Exploring the Heart of Nepal: A Memorable Trip

Yes, you got it! Once upon a time in Nepal, there was an office trip filled with lasting memories of entertainment, excitement, and pure enjoyment. Meeting goals, meeting deadlines, and attending meetings are routine in any corporate team, but everyone needs a breather.

At WPVibes, our team was looking forward to a break from computers, coding, and the daily workload. Our awesome boss had a surprise up their sleeve, and this time, it was an office trip to Nepal, located in the Himalayas and contains eight of the world’s ten highest peaks.

Like everyone else, our team sometimes gets tired of the same old routine and feels low. We all strongly desire to travel to a peaceful spot in nature – where we can connect with our inner selves, far from the hustle of city life.

On Friday morning at work, the buzz was all about planning our trip. We were busy discussing what to pack, searching the internet for the best places to visit in Nepal, and especially checking Nepal’s current weather since we were excited about rafting and making the most of our time there.

Significance of Team Outing

Team outings are incredibly beneficial for various reasons, such as making stronger connections and creating memorable experiences. Here are some key advantages of team outings, explained in simple points:

• Building Bonds: Team outings bring team members closer together. They provide a relaxed environment where colleagues can interact outside the usual work setting. It helps to build trust among team members.
• Face Reveal: Team outings often lead to a “face reveal.” In a corporate context, this means getting to know your colleagues more personally. You might discover shared hobbies, interests, or funny quirks you wouldn’t have noticed in the office.
• Personal Interaction: These outings offer a unique opportunity for personal interaction. Away from the pressures of work, team members can engage in conversations, share stories, and learn more about each other’s lives outside of the office.
• Creating Lasting Memories: Team outings are memorable experiences that leave a lasting impression. Whether it’s a thrilling adventure, a fun game, or a heartwarming conversation, these moments become cherished memories that team members carry.
• Reducing Stress: Stepping away from the office environment and engaging in enjoyable activities helps reduce stress and refreshes team members. It’s a chance to relax and enjoy.

Destination Discovery: Eat, Travel, Have Fun, Relax, and Repeat

Our journey was about discovering new places, enjoying delicious food, traveling to exciting destinations, having loads of fun, relaxing, and doing it all over again. It was a cycle of adventure and enjoyment that made our trip truly memorable. Here is the overview of the journey.

1. Journey Begins(10 Sep)

Our adventure began at 2:30 AM when it was still dark outside. We all woke up to a loud “chug” and “chuff” sound. Some of us were wide awake, while others were still half-asleep. A few of us were busy on our phones, some peacefully sleeping, and some were lost in their thoughts.

As we started our journey, it felt like the night was beginning, and we were full of energy. One of our team members had long hair, and she decided to have some fun by scaring the rest of us with it. Meanwhile, a stranger passing by took the opportunity to give one of our team members a lecture about using mobile phones. It was a mix of excitement and surprises.

At 9:10 AM, we arrived at Delhi Cantt. From there, we quickly booked a cab to get to Delhi Airport. Our flight was scheduled for 1:30 PM, and we needed to be at the airport three hours in advance, so we arrived on time and completed the check-in process.

While waiting for our flight, we met a friendly lady from Nepal who’s married and lives in Punjab. We had a friendly chat with her. When we reached Kathmandu at 3:30 PM, she kindly helped some of our team members get a free SIM card for their phones using her passport.

2. Exploring Kathmandu(10 Sep)

Our tour guide came to the airport to pick us up and drive us to the hotel. Once we arrived at the hotel, we checked in, and the friendly hotel staff welcomed us with refreshing pineapple juice. Our room was fantastic and spotlessly clean.

Then, we met up with our two members who were already there to attend Wordcamp Kathmandu.

Afterward, we freshened up with a nice bath and visited the Pashupatinath Temple. While we were exploring the temple and finishing our visit, heavy rain suddenly started pouring down. Sadly, we couldn’t explore the nearby market because of the rain. We sought shelter in a nearby shop, hoping the rain would stop, but it didn’t.

To make our trip memorable, we came up with a unique idea. We asked the shopkeeper if they had any plastic bags, and luckily, they did. So, we all put plastic bags on our heads to keep them dry and hopped on a bus to return to the hotel.

Once we changed into dry clothes, we enjoyed a delicious dinner and returned to our room. We played UNO until midnight before finally getting some rest to pass the time.

3. Short Rafting Adventures & Camping(11 Sep)

Good morning in Kathmandu! We had breakfast at the hotel and got ready for a rafting adventure. We took a bus to the starting point called Charaudi. There, we met our rafting guide, who was helpful. He explained safety rules and the terms used in rafting. We all put on life jackets and helmets to stay safe.

At first, some of our friends who were trying rafting for the first time were a bit scared, but once we started rafting and followed our guide’s instructions, the fear disappeared, and we had a blast. We went rafting for 12 kilometers in the Trishulli River. We faced exciting rapids like Butterfly, Surprise, Pinball Rapid, and more during the ride. We were thrilled and enjoyed every moment. The guide suggested that we could hang onto a rope and be pulled into the river from the boat. This experience was really enjoyable.

After rafting, we took a short tracking walk to our tents, changed our clothes, and had lunch with some coffee. Then, we headed to the riverside, singing songs and dancing. We had so much fun but also got tired, so we had dinner and returned to our rooms to rest.

4. Wide Rafting & Journey to Pokhara(12 Sep)

At 5 AM, we all woke up and headed to the riverside. We prepared tea and breakfast, which was Aloo ka Paratha. It was an exciting experience because some of our group members were cooking for the first time, and some girls were mentoring them.

We faced some challenges while making breakfast because the place we were staying didn’t have all the ingredients we needed. They also didn’t have a proper rolling pin(belan), so they used a pipe to make chapatis and parathas. Despite these challenges, we managed to cook and had a lot of fun.

After breakfast, we changed into our rafting clothes and got ready to paddle. Our rafting guide gave us some tips, and we enjoyed a 15km rafting adventure. Later, we had a unique experience riding on an open truck and crossing a river on a bridge.

After arriving at the hotel, we changed our clothes, took a bath, and met our driver. Following that, we had lunch, and then we got ready to head to Pokhara, which was a long journey lasting about 4-5 hours. Upon reaching Pokhara, we checked into our hotel. Everyone was tired after the lengthy trip, so we decided to rest after enjoying a tasty dinner.

5. Rise & Shine(13 Sep)

We woke up early at 4 am and drove from Pokhara to Sarangkot at 5 am to view the sunrise. It was a breathtaking experience as we got to see stunning mountain views, including Mt Annapurna and Mt Fishtail, etc.

Afterward, we returned to our hotel for rest and then got ready to explore the places in Pokhara. We visited places like Davis Falls, Gupteshor Mahadev cave, and Tal Barahi temple. We enjoyed boating, walked near waterfalls, and took some time to wander around the local market.

We also visited the Wish Pond. At the pond, each of us tried our luck by tossing a coin into the water near the Ma Statue. The strategy was that if someone’s coin landed on the statue, their wish would be fulfilled first.

After the Wish Pond visit, we returned to the hotel for some rest and relaxation. Later in the evening, we explored the local market, playing Uno and Ludo. We had dinner and, finally, packed our bags for the next part of our adventure.

6. Chitwan Safari & Cultural Experience(14 Sep)

In the morning, at 5 am, we left Pokhara to go to Chitwan, which took us around 3-4 hours on the bus. During the ride, we played a fun game and enjoyed eating an apple.

Once we reached the hotel, we quickly freshened up by taking a shower and had some refreshing juice. Afterward, we had a delicious lunch.

After our meal, we got ready for an exciting Jeep Safari adventure. During the safari, we were lucky to spot many animals like rhinoceros, tigers, deer, crocodiles, and even the rare Gavialis gangeticus.

When we returned to the hotel, we attended a cultural program in the evening. We had a great time watching the performances, and at the end, we even joined in the dancing.

Later, we had a tasty dinner and continued the fun by playing Uno and Antakshri games. It was a wonderful day full of adventure and entertainment.

7. Return to Kathmandu(15 Sep)

After breakfast, we left the hotel at 7 AM and traveled for 6 hours easily. We had fun on the bus, singing songs and playing games, and then we arrived in Kathmandu. We checked in to the hotel, freshened up, and took a short break.

After the break, we were ready to explore local places like Boudhanath Stupa and Patan Durbar.

We all had the freedom to do what we wanted, with some members going shopping and others meeting their relatives. Later, we visited the market and went shopping, where we enjoyed bargaining, which is a common habit among Indians.

After shopping, we went to a restaurant where we tried spicy momos and soft drinks. Then, we couldn’t resist an ice cream parlor, so we all tried different flavors and finally decided on our favorite. On our way back to the hotel, the streets were bustling with people at night.

When we returned to the hotel, some of our team members made Instagram reels. Then, we changed our clothes and packed our bags to return to Bharat(India).

8. Back to Bharat(16 SEP)

Saying goodbye is always tough, but it’s a part of our schedule, and so we had to bid farewell to the beautiful country of Nepal. We left our hotel at 8 am and took a bus to Kathmandu airport. Our flight was scheduled for 9:30 am, and luckily, the pilot managed to reach Delhi airport 30 minutes ahead of time. Once we arrived in Delhi Cantt, we were all quite hungry, so we ordered some pizza and cold drinks at the station. It was a delightful treat, and we all enjoyed it.

Our train was a bit delayed, departing at 4 PM instead of the scheduled time. When the train finally arrived, we all found our seats and settled in. On the train, we played games like UNO and Antakshari to pass the time. Some of our group members even took a nap.

Late at night, around 11:30 PM, we finally reached our respective homes, and that’s when our trip came to an end. We had created lasting memories throughout our journey.

Our Team’s Trip Experience

Some of our team members shared their experiences regarding this trip: