Samyo Hangma Rai
A few faculty members and admin had gone to Balthali Village Resort the night before, to relax and unwind after the hectic examination that had taken place. Initially, there was no plan whatsoever to hike but hiking is in the deerwalkers’ blood. So how could we not? After a hearty breakfast, sun basking session, we packed our bags and bid goodbye to the wonderful resort for hosting us.
We placed our bags in the vehicle and the hike officially began at 10:32 AM. The day was clear, a perfect winter morning. The sun was shining its best, the sky was as blue as it could be, and there was a hint of chill in the air. Besides hiking, our main agenda was also to pick some oranges straight from the tree and end it at the suspension bridge. Regardless of staying up late the night before, you could not tell that we were tired, everyone was enthusiastic and energetic throughout the hike.
Upon seeing the suspension bridge we thought the hike was over, turns out it was not the one. We had to go to another one. We picked some oranges on the way, took some photos and ate them merrily. Along the way, we came across a tap which had cold and crisp water flowing out of it. We enquired the locals if it was drinkable, after getting the green signal we drank it. It washed away the hike’s fatigue and replenished our energy. Most of the hike we had to walk on a paved road, but that did not stop us from enjoying ourselves.
As we marched on, we reached Panauti’s ‘viral track’. To clarify, it is called viral track because it is well pitched and it is surrounded by picturesque beauty on both sides. You will feel like you are in another dimension. One is able to witness the raw beauty of the outskirts of the valley, truly breathtaking. While making headway, there was an old lady who was basking in the sun. She directed us to our destination and upon following her directions, we were able to recognize the main road. We decided to end our hike there as the van could pick us up, there was a table tennis board where Nirmal sir played with the locals, a restroom and a shady place for us to sit down and unwind.
The unplanned adventure turned into a memorable day filled with unexpected moments and shared laughter. After a hearty lunch at Bhaktapur, all of us returned to Deerwalk complex where we departed towards our homes. All of us carried a renewed sense of camaraderie and accomplishment.
