It was a fair weathered day in Pokhara.
Feeling energized and recharged after a good night’s rest, the team began the
day by taking jeeps up to the start point of the Ghandruk trail, about 1,000
meters above sea level. The beginning of the trail was rugged and flat,
consisting of calm scenery dotted with buffalo peacefully grazing amongst the
cornfields.
Although many of us were certainly
enchanted and awestruck by the sheer beauty of the mountains, it was imperative
to stick together in our groups to ensure that none of us got lost on the way.
Fatigue started kicking in towards the middle of the hike when our trail got
increasingly steeper at the higher altitudes. We often had to do an internal
balancing act in our minds; it was difficult to keep up with the constant pace
of the hike and appreciate the surroundings at the same time.
A few of us stopped to interact with the
villagers and children, who warmly greeted us with smiles and a simple
‘namaste’. What struck me was how open and friendly they were to us as
visitors- many of them made it a point to greet us along the way instead of
avoiding eye contact. Drawing comparisons back to Singapore, it made me reflect
on the stark differences in our way of life. The Nepali villagers have so
little resources to work with, yet they do not forget to acknowledge the
presence those around them; we as first world citizens live in so much
abundance, yet often all we can ever think about is wanting more.
Taking the final steps up to the official
entrance of Ghandruk, our faces were all exhausted and weary, but one thing was
clear: there was an unspoken sense of satisfaction evident in our eyes. A
simple hike up the mountains has taught us many things about the environment,
the people, and also ourselves. Surviving the stretching zone of intensive
physical activity ignited newfound confidence in many of us, whereas the
serenity of the mountains provided a quiet sanctuary for others to pause and
recollect their thoughts.
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