Nepal

The Himalayas. A mountain range I had dreamed of visiting for a decade. I left a job to free up time to go trekking in Nepal in 2019, then the pandemic hit and I never made it. But in May of 2024 I had one week of free time and decided to trek Langtang Valley. Unfortunately, Kathmandu Valley and Langtang Valley were extremely hazy from nearby wildfires. In the 8 days I spent in Langtang Valley, we only got a glimpse of the mountain peaks for 15 minutes before the clouds and smoke took over. The outside conditions were a complete letdown and we did not get sweeping views of the Himalayas. However, that meant everything else about the trip became more memorable; the people and stories shared became the highlight of the trek.