Who doesn’t love traveling? Who doesn’t love to click pictures with mountain or with legs dipped in a lake and enjoy calling the remembrance of the place? It’s a universal truth that adventures fill the soul. Wallace Stevens, who wrote ‘Harmonium’, once said, “The most beautiful in the world is, of course, the world itself.” As beautiful things don’t ask for an attention, it’s on the people to explore the wonders of the world.
Despite the pollution and the social injustices, Nepal is one of the best destinations for the people to travel. As #VisitNepal2020 works are running, promotion to the domestic places are equally going. There are lots of travelers who are helping to the goal directly or indirectly. Rishav Adhikari aka Shutter Psycho is one of those avid travelers. He travels and shares his followers on his social media about the stories of his exploration to the secrets of Nepal. He introduces himself as someone who is traveling somewhere all the time. During a chat with MyCity, he shared his experiences and thoughts about his adventure:
1. Why do you travel? What drew you into it?
I was addicted, I would say. Once you have tasted the wild air, adventure, that adrenaline rush and the freedom of being alive, that draws you to the exploration. And you can’t stop. That did to me. I have seen things and I know there is so much more to see out there.
2. According to the places you have traveled, how beautifully diverse is Nepal?
I don’t think you will see a country as diverse as ours. For every kilometer you go, either north or south, there is a variety of everything: culture, tradition, landscapes, flora, and fauna. You could see from Snow Leopards in the mountain to Bengal tiger in Terai. I think that speaks much about diversity of our country.
3. What least explored places have you visited so far?
Poor and vulnerable
Upper Dolpo, Tsho Rolpa and Paanchpokhari from Ramechhap are those places. Many don’t even know there are two (that I know of) Paanchpokhari. One is at Sindhupalchok another one is at Ramechhap.
4. Do stories of the places inspire you?
Always! It’s a new world out there. There are people from places you don’t know of. We don’t know their sacrifice, their struggle and pain. And to reach and hearing their stories is always inspiring.
5. What does it take to travelling places?
To travel, all it requires is the will power. One the grounds that I have traveled around the country, I have felt that one should have that strong desire. You should know that you want to do it.
6. As a traveler, do you think money as a problem to explore?
You do need money, that's a true thing. But if your heart is set for traveling, you will travel with or without money. You will find a way. As per my experience I used to travel at my own expenses at first but later when I got a hold of it, I turned my passion into kind of a profession. Now, I travel for different clients to different places for photos and videos. And when I have money, I go solo.
7. What challenges sustain in exposure of the travel-places? How can those get an exposure?
In this age of social media, photos and videos speak aloud and I think that’s where we lack at the moment. There is not much information available for the travelers to travel if they want to go a route less explored. So with the use of social media, photo, video, travel articles and providing required information, we will rock as a travel country.
8. Which is your favorite travel memory?
The day I reached Annapurna Base Camp, it was snowing from morning to late night. With no view to see due to poor visibility, I could not set my alarm. When you are in high altitude, it’s hard to have sound sleep. Around 1 AM at night, I woke up. I looked outside the window of my lodge and I saw a bright light. Without putting on my glass, I couldn't know what it was. Had my glass on, looked outside. Darn! Those were stars. Then, I laced my boots, grabbed my gears and got out in freezing -10°C weather. Found a good location, started taking photographs.
Mountains were looking beautiful with bright shining stars above them. I looked around, and could find only mountains and stars. And in that odd hour of night, I was taking a star trail shot and suddenly, I saw shooting stars right above the Machapuchre. That vanished in a split second. Seeing the universe there at the moment, tears rolled down by my cheeks and I cried that night in the mountains at the feet of the universe.
