Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
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Growing up in Kathmandu Valley, my childhood was characterized by stories of the majestic mountains of Nepal. The stories told to me by my grandfather, consisted of grand tales of our ancestor's lives in the treacherous terrain. I grew up in the valley surrounded by the mountains. From a young age I longed to visit them. However, Nepal at that time was struggling with rising waves of Maoist violence in the countryside and the mountains. The city of Kathmandu was one of the few places safe from the Maoist guerillas. Finally in 2006, the Maoist insurgency was over. The violence had ended. The mountains that I had always dreamed of were now accessible to me.
After months of planning, things finally fell into place in October 2010 for me to make my first foray into the mountains. The Langtang Himalayas, home to the mythical Yeti, lies between Kathmandu Valley and the ancient Tibetan plateau. I embarked on my journey to Langtang with lots of enthusiasm, at last getting a chance to explore the mighty Himalayas. At the break of dawn, I started the trek from the town of Syaprubensi. After crossing the first of many suspension bridges, I was in a lovely shaded valley of tall bamboo and nettles. Soon the ascent began. Always following the rushing Langtang River, the landscape thickened with jungle, the trees grew giant and ancient. All around me, great mountains bristling with pine trees dwarfed the valley. The climb arced upwards up staircases of stone and gravel, through slipping slopes of soil. My feet turned to lead every minute I ascended, my whole body ached and I needed to summon all my strength just to take one forward step. I took plenty of rest stops on my way, enjoying the incredible scenery. Gullies full of red rhododendrons, vast torrents of snowmelt gushing out of the mountains in the form of spectacular waterfalls, and archaic hills looming straight up the valley floor. I did not encounter any Yetis or the elusive Red Pandas on my expedition, but I did come across various beautiful and rare species of birds, the Himalayan musk deer, and of course the Yaks. Having walked up and down through mountains after mountains for three days, I finally reached Kyanjin Gomba, the object of my trek. The next morning I was greeted by breathtaking views of sky-high snowcapped mountains. I had been pushed to my limits, both physically and mentally on this journey. Many times I had considered giving up, but I persevered and made it to the top. Whenever I need motivation, I look back to this moment.
Since Langtang, I have made numerous more trips to the mountains. I have watched the moonrise over Machapuchre from Ghandruk, prayed at the centuries-old Hindu temple atop Kalinchok, and meditated at the Buddhist Gomba on Nagarjun. I have also visited my ancestral home in the mountains of Dolakha.
The place that I feel most content is in the mountains. To stand in front of the great mountains is incredibly humbling. The cool and crisp air of the mountains holds a spiritual and magical place in my heart. There is nothing more refreshing, invigorating and thrilling than climbing up a mountain and absorbing the scenery it offers.
