Kathmandu, March 15 -- For the first 30 minutes of the hike from Jagdol, Kapan to Tarebhir Village, a Tamang village in the foothills of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, the trail was all uphill. The view around me was obscured by the trunks of pine trees and the view above by swaying pine needles. I could still see the motorable road that I had left behind. and the higher I climbed, the fainter the sounds of civilisation got.

Soon, the only sounds I could hear were the rustle of pine needles, the soft crunch of dead leaves and prayer flags-hundreds of them-fluttering in the wind. A little over 30 minutes ago, I was in Boudha, navigating the traffic, engulfed by dust and a cacophony of motor vehicles.

The day before, Tashi, a dear frie...