Chasing The Himalayan Sunrise
One week from our Nepal trip and I'm still hung over.
I wonder why would anyone ever trade such lovely views of the Himalayas and the cool morning breeze with the smog in the city and the endless honking of cars? Existential thoughts ran through me as I sipped my coffee while gawking at the breathtaking horizon.
Nagarkot
We caught our last sunrise at Nagarkot. The great Himalayas spanned out before us, from Annapurna in the west to Everest in the east. "It was cloudy the past 3 days", one of the guides said. Luck must be on our side as the sun shone on the Himalayan ridges. We stood there and bathed in the warmth. No one seems to mind that Everest is just a tiny, little dot. Compared to the magnificence of the whole Himalayan range, Mount Everest's peak is just an added spectacle.
Overlapping mountains that stretches far into the horizon, the rays of the sun touching the peaks, the hues playing before our eyes, and the chilly wind at the tower made the experience unreal and overwhelming. The Himalayas is nature's masterpiece meant to make you cry. Or laugh. Or make you think about your choices in life. I'm on the edge of being overly dramatic here but yes, the view of the Himalayas even from afar is a memory that you will always hold dear.
Bandipur
Not all sunrises are the same. Let's rewind to a few days earlier in Bandipur. After a late night session, we dragged ourselves out at dawn towards the huge clearing at the end of the road. It was a hazy day and we were ready to be disappointed. While the Himalayas decided to hide itself that day, the sun rose like an egg yolk emerging from the steam as if telling us that "Hey, you came for me right?".
And the sun did make a stunning appearance that day, despite of the 'less' stellar backdrop.
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| The sun coming from behind the Himalayas - From Nagarkot, Mount Everest can be seen as a little peak |
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| Snow-capped Ganesh |
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| View from Hotel at the End of the Universe in Nagarkot |
Not all sunrises are the same. Let's rewind to a few days earlier in Bandipur. After a late night session, we dragged ourselves out at dawn towards the huge clearing at the end of the road. It was a hazy day and we were ready to be disappointed. While the Himalayas decided to hide itself that day, the sun rose like an egg yolk emerging from the steam as if telling us that "Hey, you came for me right?".
And the sun did make a stunning appearance that day, despite of the 'less' stellar backdrop.
Sarangkot
Finally, we found our first Himalayan sunrise in Sarangkot, 45-minutes away from Pokhara. We did not know what to expect. You see, we spent the past few days in the town of Pokhara hating the hazy weather - we were almost desperate. My friend called out to the universe and and wished for clearer skies.
Finally, we found our first Himalayan sunrise in Sarangkot, 45-minutes away from Pokhara. We did not know what to expect. You see, we spent the past few days in the town of Pokhara hating the hazy weather - we were almost desperate. My friend called out to the universe and and wished for clearer skies.
And the universe obliged.
We stood there and saw the Himalayas, Machhapuchchhre and Annapurna, come to life for the first time. The sunrise at Sarangkot was the start of a week of waking up at dawn and chasing more. We veered away from the loud crowd at the viewpoint and found ourselves a nice little clearing that we shared with a local family. While the rest of us took our time in taking selfies, contemplating, and going crazy with several Go Pros, two of our friends retreated to the small hut behind us and quietly got engaged.
Just them and the Himalayas and seemingly clueless friends standing nearby.
We stood there and saw the Himalayas, Machhapuchchhre and Annapurna, come to life for the first time. The sunrise at Sarangkot was the start of a week of waking up at dawn and chasing more. We veered away from the loud crowd at the viewpoint and found ourselves a nice little clearing that we shared with a local family. While the rest of us took our time in taking selfies, contemplating, and going crazy with several Go Pros, two of our friends retreated to the small hut behind us and quietly got engaged.
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| Engaged by sunrise! |
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| More awesome sunrises for you guys! :* |
Indeed, sunrises make way for wonderful beginnings.
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