On Sunday the 5th of December, the students of Grade 12 of Deerwalk Sifal School embarked on a journey to Phulchoki for their annual Hiking Program organized by the school. The plan was to take a trip from Godavari to Phulchoki hill. The hiking trail was around 15 km. The students were followed by teachers on their trip. All the arrangements for the hike were done by the hiking club on previous days. The plan initially was to leave school and go to Godavari at 7:30 AM in the morning however due to some unforeseen circumstances we left the school at about 7:50 AM. The atmosphere on the bus that day was very lively. We were singing, dancing, playing all sorts of fun games, and enjoying the ride. We were already running behind schedule and the traffic jam we stumbled across did not help us in any way. The situation got so intense that the teachers and some of the students volunteered to clear the traffic along the way. After some few hours of constant disturbance, we finally reached Godavari and we were ready for the walk to the hill. The Deerwalk Media Club had brought cameras to take pictures of nature and mountains along the way.

It was a sunny day and smiles were on everyone’s faces as we marched towards our destination. The temperature was optimal and the weather was perfect. As the hike started with some stairs we were soon greeted with tough trails. As they say “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt”. This didn't stop some of our friends who were walking together in groups singing songs, cracking jokes, and having fun. Some of them were even dancing no less than a dancer. Some students were hell-bent on getting to the destination first and were covering distance quickly while others were enjoying the moment and taking full time to gather as much as the experience of the trip, They would timely stop to eat some food they had brought and continue walking towards the top, after some time from the edge of a hill we saw diamond-like mountains signing with great glitter, It was a scene straight out of a fairy tale, The beautiful scene only intensified our motivation to reach the top of Phulchoki, After walking past beautiful forests incredible landscapes we finally reached the top of the hill. On reaching Phulchoki were welcomed by Nepal Army Officers asking us for verification of our identity. As soon as that was sorted we were let inside the main Phulchoki area. It felt good to see the area being protected in all seriousness. These areas are our property and it is not only our prime duty but even ethically our responsibility to protect these areas. All the students were well disciplined to take the trash and plastic all the way back in their backpacks.

The area was no less than a heaven, a range of mountains whiter than milk surrounded Phulchoki and was glittering like a diamond. We were mesmerized by the scene. There was a child-like excitement in all of our eyes. The experience just felt unreal, seeing all those mountains just in front of us after all those tough steps we took, the view was magical and worth every step. We took many pictures in that place along with a group photo. It was getting pretty late and we decided that it was time for us to part ways with the mountains. Now, it was our time to get back. We said our goodbyes and made our way back to the school bus which was waiting for us about 8 KM below our current place. We walked to the bus, we were accompanied by the gloaming sunset. Soon we found ourselves walking in the dark forest which was a thrilling experience. It was pretty late at this point. We saw our bus and all of us were glad to see Basanta Dai who drove all the way uphill for us. We couldn't thank him enough for this. When we were returning, the bus was filled with talks and a cherishing environment. Some friends decided to tell scary stories on the bus while others opted to watch photos and revisit the beautiful scene. Upon arrival to Kathmandu city, we were taken to Lete Thakali House for our dinner. We left school at about 9:13 PM for home. We had the experience of a lifetime of this trip; so many good memories were made that day. If you have time on your hands and are looking for a quick hike for refreshment then Phulchoki is the right place for you.

“And into the forest, I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” – John Muir

This was a worthy hike experience.

• Image of Repoter : Aashutosh Pudasaini