A Major Setback

I was finally leaving for Crystal Mountain School in Dho, a three-day trek away from Dunai. My mom didn't want me to go alone, so I took a porter with me.

Schools at such high altitudes in the mountains usually remain open from Chaitra to Kartik (mid-March to mid-November). From Mangsir to Falgun (mid-November to mid-March), they remain closed because of the extreme cold and harsh winter conditions. This leaves a relatively short window to visit these schools and contribute. By the time I was making my journey, the school year was already nearing its end. I knew this beforehand, which was why I had discussed my visit with the headmaster multiple times before leaving.

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On the Trail to Dho

The journey to Dho is part of the Lower Dolpo Circuit. The landscape around Dho is geographically similar to the Tibetan Plateau, with its vast, open terrain and high-altitude surroundings. The weather was very merry, and the farmlands beside the mountains were a sight to behold.

After 9–10 hours of walking, I reached a place called Laini, roughly halfway through the journey. We stayed in a small house where there were three other guests, and we all slept in the same room. There was also a drunk uncle who kept telling, "Dai, Tomorrow we should go together towards Dho" about 18 times. And he was there with his son who was older than me and he kept referring me to as dai (older brother).

After completing the uphill ascent, the trail towards Dho becomes relatively flat for another three to four hours. Chinese motorbikes operate in the region, providing transportation between different parts of Dho. There are motorbike services along this stretch, but the rides are usually very expensive. Some local school teachers and staff sometimes have their own bikes and occasionally send them to help teachers who have travelled long distances to reach the school.

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An Unexpected Rejection

Since I was already halfway through the journey, I thought I might be able to arrange a bike for the remaining stretch. The others staying at the house had mentioned that the school provided transportation for its teachers, so I called the coordinator to ask if a bike could be arranged for me.

To my huge disappointment, instead of assuring me that a bike could be arranged, he told me that the school was only open for around four more weeks and that my visit would be a disturbance.

I was shocked. I knew the school would only be open for another month or so; that was never the issue. I had already discussed this with the headmaster multiple times, and he had assured me that my visit was welcome.

We had first met face-to-face in Dunai. During our conversation, I raised my concerns about the school being open for only a month and explained how I could still be helpful during the exam season. He assured me that it was fine and that he had already informed the school about my arrival.

After that, I went to Phoksundo and came back. I rested for two or three days before calling him again to inform him that I would be leaving soon. Even on the day I left, I informed him that I was on my way, and he assured me that he would notify the coordinator about my arrival.

Yet, after hiking around 30 kilometres uphill and travelling halfway to Dho, I was being told that the coordinator had only been informed once, that my visit had never been confirmed, and that he didn't want me to come.

It was a huge shock.

I called the headmaster and explained the predicament. He said he would call the coordinator and get back to me. It was already 9 p.m., and I had to decide whether to continue my journey or turn back. I had come so far, and I wasn't sure what to do next.

The headmaster never called back, so I slept deciding to call back tomorrow. And even the sleeping part was hard, since I had no idea if I was going back or continue my journey, on top of that the drunk uncle was snoring sooo loud. And finally when he stopped snoring he started blabbering something in Tibetan.

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The next morning

The next morning, there was no mobile network until 8 a.m. I kept pacing back and forth, trying to find a signal so I could call the headmaster and figure out whether I should turn back.

The whole situation was deeply painful. Here I was, a software engineer who had been doing well in his career, planning this journey to volunteer and understand Nepal's education system without seeking any financial help in return. I had left behind the comfort of my regular life to travel across the country, visit schools, and understand their challenges before proposing any solutions. And now, after all the planning and effort, I was being treated like this.

What made the situation even more frustrating was that I had other opportunities I could have pursued instead. Near Phoksundo, I had met one of the founders of a school called Tapriza. The school accommodated around 200 students in a hostel, where parents only had to contribute rations such as rice, dal, and other food items: they didn't have to pay school fees. The school also had very good overall grades across its students. They had laptops and computers that needed to be set up, and they needed someone with technical knowledge to help them.

I had wanted to visit Crystal Mountain School for a long time, and because I had already spoken with the headmaster and received his assurance, I chose to continue towards Dho instead of exploring other opportunities like Tapriza. And Crystal mountain school was around 5 days of trek away from tapriza. If the headmaster had expressed any doubts about my visit, I obviously wouldn't have travelled all that distance.

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Finding Closure and Peace

When the network finally came back, I called the headmaster and explained how badly the situation had affected me. He understood how it had disrupted my plans and drained me mentally and physically. He acknowledged the lack of coordination and communication, and empathised with what I had gone through.

Looking back, I was amazed by how emotionally regulated I was throughout the whole situation. Logically, and in almost every other way, this should have affected me a lot more. I had spent days travelling, pushed myself physically, and invested considerable time and energy into something I deeply cared about. Yet, I didn't feel angry or resentful. I felt sad about how things had unfolded, but I didn't feel the need to lash out at anyone. There was no way my anger or resentment could have improved the outcome or changed anything that was outside my control, and I didn't like the idea of lashing out at somebody just because I was disappointed.

Having the headmaster listen to me, empathise with me, and acknowledge the difficulties I had gone through because of the lack of coordination and communication helped me calm down a little bit and eventually I didn't feel any sort of resentment or emotional frustration.

Since I was certain I was heading back, at least I didn't have to go to the toilet in the open. I had already reached such a remote area that there were almost no houses along the trail. Even the small, one-room cottages and tents that were available had no toilets. If I had continued my journey, I would have had to get used to going in the open. But thankfully, I didn't have to. So I told my stomach to wait another day, and with that, I left for Dunai.

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The Journey Ahead

After reaching Dunai, I decided to return to Jhapa. I travelled back via Jajarkot and Rukum West into Salyan, then continued to Dang to join the East-West Highway.

From Hetauda in Makwanpur, I took the Madan Bhandari Highway, passing through Sindhuli, Udayapur, Sunsari, and Morang before finally reaching Jhapa.

Of course, this is a major setback. But setbacks are part of the journey when you're trying to do something that deeply moves you. I am not entitled to anything; I have to make my own space and try to do the best I can with the capabilities I have. Good intentions alone don't guarantee that things will work out, and sometimes, despite all the planning, circumstances unfold differently from what we expect.

Perhaps this is a sign that I should spend Dashain with my family. I will get back to the journey soon after Dashain and Tihar.

The next journey might take me to a district in the Far West, somewhere in the mid-hills. Most schools in the mountain regions will be closed because of the cold, so I will have to adjust my plans accordingly.

For now, the journey continues, just not in the direction I had planned.