Travels in Nepal #5 Stunning scenery
On the trek in Nepal
As we forged our way up through the valley on that first day of the trek I realised several things very quickly.
- Physical Challenge: This trek was going to be a little more challenging than I had been led to believe. Although I had trained hard for the trek, nothing in the flat terrain of Murray Bridge in South Australia where I live can prepare one for the steepness of the Himalayan mountains.
- Cultural challenge: Nothing one can do at home can prepare you for the vast cultural differences between Australia and Nepal. Every step of the way brings a new experience, a new insight, and a new slant on this fascinating culture.
- Mental challenge: One aspect of trekking the Himalayan mountains I had not been warned about was the mental challenge of hiking in this region. It is just as much a mental challenge as a physical one. After only a few hours of walking one begins to question why one is prepared to put one’s body through torture. The answer is simple: I do it because I dreamed of doing this for decades, I do it because the scenery is absolutley stunning, like nothing else on Earth and I do it for the sheer pleasure of achievement.