Mist is probably one of the greatest abstracts for lovers of art and nature alike.
It coats the air with a soothing coolness as it billows in and out of deep valleys and rolls over cliffs, adding more mystery to the mystical hills of Nepal.
Hills look better with it. It probably also makes the demanding lives of the villages a little easy.
My trip meter showed ‘80 kilometers’ when I reached Sindhupalchowk, where the Sunkoshi meets the roaring Bhotekoshi. Hike uphill a day towards Ghorthali and after an additional two hours towards Lapse, you will reach the heart of the district. These places, I feel, preserve the authenticity of the enduring rural life, typical to the whole country.
For the outsider, the feeling of adventure lies in walking all day in these far-flung lands and then being greeted unexpectedly with streams that cross their path. It continues while crossing the many not-so-stable suspension bridges with wooden planks.
But what is adventure without a little reflection? The sore body finds respite under the shade of decades-old trees, and you lose yourself to the impossibly blue waters of the Sunkoshi, which follows you everywhere.
Standing on top of a hill while looking at another at the opposite end, you wonder if they continue forever, just like the enduring lives of its denizens.
Humble are the people here who enjoy simple lives. These were the same lives which were destroyed by the quakes last year.
The district is, perhaps, a testament and a constant reminder that nature can’t be controlled. Here, everything has its own pace like the mist. Everything comes and goes.
All we can do is hope for the better and continue living.
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