotes

Max Seigal is a KAVU lifestyler to the core! It’s all about adventure and making the choice to be happy and love life. We think he’s on the right path! KAVU days and many more!

FootNotes

Max Seigal is a KAVU lifestyler to the core! It’s all about adventure and making the choice to be happy and love life. We think he’s on the right path! KAVU days and many more!

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