Mr. Kumar Thapa

Seeing Everest from the air is one of those things you never forget. I was grinning the whole flight and kept thinking, “Yep, this is happening!” This was my first experience of taking a mountain flight from where I could just experience world’s greatest peaks at once. Even talking about it now gives me chills.

My guide kept saying, “Eat slowly, enjoy everything,” but I couldn’t help myself. Chhoila, sekuwa, momo, yomari and I was full halfway through and laughing at myself. Ending with tea while sitting and joking about my messy fingers was the perfect wrap-up. Guide’s advice? Important, but sometimes chaos is part of the fun.

The hike to Everest Base Camp was tough with the altitude, but reaching it felt like winning a mini-life challenge. The mountains are gigantic, glaciers everywhere, it’s unreal. I kept turning around to stare at Lhotse and Makalu. They were massive and so close. Totally worth the sore legs.

I didn’t think I could handle spicy food, but the chhoila on this tour was next level. My tongue was on fire, but I couldn’t stop eating. The smoky flavor just kept calling me back. Bara helped cool me down a bit, and later, momo and yomari totally made up for the spice. By the end, I was full, sweaty, but ridiculously happy.

I’m usually more into savory stuff, but yomari completely flipped that for me. Soft rice flour dumpling on the outside, warm filling inside, it was like a hug in food form. The rest of the tour was amazing too: chhoila with beaten rice, crispy bara, smoky sekuwa, and of course, the legendary momo. We walked, we ate, we laughed, and we somehow made room for samosas, lassi, and tea at the end. But yomari… that’s the dish I’d come back to Kathmandu for. No contest.

The moment I decided to climb Mera peak, I was ready to hop on the plane and fly to Nepal. Day 1 in Kathmandu was buzzing with energy, and by Day 3 I was flying to Lukla and man, what an adrenaline rush! Trekking from Chutanga to Thuli Kharka, then Kote and Thangnak, each day felt like walking on the lap of Himalayas, with stunning valleys and tiny villages along the way. Summit day on Day 11 was unforgettable. I could not believe that it was me standing at 6,476 meters and looking out over the Himalayas. It made all the tough climbs, long days, and sore muscles totally worth it. Even the trek back down through Khare, Kote, and Thuli Kharka felt like a celebration of the journey. I was very happy with the team I got and can’t wait to do more adventures in Nepal!