Bidhya Karki
The Friday of 19th Magh, 2080 was not a usual school day for the 2nd Grade young learners of Deerwalk Sifal School. Neither was it a normal working day for the teachers. We all were at a high spirit of excitement and enthusiasm. The reason – a one-day-hiking-trip was to befall on the very day for all of us. The children were extremely happy but with a sense of a little nervousness as they had to walk the hill along with their friends and teachers. While some students were used to hiking, others were novice. The temperature out was low in the weather yet every hiker was got set with a feeling of warmth within.
The team of thirty-five hikers, teachers cum kids, stepped out for their destination from Elementary Block at 10 am. Owing to the unfavorable weather, some children had fallen ill and missed the opportunity for hiking. The bus ran thirty minutes to drop us at the fixed destination of Kapan, from where we were to walk on. The kids were checked by the teachers to ensure that they were comfortable in their clothes. We captured the moment into our cameras. The young hikers were divided into small groups. The little ones were guided and escorted by teachers and an Aaya didi. The height and steep pathways made some children quite nervous whereas the rest were overly ecstatic and excited.
We didn't simply walk but also talked amongst ourselves about our personal tastes, likes and dislikes on the way. After we had arrived at the Chautara, we realized that a complete one hour had passed. Our joy didn't let us feel the time. At the top of the hill under a green tree with an amazing view all around, we enjoyed our refreshments and relaxed. The kids were delighted to share their snacks amongst themselves. They relished all the goodies they brought in the cool and calm atmosphere therein. Our final destination was Fulhari Gumba. After a walk of around 45 minutes from Chautara, we reached our destination. In the cool and calm surrounding along with greenery all around stood the the Gumba. The children observed the Gumba and enjoyed.
Now was the time to return and we returned. One of the fascinating things the city-dwelling youngsters came across while getting down was Dhunge Dhara, non-stop-running-water-through a tap of stone. It was a new experience for some of them. The next thing on the way back that added the beauty to our day was a beautiful park - Jagdol's Sahid Park. The kids were tremendously happy as they were in. We took a tour and rested quite comfortably in the park. We saw the different family gatherings and professionals shooting pictures and videos in the park. Finally, we moved to reach back to the bus station. After head-count and double-check with our belongings, we made our way to the bus. To the tune of beautiful music and songs in the bus, we arrived school at 3:00 pm.
Those five hours flew like a swing but the imprints of the memories of those five hours have settled within forever. Our hiking journey from Kapan to Fulhari Gumba was a delightful and enriching experience. The hike kicked off at 11:15 am, and the team successfully navigated the trail, reaching the exit point by 1:30 pm, completing the adventure in approximately 2.5 hours.
