TRAVERSE 77
TRAVEL - NEPAL
IAN HOLT
BUY THE TICKET ! TAKE THE RIDE !
As the plane sliced through the night sky over Nepal , banking left to make its final descent , our first glimpse of the white , snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas levelled into frame . The mighty mountain range stood guard over the sprawling city of Kathmandu , which stretched out under its protection – a shimmering blanket of twinkling lights .
It was mid-November 2023 and Diwali , the Hindu festival of lights , had encased Kathmandu in a neon glow . Bulbs were strung from every building in the city , lighting it up like a pinball machine as we peered down from above . The city ’ s glow pulsated like a heartbeat . We were in Nepal seeking adventure and as the plane gently touched down on the runway , we already knew we were in the right place .
The adventure had been brewing for twelve long months before airplane tyres hit runway tarmac on that cool November night in Kathmandu . After turning 39 years old the year before , our group of friends collectively realised that we had a green-lit boys trip opportunity on the horizon that neither partners nor office bosses could genuinely raise an eyebrow at ! Fortieth birthdays are an internationally recognised free kick . A golden ticket , granting the holder time off from the real world on a jaunt of their choosing – valid for a seven-day period .
Where and when to cash in the golden ticket was the topic of much debate . Although some familiar stomping grounds that would have certainly played host to a successful week of birthday debauchery initially got some airplay , they were ultimately dismissed for dreams of something a bit more memorable . We opted to go a different route than the tried and tested birthday booze bender . An offroad route to be exact .
TRAVERSE 77