Participants : KumarK, Tejaswee, Manindra (guest), Kundan, Subodh (guest), SudeepA, ManojR, ShankaSu, Himal(FT), Keshav, Niraj, Siris, Raju, Gaurav, AbishekPC, Kapil, Sanjeer(FT), Sushmita (FT), Ava (FT), ReenaJ (FT), Bindu (FT) and Vishnu
Route : Nalinchwok to Nagarkot

Date : Sunday, Dec 16, 2007
Duration: 5 hours
Trip Doom: 15-Kilo meters
Creative Support: NishchalS & SuyeshN

SushmitaP
Nalinchwok to Tathali

This Sunday Morning was as special to me as any other Sundays; after all it was weekend and I was back to home in Banepa. Besides, no office so no rushes, just enjoying the lure of morning warmth of the bed!!! But at around 6:45 am my eyes opened wide and I was flipped to reality out of the morning fantasy, instantly realizing that “I have a hike today” which I don’t like at all!!!

Truly, I never liked walking and better opted for not participating rather than to step out on foot whenever I had to. But this time, I though to myself, I could not, must not, let it go. It’d already been weeks I had been postponing hiking sessions. So, unwillingly I decided to join the D2 Hikers for this week. Though somewhere I felt, I was asking a little bit more from me; after all 5 hours of walking is not a matter of joke even for walkers!!!

Since I was dwelling in Banepa, which is pretty near to the base station- Nalinchwok, from where we would be starting the journey, I decided to join the team right at Nalinchwok than to reach the office which would take me a minimum of 1 hour. So, to know if the team had left the D2 premises for the day’s action, I called Abhishek who was still at his home and was about to leave for office, I asked him give me call at the time the van leaves D2 Premises.

Not to reach later than the team, I quickly left my bed, freshen up and got ready in a while. In between, I got a call at around 7:40 am, it was Abhishek speaking at the other side, ’We’ve reached Suryabinayak and will stop shortly to have breakfast, you be there at Nalinchwok’. Now that they had already reached half the way and me still at home, I needed to rush. Having a cup of tea and a boiled egg I caught the first bus available which took me 20 minutes to drop me at Nalinchwok.

I was happy not to let the team waiting. But then, I had to wait for them. It was still foggy and the sun was just struggling to loosen out of those clumsy clouds. In the North, I could see a range of Himalayas which was shining even more, raising its beauty, when the rays of sun stroke those peaks and below were the harvested fields excellently engraved as staircases. That was a moment when I was completely lost in nature and I uttered to myself, “Beauty does not just lie in the eyes of beholder, few things in world do not possess right vocable to be portrayed”.

By then I was excited to hike, wishing to encounter even more of the nature’s finest arts. Waiting for about 15 more minutes, D2 van, accommodating 22 Hikers stopped at Nalinchwok. Few faces were still new to me, but never mind. It was 8:40 am when we started. We descended those land staircases and moved ahead to conquer the distance. It wasn’t difficult in the beginning; following just the lanes, no ups and downs, had just a small river to cross which was but difficult to jump over to land safely across, especially for few of us. So, Himal laid a sack full of sand between, for easy passage. Though, Abhishek accidentally strode his feet into the river while jumping off. After few minutes of walking up and down, when actual hiking started, through the lanes across the river, we bypassed the next station- Tathali, Bhaktapur.

By this time, I had changed my mind on hiking. They say that, often times you look so much to other side for good times that you never realized that such moments that you real yearn for is beside you and hiking that day for me was like something that I had always desired for.

AvaA
Tathali to Tukucha

It was my first hike, so there were many questions in my mind as well as lots of excitement. As we moved from Nalinchwok, our next stop was a small village ‘Tathali’. Living in the town for the years, I was fantasized by the beauty of nature and environment over there. As we walked though the village in long lane, sunny morning with soft cool breeze filled every heart with joy and sweetness. Then we climbed up through thin jungle and had fun as well struggled a lot to climb that steeped hill. I can hardly remember any of my experience of climbing such steeped hills. After climbing for about one and half hour, we finally reached the peak of that hill. It was amazing over there. I could not imagine that we have reached that much altitude. The day was on its full shine and the sky was clear that made the scenery of Himalayas and hills clear and magnificent. We rested there for a while and had some snacks. Everyone was enjoying the scenic beauty of the hills and Vishnu was busy capturing photos. After resting there for some time, we moved down through thin forest and reached a small school ‘Mahankal Primary School’ where we distributed stationeries. The smile on the faces of the kids after getting stationary was remarkable and I really appreciate this inspiring work of d2.

BinduP
Tukucha, Simaldanda to Sudal Gaun to Bageshwori Jungle

Till the day I went for hiking I never realized the real feeling of the trip, I was very much excited from the day I joined D2HS and first time when Vishnu asked me to join hike I was really surprised, but due to some problem I didn’t get the opportunity to join at first time. After I hiked this time I found myself as a complete D2ians.

We visited a primary school at Tukucha and after completion of appreciable social work of D2; we again moved forward the steeping mountains. Tejaswee, Reena, Ava, and me were at last companied by Keshav and his interesting gossips. The attractive and eye catching view of Himalayas made the hike unforgettable and enthusiastic. From that moment I promised myself not to miss such opportunity for next time. Beautiful landscapes along with the fresh radish from the farmer’s field made the hikers more energetic. From Simaldanda to Sudalgaun till the Jungle of Bageshwori I enjoyed lot with more informative gossips from my seniors. With few minutes of pause the journey again gets started with some relief to our legs. Several time I asked Vishnu how far the destination is, but coolly he answered just half n hour more and that was not near by but the reality was different for me.

I got mere satisfaction after reaching the base of Bageshwori jungle because we were able to see the tip of tower where we were supposed to reach. These moments will be striking in my mind forever and want to refresh it with more hikes in coming future.

ReenaJ
Bageshwori Jungle to Tower to Hawa Ghar

All the way from Bageshwori Jungle to Nagarkot Tower, it was all fun as well as very troublesome to walk up and downs. Since the name of the Jungle was Bageshwori, but unfortunately there was not a single BAGH…. If we have had met BAGH, then think what would have happen to us??? But anyways, I was last to follow the group. I was tired so much that I couldn’t even walk a foot long. But I had to walk n walk….

While starting our journey from Bageshwori jungle, we met an old man - I think he was more than 75 years old. Throughout the jungle, that old was walking in front of me with a bundle of wood in his DOKO. I was shocked with his stamina. I could not win him even a single time. We walked n walked for about … minutes. It was very exciting & pleasant walking in the sunsan jungle. What a natural beauty – Calm Jungle with birds whispering in different voices with Vishnu clicking photos. Lastly we realized that we have reached our destination – NAGARKOT with the chilled wind in our ear and frost on the leaves spread over. I think we were the last to reach that tower of Nagarkot. I could not describe in words about the HIMALAYAS we have seen from that tower…. So beautiful, breathtaking……Oh…. I was lured with that beauty.

Now it was time to leave those beauties. We had to rush towards office van. I felt like sitting in RAJGADDI while sitting in the van- so relaxed. Then the van moved towards a restaurant named ‘Hawa Ghar’ where we had our lunch. The flavor of Saag (seems like it was cooked direct without cutting) and ghee was irresistible. The combination of tomato & Gundruk pickle along with that of saag made everyone voracious.

And then slowly the clock drew our attention, so we had to give a brake to extended enticement in the hope to be continued in days to come, we returned back home with a whole new lot of experiences and fun…..

01 The gang of twenty two

02 Nalinchwok-parade-commencement

03 Marching without concealment

04 Himal is showing interest for direction

05 Kundan at athletic competition

06 Propelling ourselves off the ground to water

07 Himal constructs a Bailey Bridge here

08 To a lower intensity

09 Up, Sun shine to the jungle is a finemingle

10 A short amalgamate

11 Extending toward a higher place again

12 Rookies race- BinduP, AvaA and ReenaJ

13 Climbing Simaldanda

14 Salutation

15 Able to attract interest

16 Fot the ability to recall the time that spent together

17 Langtang range

18 Enjoying differently from one place

19 One of the best part we walked through

20 Himal waiting for other as he saw a school, good for him

21 Equality of distribution

22 For bringing again into activity

23 Himal's suggestion was wise for taste

24 And he is loving them

25 Season's Greeting

26 Shanta Sudal Village

27 Walking up!!

28 ShankarSu, Raju, Kapil and Siris in bliss

29 Closing to Bageshwori

30 Sanjeet holds friend here for glucose

31 Moving in

32 Cloud nine

33 Kundan's Red Cow story

34 Reflection of seventh heaven

35 Just to see

36 Walking on air

37 Boy of the Bageshwori

38 Highland

39 Oodles

40 Scads

41 Slews

42 Rafts

43 Mount

44 Tons

45 Upland

46 Stacks

47 Lots

48 Time to enjoying the view

49 From tower

50 Happy time for Himal and others

51 Kirsi Remmel+ I flew over mountains and reached the sky

52 The sun came closer to me

53 My eyes were blinded, forever for good,

54 only moutains i memorize

55 At the top of the world, as the king of the hills

56 I admired my kingdom of beauty

57 The view was so endless, I still see it sometimes

58 Restored in my dreams by memories

59 The things I still feel are the sounds that i hear,

60 whenever i go back to the hills.

61 The smells that I recognize, haven't altered a bit.

62 Wind so balmy ruffles my hair

63 I feel contented and couldn't wish for more..

64 If only I could imagine bigger to add more color to my dreams....

65 Good time of Nagarkot

66 Miss Pote

67 Merry Christmas

68 HaPPy nEw YeAr

69 2008!!

70 Niraj, Siris and Keshav

71 21+ one

72 Vegetarian

73 NON-Vegetarian

74 And NONSectarian