Limitations are a common issue in our society. Traveling breaks those barriers of limitation as you get to discover so many unknown experiences. You meet new people, understand new culture, and rediscover your purpose of life. We interviewed two travelers

In a commercialized world, jobs and professions have become such an important factor to sustain life. One has to invest so much time in their own business that they rarely have time for other activities. The pressure from work makes you stressed out which can affect your health later. Hence, it's acceptable to take a break from your work for a while and ease away your tension through a vacation or anything relaxing. It is obvious that everyone has their own way of utilizing their leisure time whether it be travelling, cooking or reading and so on. Today we share the story of two travelers, who scaled the Annapurna Circuit; Tilicho Lake and Thorong La Pass in specific, during their holidays. Traveling can a considered as a life changing experience where you get to learn so many things, and trekking in particular is one of the most effective ways of traveling. When you travel to new places, you learn about the local lifestyles and culture which diversifies your way of thinking. The interviewees, Keyur Krishna Shrestha and Shivani Shrestha, trekked all the way up to 5416m and experienced a blissful moment of witnessing the majestic mountains of Manang.

Located in the western region of Nepal, Lamjung district is a famous tourist destination. Accompanied by the majestic views of the Annapurna and Manaslu Himalayan ranges, Lamjung is a district rich in cultural, natural and biological diversity. The district headquarter is the town of Besisahar from where various trek destinations such as Ghalegaun, Tilicho Lake, Larke Pass, Bhujung, etc. can be mounted. The Annapurna Circuit in particular is cited as one of the best long treks in Nepal. With continuous construction of roadways, vehicles can be mounted up to Khangsar village shortening the trial in return. This trial is also famous for mountain biking destinations. The breathtaking views of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Gangapurna and Tilcho peaks can be seen throughout the trial. The trial ends after scaling 5416m from the Thorong La Pass to Muktinath. Mr. Keyur Krishna Shrestha, the Managing Director of Home Automation Nepal, along with his wife Mrs. Shivani Shrestha, who is currently working as a freelancer, left for Besisahar a day after Dashami to commence their trek. They were accompanied by a group of friends for their journey to the Annapurna Circuit. When asked what traveling meant to him, Keyur Shrestha replied, "Traveling is basically a getaway. When you get into the nature you feel humble and you become mentally refreshed. It is a game changer, because it acts as an escape route from all the materialistic aspects of the city and you get to witness such contrasting lifestyles which change the perception of your life."

 The bus ride from Kathmandu to Besisahar approximately takes around 7 hours in total excluding all the traffic jams that might take place in between. You can usually rent pickup trucks that go all the way up to Khangsar village from Besisahar. Our fellow trekkers decided to rent a microbus and they probably had to face the worst ride of their lives. The road itself was rocky and bumpy in the first place. In addition to that, they met with a small accident due to the inexperience of the bus driver. Hence, they had to change their means of transportation midway. They stopped by the village of Syanje as it was getting dark and spent the night in that destination. The next day they went all the way up to Tal and officially started their trek. From there they proceeded to Dharapani, where they got to taste some delicious Manang-ey potatoes. They continued their journey up to Chame and also explored the Pisang village. There are usually two routes while visiting the Pisang valley leading to Upper and Lower Pisang villages. Trekkers are recommended to visit both these villages as you can witness magnificent views of the mountain peaks and it is also a good place to stay as the locals in that area are very hospitable. Their next destination was the village of Manang, one of the most developed villages throughout the trial. The village is full of lodges, bakeries and restaurants that you actually see around Kathmandu. The lodges offer movie screenings through projector as an attraction for visiting tourists. "It was a memorable night in Manang. There was the full moon and I actually celebrated my birthday in Manang", said Shivani Shrestha.

"The hike towards the Tilicho Lake has to be my hardest trial throughout the journey. I felt impatient as the roads were slanted uphill continuously and the altitude was getting its grip on me"

Manang village offers a number of side trips such as the Khangsar village, the Gangapurna Lake, the Ice Lake, Milerpa Cave, etc. Our fellow trekkers witnessed the beauty of the glacier lake also known as the Gangapurna Lake and proceeded towards Shreekharkha the next day. Shreekharkha is a small village located few kilometers away from Khangsar. The trials that head towards Tilicho Lake and Thorong La Pass split en route Shreekharka. After spending the night at Shreekharka, the crew headed out for Tilicho Base Camp the next day. One of the most thrilling parts of the whole trek has to be the hike through the landslide area. These areas in particular appear in the higher parts of the mountains; en route Tilicho Base Camp, Tilicho Lake and the Thorong La Pass in specific. After a few hours of trekking, the crew reached the Tilicho Base Camp. The base camp is located around 800m below the lake. The ascent to the Tilicho Lake from the base camp has to be one of the most exhausting routes throughout the trek. They headed out of the base camp and mounted the uphill roads to the lake the very next day. "The hike towards the Tilicho Lake has to be my hardest trial throughout the journey. I felt impatient as the roads were slanted uphill continuously and the altitude was getting its grip on me", said Shivani Shreshta. She further added, "However, once you've reached to the top and stare at the calmness of the lake, the tiredness and the frustration just goes away." The view of the Tilicho Lake indeed is very breathtaking. Surrounded by the Himalayas, this lake is situated at an altitude of 4920m above sea level. In order to reach to the bottom of the bank, you must walk an extra hour from the actual stopping point. "One thing that I regret is not going close to the lake as we were running out of time', recalls Shivani Shrestha. The aftermath of the tough climb took its effect once they reached the lake. Few of their friends got the sickness from the altitude and they had to spend an extra night at the Tilicho Base Camp. "We were lucky to get a room to stay in, and our scheduled plan came to a halt due to such unavoidable circumstances", said Shivani Shrestha. The next day, the crew got disbanded as their friends went back to Manang limiting their trek up to the Tilicho Lake. The couple then headed north towards Yak Kharka, their next destination. They spend their night at Yak Kharka, residing 4035m above sea level beside the banks of Thorong Khola (River). On the 11th day of their trek the couple had their lunch at Thorong Phedi, and headed out towards the High Camp for the night stay. Post-dashain period is considered as one of the most favorable seasons for trekking in these regions. Since, this destination was becoming a popular destination for travelers, there were a large number of trekkers up there at that time of the month. Due to this reason, our fellow travelers had to spend the night sleeping in the dining room of the hotel in High Camp. The next morning, they headed out of the High Camp at 5 in the morning and walked up all the way to the Thorong La Pass. "It was an emotional and a proud moment when we reached the pass. I might have felt a few tear drops rolling down my eyes after I saw the board mentioning the details of the Thorong La Pass. I felt like I finally made it", said Shivani Shrestha. Thorong La Pass resides at an astounding height of 5416m above sea level. A gateway towards the valley of Mustang or vice versa, our fellow trekkers moved on after a cup of tea towards Muktinath. The Muktinath village basically indicates the end of the Annapurna Circuit trek.

"It was an emotional and a proud moment when we reached the pass. I might have felt a few tear drops rolling down my eyes after I saw the board mentioning the details of the Thorong La Pass. I felt like I finally made it",

According to Mrs. Shivani Shrestha, "Traveling is a piece of mind. It is something that is worth spending your hard earned money on. You get to meet new people and find out about their opinions on life." She also had a few recommendations for other trekkers which might be helpful for your next trek. It is important to have a plan that acts as an outline for your journey which makes it more manageable. For local trekkers like us, it is important to travel lightly. We haven't been gifted with great strength and stamina unlike the locals living in the mountains. The basic materials must be listed so that it might be much easier and manageable to pack things up for the journey. In case of money, make sure to carry the allocated budget in a pouch or a purse with you throughout the trek. Extra cash can be carried in case of change in plans or other unpredictable situations. And lastly, always make time for traveling once in a while.