First and foremost, I made sure the bus would leave at the earliest hour. Lama Dai had told me the first bus was at 6 AM. However, the story was a bit different here.
Basically, if the road condition is good and open beyond Chhimti, the bus departs as per the regular timing. But if construction is going on, the timing shifts. Sometimes, that’s the case even when you’re arriving at Chhimti.
Due to road construction, you might have to get off a little further than Chhimti and start your hike from there. Things might change in the future, but that’s how it is as of 2025.
Based on that, I got my ticket of Chhimti to Kathmandu for 8 AM, which was still fine. I could get enough sleep.
I was really tired and hungry, so I asked the owner to shift me to my room immediately. That task was taken up by his wife, whom I referred to as didi.
Since I was alone, she told me no regular rooms were available—I had to either take an attached bathroom room (meant for couples) or a group room.
Since the five guys were coming and there was a room for six, I decided to book a room for all of us. I was pretty sure the boys wouldn’t mind, and this way, even I taking up another room would prevent didi from having to clean multiple rooms tomorrow. A good deal for both of us.
After that, I freshened up after three long days of continuous walking. My feet were almost swollen, borderline frostbitten, as my shoes and socks had gotten completely soaked from walking in the snow.
Sadly, there was no fire like before to warm myself up, but since Chhimti was much warmer, I didn’t bother asking the hotel owners to light one.
I was just too tired. I packed up my things, got my ticket, grabbed a black tea from the kitchen, went back to the room to rest for a while, and wait for the boys. Didi and I were just hoping these guys wouldn’t betray us.
I was starving, but didi said it would take time to prepare dinner. So, I opened up a pack of chowchow and treated myself. Soon after, the first three boys arrived, and they were fine with staying together with me.
They were busy chatting among themselves, and guess what I did? I started writing this very story.
In fact, half of what I wrote in Part 1 was written right there in Chhimti! But I was too tired to continue, so I turned on WiFi after three long days. And just like that, my social media addiction, which had disappeared for a while, came back. Still no idea how to cure this.
It started getting colder, so all four of us went inside the blankets. Soon enough, the last two guys arrived, and we finally had some conversations.
Turns out they were +2 students, and most of their talk revolved around college life. It reminded me of my own teenage years. These guys were 16-17, and I, at 24, felt like a big brother here—almost a decade older than them.
Maybe that’s why we never really hit it off on the trails either. A generational gap had set in. I didn’t bother much with the kids and let them enjoy their time. It’s always fun traveling with friends, especially at that age.
I sound like an old guy saying this, but at least I’ve been through that phase. And now, I feel old.
Finally, didi called us for dinner. After so long, a proper meal—Dal Bhat with Chicken! The food instantly tasted ten times better.
A perfect end to the trip. Maybe I missed some dance moves like I’d done with my team in Phoksundo, but I was all alone here. At moments like these in my solo trek, I did miss having a friend. Nonetheless, this was a different experience—one I will always remember.
Even though I initially planned to complete this trip in 2 nights and 3 days, I ended up taking 3 nights and 4 days, all thanks to the snowy trail. But it was worth it.
This adventure had revived my lost confidence—made me even stronger than before. I could feel it even as I am writing this blog. It felt like I could do anything on my own now. I could take risks. I could do things I used to hesitate about before.
And most importantly, whenever I feel down in the future, I now have this trek to look back on and regain my confidence. It might not be the most significant event of my life, but in my journey, this is a moment worth remembering.
After dinner, all of us went straight to bed. My body was exhausted, but memories had been made—regardless of the fact that I was alone.
After a great sleep, I woke up first and was already ready for the bus. I had a light breakfast and a final talk with didi, who explained how different the Panch Pokhari trail looks in monsoon and spring.
I’d love to visit again—maybe with some new friends or old ones. But for now, there are plenty of other places I need to go.
My mission to travel to all 77 districts of Nepal continues.
Soon enough, we got into the bus, waving goodbye to Chhimti, Panch Pokhari, and Sindhupalchowk.
This time, I had the right-side window seat, sitting beside an old man. I didn’t speak a word to him at first. I was lost in my own thoughts, still praying for a safe journey home, while listening to my favorite songs.
We eventually reached Melamchi, where I dropped off to visit the same old hotel I had stopped by on Day 1. The same dai was there, but there wasn’t much conversation—just a silent fulfillment of a promise I had made to myself.
After a plate of Mo:Mo:, I got back on the bus, where the old man was still sitting. This time, I shared my story with him.
He was surprised that I had gone there alone and come back safely. But more than that, he looked happy listening to my story, which in turn gave me a little joy. He then shared his own experiences of Panch Pokhari. I listened carefully.
Once the bus roared toward Kathmandu, we stopped talking, and the same routine followed.
I was happy. Happy that I completed a trip all alone. But more than that, I was happy that I had created a memory with myself.
Since the bus had some issues, it took nearly 7 hours to reach Kathmandu. I dropped off at Jorpati, waved a final goodbye to the boys, and booked an Indrive to get home.
But this Indrive ride? Absolute nightmare.
I don’t even know if the guy had a license, because bro was in a super rush—almost leading to accidents multiple times. As a rider myself, and knowing how crazy the Jorpati-Chabahil traffic is, I personally had to signal multiple vehicles to slow down because this guy wasn’t.
It wasn’t about driving fast. It was about not driving safe.
I had already heard stories about Indrive—women feeling unsafe, reckless drivers, and so on. And today, I personally experienced it. Maybe Indrive should revise its policies because they’re letting anyone ride/drive. Even if the ride is safe, you have to become their guide. Not professional at all.
I usually don’t bring up business names here, but every passenger’s safety is important. If anyone reading this has connections with Indrive, I hope you address this issue. Because if things keep going like this, I would never recommend this app to anyone.
But let’s end this rant here.
I reached home safely—thanks to all the prayers from Panch Pokhari’s Shiva Temple.
My dog, Ben, was obviously the happiest to see me. I then shared my entire experience with my mom and dad, and even they were amazed that I had done it all on my own.
As I entered my room, I reflected on the thoughts I had before starting this trek versus the thoughts I had now. It was so different. I felt confident. Motivated. Happy. And completely at peace.
If there’s one thing I’d say to you, it’s this—go on a solo trip. At least once in your life.
Go somewhere remote, far where you don’t have to use the phone you’re holding right now, and just be with yourself. Discover yourself. Learn to make decisions and embrace mistakes. Feel the nature.
But remember to be safe. Go slow but take the right steps. Make memories—ones that are just yours.
Because at the end of the day, you are your own boss. Your own savior. Your own friend. And your own love.
As they say—you came to this world alone, and you’ll go alone. So make sure you live life doing what makes you happy, while still being kind to others and not being a trouble in anyone’s life.
And if you’re reading this from outside Nepal, well—Travel Nepal Today!
What to read next: The Phoksundo Lake Trip where strangers turned into friends!
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