Written by India & Nepal Students, Sarah Ross and Ioan Asher
What’s New in Our Journey?
Hi everyone!!! Sarah and Iona here, reporting live from a café in Udaipur, India (we’re always on the hunt for a sweet treat).
Last week, after saying goodbye to our friends from Conscious Impact, we departed on a three-hour jeep ride with our guides, Suvash and Sandesh, to the beginning of our trek. After a classic lunch of dal bhat and HUGE cucumbers, we embarked on our journey. The next five hours were spent questioning our life choices as we walked countless stairs up the mountain. Luckily, as the best leaders ever, we had stocked up on an abundance of cookies and apples. Unfortunately, Ava (the token celiac of the group) had eaten her apple two minutes after lunch so I (Sarah) had to give her mine. #leadermoment #instantregret. Eventually, we reached our destination, chowed down, and enjoyed the first hot showers we had had in weeks.
The next day we woke up refreshed and ready for another day of trekking. We cruised flat roads, witnessed the inauguration of a new monastery, and drank our first Tibetan butter tea which received mixed reviews from the group.
Our last day of the trek started at the asscrack of dawn (FOUR O CLOCK IN THE MORNING). Our goal for the day was the top of Ama Yangri Peak ( 12,372 ft ). We slowly plodded our way up, our minds pondering Tara’s albatross riddle. When we finally arrived at the top we were rewarded with an incredible view of the Himalayas. The way back down was EVENTFUL.
As we navigated one of the many switchbacks, we encountered a yak being led up the trail. Steph, Mae, Nora, and I (Iona) quickly moved aside to give it space. Nina, Ava, and Sarah found themselves a bit closer than expected. The yak, perhaps startled, briefly tugged its handlers off balance. Reacting quickly, Sarah and Nina swiftly moved down the slope, while Ava momentarily froze, her mind quickly crafting a yak-related joke. Gratefully, one of the experienced yak herders skillfully redirected the yak’s attention, diffusing the situation calmly. Everyone came through the encounter safely and happily relived it (many times) as we finished the remainder of the trek.
That night, we feasted on snicker momos and enjoyed dancing and singing around a bonfire (shoutout DJ Timi, one of the sweet little girls we met at the tea house). Questionable harmonies, impressive dance moves, and hardy laughs were shared! It was truly one of our favorite moments from the trip and a perfect way to finish off our time in the mountains.
The next day we returned to Kathmandu, where we would spend two nights back at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and one in the city before heading to India.
Top Highlights of the Week
One of our favorite moments of the week was our first full day back at the ashram. We were lucky to be there during Dashain, a festival that celebrates good prevailing over evil. The day started with everyone getting dressed up in sarees. The women from the ashram kindly picked out the colors and helped dress us. Everyone looked so beautiful and it was a great start to a fun day.
The next day we got to celebrate Steph’s 19th birthday!! From museums to free time spent exploring the city- it was a very Stephanie esc day. In the evening we all gathered for a beautiful (and bougie- we balled out) birthday dinner. We shared laughs, cries, and a whole lot of GOOD food as we reflected on our time in Nepal.
Challenges We’ve Faced (and Conquered!)
On the 14th we said goodbye to Nepal and hopped on a flight to India! Saying goodbye to Nepal and all the people we met during our time there was challenging for our group. The transition felt sudden as we had been busy moving around the past few days so it came up quickly. We miss our friends from Nepal and have still been in contact with some of them!
