Nepal Changed Me… Walking the Himalayan Villages of Annapurna

Nepal Changed Me… Walking the Himalayan Villages of Annapurna

Nepal isn’t just mountains. It’s a feeling. A 
reminder of who you are and who you want to be. On this journey, we travel from Poker Valley into 
the Himalayan villages of the Annapurna region, walking the royal trek, a path once taken by 
King Charles III. But instead of royal comfort, we found something far more powerful. The truth. This is a story of how Nepal changed 
me and maybe it will change you too. Good morning. It’s day seven in Nepal and we 
are waking up in our very own cabin. It’s so cool. It’s really, really neat. And behind me, you 
can see uh the lake, Begnas Lake, correct? Yeah. And um we’re waking up nice and early this morning 
for sunrise and also to soon go enjoy a hearty breakfast. Why? Because we have a big hike today. 
And so we’re going to prepare for that and make sure we get going. Um what’s really interesting 
is how different actually this bed is behind me. um little bit different. It’s very hard. Um and a 
really nice thick blanket. It keeps you so cozy. You will not be cold if you come. Um keeps you 
really roasty toasty and even the pillow is a little different. You really get that rustic 
cottage feel that you hope and dream for. So, um just absolutely lovely. time to hike. 
I’m excited, but also maybe a little nervous because I think I think today was noted 
to be possibly the most intense day. So, we’ll see if that’s true. Although, also I 
think it’s supposed to be more downhill. So, that’s that’s good if that’s the case because that 
is my forte. Um, so we’ve had a late breakfast so far. I had ah I had um a cinnamon pancake, 
some fresh fruit, and a masala tea. And it was all very tasty. Very nice. And now we’re going 
back up the hill towards where we had breakfast after just a quick pit stop for sunscreen and 
bug spray. And we’ll get ready to hike soon. So wish us luck. Namaste. 1,400 m. That’s the 
height of Kathmandu. And we’ll be coming down to round about 700 m or so. 4 miles today’s hike. 
Round about 10,000 steps. And uh like I said, it’s mostly downhill. We drive to a city I can’t 
pronounce north of Pokhara Valley and step onto the royal track built for royalty. In reality, 
there wasn’t anything glamorous about it. Okay, we’re only just early in. Uh, how you 
feeling? How you doing? Namaste. No, honestly. No, I’m going to stay. Namaste. 
No one’s staying. and we’re all going. But this track does have something special. We were 
told it’s here you’ll find stunning views. Okay, your uphill is over. This is the uphill. Yeah, 
it’s all downhill, hillside rice terraces, the magnificent Annaperna range, Machapuchhre 
or Fishtail Mountain, and the Lang Tang mountain views. Maybe even a glimpse of the scenic Begnas 
Lake. Oh, just a little bit. Stunning. Oh, you can see the mountains. Okay, look. Look carefully. 
They’re right on top. Oh, can you see? Oh, can you see them? We do see some. Oh, I do. We 
see some mountains. And which do you know? [Music] uh you know they have to go through they have 
to manage with a less efficient system. I mean, honestly, us with our knees. Yes. We’re not 
very like our knees always go, right? Kind of like beyond the expansive landscapes was 
the opportunity to connect with each other, exchange stories, and experience genuine 
connections with local communities. Namaste. Namaste. It was here that it hit me. 
We weren’t just here for the view. Sure. But for something else, an intimate look at Nepal far 
beyond the crowded trails. Study about tea. Oh, nice. Lovely. Traditional lifestyles, ancient 
practices, and a look at centuries old way of life. Nepal’s beauty isn’t only in its 
mountains. It’s in its people, the culture, the stories, the connection to nature, the 
warm smiles, a gentle namaste. Tea shared with strangers high in the Himalayas. Kindness 
here is instinctual, not transactional. That simple cup of tea felt more meaningful than any 
luxury experience. Namaste. I realized life can be slower and still be deeply fulfilling. may be 
more fulfilling than the fast-paced rat race of the west. The reminder that maybe the best 
way to connect is to disconnect. Live life unaffected by social media or screens. Compared 
to other trekking areas in the Annapurna region, the royal trekking route is less crowded. Here 
you get close to nature, culture, and lifestyle. A pace of life slow enough to feel every step. 
It’s definitely a quieter, more off the-beaten path experience. Terraced patties, millet fields, 
rhododendron, and bamboo forest. Community matters more than convenience. And here, people rely on 
each other in ways we often forget in the West. Yeah, this truck was named for royalty, but is 
enjoyed by everyday people. People carrying their lives uphill that smile easily and greet strangers 
with kindness. It’s a resilience I rarely see back home. Here, material wealth doesn’t define 
happiness. Community, purpose, and nature do. Are you enjoying? Yeah. Okay. Lovely. really 
great. Easy one. The weather is perfect. Couldn’t be any better. Just perfect. Not too 
hot, not too cold. And predominantly downhill, so Pete’s having a little harder time, but he’s 
getting through just fine. We’re good. And for me, it’s this is what I do best. So, I’m loving it. 
Mountains teach perspective. Problems shrink. Gratitude grows. A quiet mountain view can mean 
more than money. And a meal shared amongst new friends is the best gift one can offer. 
I like this. What’s the surprise inside? I’m trying to open this. What does it look 
like? Working on it. The anticipation, right? [Music] Big reveal. That has a lot of tinfoil. Wonderful. Wow. That’s your favorite. 
Surprise. This is the surprise. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. bottle packet. Chip foreign. The trail is so so beautiful um with its 
different different sights and sounds the um different terrain um and watch your feet. 
I feel full of such gratitude that we are here and get to experience this and we’ve had just 
perfect weather. Um, we’ve come in March, which is their dry season, and it is really dry. So, 
you can see Pete is using his handkerchief. So, if you are sensitive to dust, you know, this is 
an option for you. I I’ve been okay, actually, so far, and I usually consider myself more 
sensitive to that. But, um, wow, what a great lunch that was. That was really tasty. Really 
awesome. And one thing um we experienced too, there was some litter along the trail and our 
guides have, you know, taken efforts to to be picking up every every piece they see. And so it’s 
nice to see this kind of conservation effort being made because such a beautiful place should be 
preserved for future generations. So um yeah, really wonderful. On another note, there is 
goats ahead. So I will let you see the goats. But the Himalayas are changing. This row is 
lower altitude, only 1,700 m. But even here, we learned that climate change is reshaping forest 
belts, glaciers, and village livelihoods. Glaciers are retreating. Weather is shifting. And the 
future of these trails is not guaranteed. Forest fires, erratic rains or shifting seasons 
all affect crops, forest and water. Sustainable travel matters not just for Nepal but 
for every place that holds our wonder. Our hike concludes, but our day is nowhere near done 
because tonight we have a very special surprise. Wow. 137. Wow. 40 40 minutes later. We have 
arrived. Stop late. Oh, wow. And just like that, it it went by in a flash. Namaste. It’s 1:38 
and we’re getting back onto the shuttle. I’m sad. It’s Namaste. Namaste. Let’s do it again. 
And I guess maybe we will. You know, I’m told there’s a surprise today. So, we’ll see what that 
is. And uh yeah, go from there. How do you feel? Wonderful. Long long ago, there was no television 
in our times, nor were there any newspapers. So, how did the king get his message across 
to the countrymen and how did he make it interesting so that people would listen? 
H so there was a community called the Gandharva community. They were the ones 
who used to spread the message of course but they wouldn’t just go about and shouting 
the message. They would sing the messages. Ah but with the advent of industrial revolution 
and cotton world’s printing press you know then radio infiltrated our lives and then 
television now we have the infamous Tik Toks [Music] have lost their job but they 
managed to retain the craft and the skill. [Music] So now they go around playing in different 
communities and events and functions and on the street burning their livelihood. So today’s 
program is a small musical program very short by a gentleman by the name Mr. Ram Ganderva. So 
he will come here and he will play a few musical songs for us and some few fl folklore music 
and I’ll do my best to explain them. Okay. But if you’ve never heard of 
pirid, you will never hear is the most popular folklore amongst foreigners. [Music] [Music] describing the girl, you know, the beautiful 
place. The way you dress, come my love, let’s get married, start a life together, you 
know, and all the adjectives that you can [Music] Rest on [Music] my life. [Music] [Music] [Music] Sorry. So what happens is he’s not talking about 
the love, you know, or for a girl or something, right? He’s talking about the love for 
my country has given me a lot of grief. So we go back to the year around 1991 when the 
civil war had just started. People decided to overthrow the government, you know, and bring in a 
revolution. So the communists, that’s what it was, right? They wanted to make everybody, right? 
That was the ideology they sold to the people was very strong marketing went all the way to 
different villages not in the cities different villages you know aggravating people the leaders 
went to India to train with the Maoists you know and work on that ideology and they came back 
and that thus began you know a civil war till the king was overthrown in 2008. paid more than 
16,000 people lost their lives accounted right how many are counted we don’t know more than 
100,000 people displaced from the rings right I work with people I know people who have been 
badly affected by that who’ve lost family members right who don’t know where family members are 
you know went to fight on either sides never came back home right so Why he says the love 
for my country gave a lot of grief is because yes know we became a democratic country but 
what about us know what about the people we fought for your ideologies all right we lost our 
lives we lost family members all right but look at the country still where it is nothing much has 
changed why our brothers and sisters are forced to go abroad and work. You know, they’re forced to 
go to the Middle East and work. Village people, right? They’re forced to go to the Middle East 
and work as manual labors. Women are forced to get into prostitution. They have to go to Southeast 
Asia and work as nannies, you know. But you guys, you know, the guys who sold us the ideologies now 
that you are part of the government, you know, you sell, you sold us the communist ideology, 
but now, you know, you have Rolex watches and driving half a million dollar cars and have 
money in the Cayman. I definitely I’m not definitely not musical at all, but try like 
this. You can come with me, please. [Music] Nepal changed me by teaching that 
life’s richness comes from people, place and presence, not possessions, speed or 
status. Nepal isn’t just mountains. It’s kindness, culture and the moments that stay with 
you forever. Today we walk through the Himalayan villages of the Annapurna region and 
honestly this incredible country changed the way I see the world. From tea with strangers 
high in the mountains to the quiet moments under endless skies, Nepal teaches you to 
slow down, breathe, and truly feel alive. This isn’t just travel. It’s a journey 
that stays with you long after you leave. Grand [Music]

Nepal isn’t just mountains—it’s a feeling. We travel from Pokhara Valley into the Himalayan villages of the Annapurna region and walk the Royal Trek, a path once taken by King Charles III. But instead of royal comfort, we found something far more powerful: the truth. This is the story of how Nepal changed me. This isn’t just travel—it’s a journey that stays with you long after you leave.

From Begnas Lake to Kalikasthan, Thulokot, Lamaswara, and beyond. Enjoy Nepali songs, trek the Himalayas, and experience Annapurna’s less-traveled mountain villages. This is more than unique cultural experiences and breathtaking scenery; this is a side of Nepal rarely seen.

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