“I hoped that the trip would be the best of all journeys: a journey into ourselves.” ~ Shirley MacLaine
It’s impossible for me to take you there — to my 35-day NOLS Himalaya Backpacking experience in Northern India — even in imagination.
I know this because I recently read a book by an incredibly talented storyteller before I made my journey. And unlike me, it was obvious he kept impeccable notes during his pilgrimage in the Himalayan foothills, describing his route, the scenery, and his interactions in scrupulous detail.
Not even then could I begin to fully grasp what he was describing. The breathtaking beauty of the snow-covered peaks, the unmatched generosity of the local villagers, and the sense of peace and contentment that comes with slowing making one’s way through the many-faceted foothills of the Himalayas.
Imagine trying to describe your fondest memory to a friend. You can explain it, but how can they know until they have seen it with their own two eyes, smelled it for themselves, tasted it on their lips? They really can’t. You may be able to give them some sense of what it’s like, but it will always fall short of the real thing.
And that’s the beauty of experience. To truly know it, you must live it…allow it to mingle with your soul and become a part of you.
“Our growth depends not on how many experiences we devour, but on how many we digest.” ~ Ralph W. Sockman
Even if you were there with me and walked beside me, I would have difficulty fully explaining my experience to you, for no two experiences are exactly alike. Each of my 13 companions came to the mountains with their own hopes and expectations, and each left with their own unique experience…one that could never be duplicated or recreated.
Even so, I hope to share with you what I can, even if it’s merely a dim reflection of my true experience.
Typically people tell stories linearly, moving the listener or reader through a logical sequence of time, as if the story is a piece of string and the reader is sliding along it. This won’t be like that. In this case, my notes and memories are patchy and scattered, as I journaled a lot less than I originally intended. Either I was exhausted or there was some other experiencing captivating my attention at the time.
Therefore, my story will unfold more like A Christmas Carol where I am Jacob Morley and you are Ebenezer Scrooge, and we are whirling through time and appearing in carefully selected memories, seemingly scattered and yet intricately connected.
Ready? Here are my highlights from the Himalayas!
~~~
Knowing we were breathing some of the purest and freshest air we would ever breath in our lives. The raw scent of rock and soil, the sweet mixture of rhododendron, mint, oregano, lemon grass, and even wild marijuana growing along the trail.
Learning how to make (and developing a mild addiction to) traditional Indian chai tea, compliments of Gaytri, one of our awesome instructors. Swirls of sugar and cinnamon, fresh squeezed ginger, loose-leaf tea steeping in the bubbly mixture. Finally bringing it to frothy completeness by adding generous handfuls of dehydrated milk.
Also, developing backcountry baking skills –cakes, pizza dough, biscuits, cinnamon rolls, and Peggy’s tamale pie!
Not hearing a single roar of an engine, not even the occasional airplane 30,000 feet overhead. No car alarms, no honking, no revving. No lawn-mowers to disrupt my thoughts. Just the sounds of the wind passing over the mountains and through the trees, the distant roar of a river or the trickle of a creek through smoothly worn rocks.
The songs of birds, the baaing of sheep, the occasional swish of a langur swinging through the trees. The sounds of heavy boots falling on carefully placed stone. A friendly “Namaste” from a passing villager, my own heavy breathing on a steep ascent, and the warm and familiar voices of my companions.
Swimming and bathing in swirling pools of frigid mountain water and sliding down natural slides of smooth rock.
The beauty and generosity of the Himalayan culture, or what I like to call the “Stay and Eat” culture. Everywhere we went, the local people were eager to share what little they had with us, which most often came in the form of large, oblong, green and yellow cucumbers. Even when we were simply passing through, they would stop us, present us with a cucumber and ask us to stay for chai and more food.
In their culture, “guest is god” and treated accordingly. There were days when we would stay with a family and the whole family, including the children, would go a day without eating in order to feed us. Making sure we were comfortable and well-fed was something they took great pride in.
Spending a morning in the life of a Himalayan woman — cutting tall grass by hand with a sickle. Taking short breaks in the shade to sip fresh goat’s milk and eat more cucumbers.
Learning valuable lessons that can be applied to nearly every aspect of life. For instance, on a particular difficult climb up and around a mountain called Chovelia, as I finally reached the top, I jokingly exclaimed, “We have conquered the mountain!” In her wise and quiet way, Gaytri responded, “You don’t conquer the mountain, the mountain allows you to pass.”
This phrase became a mantra and silent meditation for me (as well as several of my companions) as I walked for the remainder of the trip. I see it as a great metaphor for life. I’ll leave you to ponder that one for yourself. (It’s also what initially sparked the idea for my new tattoo!)
Struggling with my own bad habits and character flaws. Learning how to truly connect with nature and “let go.” Letting go of expectations and judgements and going with the flow.
Waking up at 0430 to begin a moonlit climb up a tall peak in the hopes of catching a stunning sunrise. Making it all the way to the summit with two other incredible people. Standing in silence above the clouds, surrounded by the most breathtaking panorama of snow-covered peaks I’ve ever seen. Sitting in quiet meditation, opening my eyes to gaze upon the perfect peak (which is actually tattooed on my left shoulder now).
Spending 35 days in the company of some of the most talented, interesting, laid-back, and fun-loving people I’ve ever met – even if they did call me “grandma!” (Believe it or not, at 27 I was the oldest member of our group. And you know what? I think I probably learned more from them than they did from me!)
~~~
These stories and pictures barely begin to scratch the surface of an experience that has given me so much insight and perspective, one that has helped me expand and grow, one that will remain sacred among life experiences. I discovered so much about myself, others, and human nature in general. I was given a unique opportunity to peer into a world so unlike my own and to grasp bits of wisdom from it — bits of wisdom I will continue to share here in future stories I’m sure. 
If you would like to see more pictures from my journey, you can see them on my Facebook page.
So glad you enjoyed our country, Adrienne. The photos are beautiful and breathtaking. Many members of our family have visited the Himalayas as a pilgrimage. There are hot water springs where one can cook potatoes almost instantly in the chilly area. Apparently Rishis (sages) survive there without food for days during their penance because there is “food” in the air. Something like the bacteriophages in the Ganges River that heals even antibiotic resistant diseases.
I hope I have the privilege of visiting the Himalayas during my lifetime.
Thanks so much for sharing.
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Namaste Vidya,
I absolutely loved it! I really wish I could have stayed longer and visited other areas of the country as some of my companions are currently doing. I’m hoping that my husband and I can do that together someday.
I read a wonderful book called, “Sacred Waters,” which was all about one man’s pilgrimage to the four sources of the Ganges, and it sounded quite amazing. I experienced much of what he described for myself. Unfortunately, no hot springs for us — only freezing cold pools!
I truly hope you are able to visit the Himalayas as well — there is something truly magical about those mountains, something that will stay with me forever.
On a side note, I wish Indian women’s traditional clothing would catch on in the west! The women of India are truly beautiful.
What a beautiful trip Adrienne. I’m sure you came back a little changed for the better – good for you.
Thanks for sharing your words and pictures.
Alex
Hi Alex, great to see you again!
The trip was beyond anything I could have hoped for. I definitely felt something change inside me while I was there — I’m hoping I can hold on to it even in the midst of the distractions and fast pace of the modern world.
Happy you enjoyed the pictures! If you ever get the chance to make it over there, I highly recommend it!
Thanks so much for sharing this post Adrienne. I hope the next 15 posts will be a follow up of your trip. Were the Himalayas everything you thought it would be? What lived up and what didn’t? Can enlightenment be reached while in the Himalayas? What other great life lessons did you learn in addition to: “You don’t conquer the mountain, the mountain allows you to pass.”
I don’t think this is really a comment as much as a bunch of questions. lol
Namaste Vishnu,
Haha, thanks for all of the questions! I should have known you wouldn’t let me get away with a few pictures.
There is so very much that I’ve experienced and learned, and to be honest, I’m still struggling a bit with putting it into words. There’s way too much to wrap into one post, so yes, I definitely plan to continue writing about my takeaways for awhile.
To give a few short answers:
I didn’t really know what to expect of the Himalayas, so in some ways they were what I “expected” and very different in other ways. For one thing, the mountains are much more full of people than I would have thought!
Also, I think my experience was wonderful with a group of NOLS students, but would have been much different if I were with an older group, a smaller group, or solo.
Can enlightenment be reached in the Himalayas? I’d have to say, definitely! I imagine enlightenment can be found in many places…and indeed I would think it has much more to do with reaching an inner place than any external one. Did I find enlightenment in the Himalayas? Not exactly. But I did find moments of peace and serenity as well as those of pure bliss and joy. There were moments where I felt on top of the world and those where I felt insignificantly small.
As for “the mountain allows you to pass,” I’ll definitely be writing more about that soon.
What an amazing experiene, Adrienne! Thanks for sharing it.
I love the way you experience things with all your senses!
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Hi Jeffrey,
I’m glad you enjoyed the highlights! Hopefully I’ll be able to flesh out some more of my experience as the weeks and months unfold. About the senses, I guess I hadn’t really noticed that before, but I do believe you’re right about that — thanks for pointing it out! I hope you’re out experiencing with yours as well!
Peace, health and quiet beauty…relying on your strength and that of your companions to survive. Sounds magical.
I enjoyed reading this summary–but it makes me itch to do it for myself!
Glad you had an amazing journey–into yourself and an ancient place of the world.
Hi Jeanie! Yes, magical is a good word for it, and perhaps for India in general. I hope to get to explore it more someday, and I hope you get to get out there and experience it for yourself as well!
Hi Adrienne,
What an awesome experience you had! It’s interesting that you just accepted that you could never really convey the experience of being there. We never can. We think this applies only to our summit experiences, but I wonder if it applies to all our experiences.
My daughter and I had a dream trip to Greece last year and even while we were there we were acknowledging that we could never hope to share how amazing that experience was for us. Some things are best savored and pondered in the heart!
Lori
Hi Lori,
I think that’s a really great point. I do think it’s somewhat easier to imagine another person’s experience when we’ve experienced something similar, but even then, there are so many other variables, like people and life experiences, at play that it really does make it impossible. Like your trip to Greece with your daughter (which sounds amazing!). I experienced something similar with my mom a couple of years ago when the two of us went to Disney World for her 50th birthday. The entire day was just magical for both of us, in a way that could never truly be described to anyone else.
On one hand I completely agree with you — that some things are best savored and pondered in the heart — but on the other hand, continuously trying to recall the details and distill the lessons will help keep that experience alive for me. As with so many things, I guess it’s all about finding a good balance between the two.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts here!
Beautiful story! I‘m so glad you learned and experienced so much! I love how you laid out the highlights in this post – I think I may copy you in trying to tell the story of my permaculture course =P I love the tattoo as well, it’s very beautiful. Glad to have you back and I look forward to hearing about more of the lessons you learned there.
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Hi Lynn,
I definitely had high hopes for my experience. I didn’t quite know what I would take away from the mountains, but I knew it would be life-changing. What’s funny is that it has the potential not to be. It would be so easy to slip back into exactly how things were before I left, only I know deep inside that I can’t let myself do that. Something changed when I was out there, and I must preserve that.
What about you, how are you feeling now that you’re back from your life-changing course? Definitely looking forward to hearing more about that! Do you have pictures as well?
Thanks for mentioning the tattoo! I’m really happy with the way it came out.
Adrienne!
I loved looking at your pictures on facebook, but this blog just made them BETTER! What an amazing experience you had! I would love to do something like this someday! You are a constant inspiration to me! I can’t wait to read more!
~Andra
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Hi Andra!!
Haha thanks, glad you liked them! It definitely helps to have some sort of explanation with the pictures. I thought about doing that on Facebook, but I figure nobody reads that anyway.
I highly encourage you to plan some sort of trip like this for yourself! It doesn’t have to be for quite so long or even so far away, but I truly believe in the power of shared experiences with a group of other people, especially in nature. You just learn so much about yourself, working well with others, and connecting with nature at the same time. Truly incredible.
That’s actually the type of work that I want to get into — creating and facilitating those types of experiences for people.
Thank you for sharing your backpacking trek experience in Himalayas. The photos are stunning ( including those in the Facebook ).
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Hi Edgar,
Thanks so much for stopping by — glad you enjoyed the pictures! You know what’s so crazy about that? After I would take each photo, I would look at it on the screen and be so disappointed. It was just so impossible to truly capture the size, colors, and true brilliance of what I was seeing out there. Perhaps a better photographer could have done it more justice, but even then, I’m not so sure. At least I was able to provide a small glimpse.
Adrienne,
Such an amazing journey….both to an amazing place in this world…and within…
I love how you have shared this is bit and pieces of what this experience was for you – and I can only imagine how this one choice – the choice to do this venture into the wilderness – has, and will continue to have, an impact in your life is such meaningful ways.
Thank you for this glimpse into this meaningful moment in your life!
Grandma!!! Wow…and now that makes me feel like a great-great grandpa!! Yikes!!
Welcome home,
Lance
xoxo
P.S. the pictures (and the amazing tattoo) are incredible!
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Hi great-great grandpa
You know what was one of the most incredible parts of this journey and the decision to go? The amazing support I received from my husband. The trip certainly wasn’t cheap, and it took both of us a lot of saving up, plus being gone for 40 days, and he was nothing but incredibly supportive the entire time. I hope this experience is one that will continue to enrich both of our lives for years to come.
What an adventure. You got to see and do some really amazing things. It looks so tranquil and beautiful out there. I can see how it would be hard to explain what it was like out there. It’s probably just one of those things you really need to experience in order to understand. And this post really makes me want to get out there and see for myself. Thanks for sharing this.
Hey Steve,
Definitely something “cool” to do!
It can be a challenge to get up into the mountains–think “planes, trains, and automobiles”–but definitely worth it!
Thanks for stopping by!
First of all, I am glad you are back and that you enjoyed and experienced so much!
What a beautiful story!!!… I I loved how you shared the main highlights in this post.
Thank you very much for sharing with us your journey.
Hi Lorena,
Happy to hear from you! I’m glad you enjoyed the highlights. Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you–it’s just taking me a little while to get back in the swing of email.
I hope all is well and look forward to catching up!
Hi Adrienne,
I am happy to hear from you too! ..Don’t worry about it, you must be swamped with tons of emails, so take your time in getting back into the swing of things.
I am enjoying your new post as well as the photos. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Hi Adrienne,
This is simply beautiful and so are you! I almost cried while I was reading it…I think because of the sheer beauty of it all. I love your new tattoo. Thanks for sharing with us. Oh and I like your NB shoes. Two of my daughters work for NB;)
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Aww, so sweet Tess! That’s so funny that you noticed my shoes.
Thanks!! And you gave your car away?? Guess I’ll have to check out that post. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, take care!
I just couldn’t help myself….
What’s up gramma? Really enjoyed reading this. Here I thought you couldn’t write any more than ‘it was nice.’ I think meaningful experiences often have a greater impact on us further down the road, in ways that we never knew or expected. It almost feels like I’m just beginning to discover what it all meant. Strange, huh?
Much love from your heady dready mountain friend,
Alice
Hey Wacky Aunt Alice!
Glad you liked the recap…I know it doesn’t do it justice, but it’s better than, “I hiked in the Himalayas (with appropriate accent, of course), and it was nice.”
I definitely get what you mean about experiences having an impact down the road. I feel like I’m still learning from our trip, and I miss it all the time!! I just want to be outside all day again. Too bad it’s cold and rainy here. I honestly haven’t slept as well as I slept out there since I’ve been back.
Anyhow, it made my day to hear from you…just took awhile to write back, as I had a pretty crazy Thanksgiving holiday. Hope yours was nice.
Love ya!
Amazing exprriences. Peace.
I stumbled across this because I was curious to see how one can visit the Himalaya’s. I want to go on an adventure like this, it’s been my dream ever since I was a little girl. Before I knew of meditation, I would sit in my room and do absolutely nothing but just stare into a lit candle or look outside while my sister and brother would typically blare music or play video games, I was always different, always wondering in the woods, and doing things by myself and staying very relaxed and curious. Now i’m 22 and I see pictures of people that I went to high school with posting photos of their own adventures with friends in other countries, i have two problems, I don’t associate myself with adventurous people, it’s hard to make friends when your my age working full time with a boyfriend. #2- I don’t have money, but i have a good paying job, i need to save. so question for anyone. How did you break free, how did you get 13 people to travel to the Himalaya’s, was it a group matched online or where you guys all friends? I want to learn to travel and explore, im young and im afraid if i dont do it right now, i never will i just dont no where to take my first step