A Memorable Trip To Pokhara

With friends, I explored Pokhara, a stunning city in Nepal, weaving an everlasting string of memories. The journey started on October 29, 2022, full of excitement that couldn't be contained throughout the road trip. The wind felt stronger when we ever so slightly rolled down the windows of the car, and with every passing hour, we were closer to the valley full of bliss. We reached the centre of Pokhara late in the evening. The place was full of people celebrating Tihar by singing and dancing. Tired, we checked into our hotel room and started unpacking. Afterward, we went to a restaurant for dinner and then walked through the streets bustling with tourists. October 30th, the day after, was slow. It was the only day we had for ourselves before returning to Kathmandu. The sun was high up, people rode their bicycles near the lakeside, and we walked our way towards a nearby cafe for breakfast. Then, we made our way towards Fewa Lake.

Fewa Lake, popular for its magnificent view of the mountains, was indeed breathtakingly serene. We were on a boat with music filling our ears along with the sound of light waves crashing on us while watching the birds fly high up in the sky. The next place we went was a hiking trail with a Shiva statue at the top. Upon arrival at the start of the trail, we got out of the car and started walking along with the other hikers, including tourists and local people, children, and adults. Halfway through the trail, a short breath caught up to us as the trail got narrow and steep. Some of the hikers along with us stopped midway as the hike got harder because of the steep trail. Even though we didn’t reach the top, the scenery there was as beautiful as it could get. The clear view of the city with the sun shining on it was truly magnificent. We could see the wind blow as it grazed across the grass, and our hair too went with the wind as we rested on the grassy hill. After a while of enjoying nature, we headed back down the trail. We could see other people trying to climb up as we went down. Heading down was quite scary, as the trail looked much narrower and steeper. We grabbed the long grass around us, afraid that we might fall down, and soon reached the road where the cars were parked. We went back to the hotel room for a quick nap.

The evening walks around the streets of Pokhara were thrilling. With ice cream in each hand, we explored the local shops selling crystals, trinkets, and locally made clothes. As the ice cream melted, so did our hearts because of the beauty, nature, and culture that were presented to us. The local people pleasantly continued with their daily routine while we were in a new place, trying out new things like bike riding at noon, visiting cafes, trying out new cuisines, etc. We saw elderly people enjoying the orange sunset with their family by the lake and travellers like us taking pictures of the mesmerising sun as it sank lower and lower with every passing minute, also sinking deep in our minds and memories. Later, we headed back to the hotel room for some relaxation. Cup noodles with shrimp and miso flavour, coffee provided by the hotel, and a movie ended the long day perfectly. The next day was an early one. Waking up at 6 in the morning is not always an easy task. The sky was deep blue, with the flocks of birds heading towards their destination, hopefully a land similar to Pokhara. In a way, we were the birds, travelling from one place to another in search of adventure. Like birds, we too were in search of a homely place that would satisfy our wants and needs for joy and peace. 

The car ride back to Kathmandu was surely something I would never be able to forget. My eyes were plastered, and I followed the scenery of the hills, so huge and green. I woke up to the sound of horns. Unknown to my location and not knowing when I fell asleep, I was confused. Realising that I am awake, my friends fill me in on the situation, saying that we were stuck in a traffic jam, and I knew then and there that this trip had not ended yet. 

The traffic jams on the Prithivi Highway are particularly notorious for being hectic and time-consuming. We were about five hours away from reaching Kathmandu; however, stuck in traffic, it was going to take more than that. Feeling cramped, me and my friends went for a walk on the jam-packed road. Slowly, the cars went ahead, signalling that the traffic was opening up, and we headed back towards the car. Cracking jokes while listening to Bollywood songs and eating food we had packed made time pass strangely fast. Again, I woke up to the sound of honking and knew we were stuck once more. However, this time it was just us that were stuck because the engine failed to start. 

The sky began to darken, and the only option for us was to push the car until the engine started. Taking up the challenge, thinking a little push would solve the problem, was a mistake. It took a lot more than a little push. Some bystanders saw us struggling and offered to lend a hand, and together we managed to successfully restart the car. For us, the engine starting was a triumph, and the road trip continued smoothly, reaching the outskirts of the Kathmandu valley in a couple of hours. Even though the trip was only three days long, we were grateful for it. With our minds still lurking about the place and hearts full of memories, we made our way back to Kathmandu by road.

(The author is pursuing higher studies in Humanities.)