So, one serene autumn day we decided to go trekking in the foothills of the Himalayas. Knowing absolutely nothing about this pastime, we wisely chose one of the easiest routes for 3-6 days. Here is the route itself, which runs from one mountain village to another: Nayapul-Ghandruk (8 hours on the road), Ghandruk-Ghorepani (12 hours), Gorepani-Nayapul (10 hours). I hasten to mention that I extremely naive imagined trekking as easy and pleasant stroll through the charming natural sites in the spirit of the Victorian picnics. Who could tell me how much I was wrong! >_< But first things first.
After receiving all the necessary permits and documents, we set off early in the morning. The weather was lovely, although we were warned about the possibility of heavy rains. We've had very few things. Needless to say, we didn't even have the special clothing and shoes. But we always hope for the best :)
Our first day consisted of a great, but still joyful surprise. We began to realize that tracking is not so simple. And the sun shone so mercilessly that we burned our noses and shoulders. But all that surrounded us was saturated with such an incredible magic that the difficulties seemed nonsense. Great views of the mountains and valleys, waterfalls and rocks, rice fields, unusual flowers, sounds, animals and most importantly the best people in the world. Oh yes, residents of Nepal villages are kindest, hospitable and heartfelt people of any I have ever met. Everyone wishes you good luck, and those who don't know English cheer you with friendly smile. Next to these small but very strong and hardy people I felt myself helpless city dweller. The most familiar sight to me became elderly women or men with a full bundle of firewood vigorously overtaking me at some sharp rise.
By the evening the first leg of the journey has been passed by as much as 10 minutes before the expected! For us, it was a small victory. We stayed the night in a cozy little lodge. Very simple in decoration, only the most necessary. It's host was a Nepali man who lived here with his mother and a young beautiful daughter. They served for us, hungry and terribly tired, one of the best dinners in my life! A simple peasant food is the best charging for the body.
Closer to the night all around us was covered with thick shroud of fog. Thunder began to sound in the distance, but we were afraid of nothing in that place, feeling like home.
Waking up in the morning we found out that all the roads were flooded. Let me remind you that we didn't have special shoes, so now we had to walk for two days with wet feet. Despite the rain it was quite warm, so we were not too worried. So far. This was followed by an unpleasant discovery. September in Nepal is the season of leeches. And they have been waiting for us on each leaf, under every stone, in every puddle. Thus, every 5 minutes we were forced to make halts to inspect our clothes. This significantly slowed down our journey, that on the second day became much more difficult. The fact is that the next part of the path consists entirely of stone stairs cut into the mountains. So we didn't have time and energy to enjoy the beauties of nature. From now on, we viewed only the ground beneath the feet. Just fabulous rhododendron grove made us to forget for a little while about everything and wander among those magical trees as characters of Charles Perrault.
It must be said that I'm not the healthiest person in the world. So for me, this day was doubly difficult. I was constantly in need of respite and it greatly disappointed me and undermined my nerves. So I experienced great joy and relief when from the top of a hill, we saw the village, where we were going to spend the night. The sun began to set over the horizon, illuminating the valley with incredible light. We just could not take the eyes off this beauty.
And then pitch darkness came. And, oh, our flashlight discharged. So, we are on top of the hill without a ray of light. Down are slippery steps, lost in the bush. We could only go by feel. But since I'm much weaker than my boyfriend, I seriously slow down the process. And then in the canons of horror movies, we decided to split up... I mean, I stayed in the night jungles waiting for help, and my beloved ran to the nearest village for a flashlight. These were some of the most intense minutes for me. In total darkness, surrounded by unknown sounds of the rainforest, I felt infinitely vulnerable. I even wanted to cry, but fear overcame the tears. I realized that I can not sit idly by. My only chance to go down was the light from the camera. So turn it on, I was filming my every step. If you watched "Blair Witch Project", you have an idea of what I say. Several times I was on the verge to slide down. Only a miracle saved me from broken bones. I managed to overcome a significant distance by the light from the camera when I finally saw the flashlight in the distance. My boyfriend ran to meet me! Oh my God, it was a very exciting meeting! Then we made our way through the dark jungle together and finally reached the village. There was no electricity in the lodge which had sheltered us, so we haven't even seen our bed, but still were absolutely happy that all ended well.
On the next day we were just exhausted. And not only physically but also mentally. Another ten hour shift caused a shudder in the knees. But I clearly realized that I should finish the begun. Must show myself what I really can do. So after the breakfast in the company of other travelers we started off. Again steps, again breathtaking landscapes, waterfalls, streams. Again fatigue, again anger.
When we finally hopped into a jeep at the end of the third day, our mind was like a blank sheet. Trekking is a test of strength. The strength of physical abilities, health, friendship, trust, relationships. I'm glad we had a chance to go through it. We have learned our weaknesses and how actually fragile is the balance in the relationships, if you go beyond the usual routine. Those three days will remain forever in my heart as one of the best in my life.
