Sometimes, the longest journeys start with a simple train ride out of Jamshedpur. Back in the spring of 2022, I packed a bag and left the plains behind. I didn't want to race to the top of any peaks; I just wanted to see what 82 days in the Himalayas would feel like.
The story started in the East. Imagine waking up to the sweet, damp smell of tea leaves in Darjeeling and Kurseong. Soon, I was trekking up the steep, rocky paths of Sandakphu. My legs burned with every step. But when I reached the top and looked out over Sikkim, seeing those giant snow-covered mountains against the clear blue sky, the tiredness just blew away in the wind. Those first 12 days taught me how to stop rushing.
But the mountains kept calling, so I traveled West, hitchhiking up the winding roads to Nainital. The Kumaon region in Uttarakhand felt like an old, quiet friend. I spent the next couple of months wandering through deep pine forests and resting in tiny villages. I realized you don't need a screen to feel connected to the world. A warm bowl of dal, the crunch of dry pine needles under my boots, and watching the clouds roll over the valleys were more than enough.
By the time I reached Naggar in Himachal Pradesh, the full 82 days had passed. Catching the late-night bus down to Chandigarh, I looked out the window and smiled. The Himalayas are massive, but the real journey happened quietly inside my own head. I learned that whether you are climbing a tough mountain trail or just living your everyday life, you only need to take one honest step at a time. The mountains just gave me the quiet space to finally hear my own heart.