My most memorable journey was on August 19, 2006. The government had announced a hike in price of all petroleum products. That day I was scheduled to fly to Hong Kong and had to reach the airport before 10:00 am as my flight was at 11:00 am. However, I did not know there was a strike and when I reached the road, I could find no taxis. I had no option but to walk to the airport, which I reached airport at 11:30 am. I was sure I had missed the plane. But to my surprise, I had not. Later I found out the pilot had also faced the same problem and reached the airport at around 12.15 pm, and the plane took off at 12.30 pm.

— BB Khanal

The journey that I undertook 20 years ago is still fresh on my mind. I was coming to Kathmandu with my elder brother to pursue higher studies as I had finished grade five. The Kalu Pande Highway was blacktopped then and there was no transportation facility, we came here on foot. My brother was carrying a gundri and I was carrying some utensils. The journey was very tiresome. However, it started my journey towards progress and prosperity.

— Eak Prasad Duwadi

I suffer from motor sickness. Despite this predicament, I undertook a wonderful journey last July when I eloped with my boyfriend to Darjeeling. The journey was supposed to be around 14 hours, and I was worried about getting caught and and travel sickness. But I had no chance to get sick — when we reached Sarlahi at night, there was a curfew. So, we had to wait till morning and we got to know that there was a three-day bandh. There was very no proper place to eat and we couldn’t sleep because of the heat and tension. Next day security personnel agreed to escort the vehicle and the journey continued. We were very worried throughout the whole journey about being found out. But nothing of that sort happened and we reached our destination. Though that was a very chaotic journey, I cherish the memories because it led me to my new life.

— Emann Yolmo Dillibazar, Kathmandu

I was returning home after completing my studies in India and was on the bus to Pokhara from Kakarbhitta. Near Birtamod we were made to carry our luggage hanging from our necks as police refused to allow us to lift our bags with our hands and made us cross the check point on foot arms raised high above our heads like criminals.

— Kashi Gurung,

Nepalgunj

Our school’s tour to eastern Nepal was memorable. The funniest part of our journey was that during lunch at Itahari we were given sugar instead of salt for our daal, and salt instead of sugar for our curd. Due to this we ate around 100 ladoos and lal mohans with the hotelier’s consent.

— Rabindra Shrestha

My girlfriend and I were on a date at Kankai river when we decided to take a swim. I was nearly swept away, which left my girlfriend in panic. However, I am alive today to write here that everything that day was a mess except the feeling that I was the king of her heart, and she my queen.

— Manish

In 2000, I was travelling back to Kathmandu from Copenhagen via Vienna by Lauda Air. The flight had already crossed the Black Sea when the captain announced we were going to Istanbul, Turkey due to some technical problem. At Istanbul, the American and European passengers were allowed to leave the airport, while the rest of us from Asia and east Europe were denied. After a couple of hours of this humiliating situation, the captain succeeded in taking us to a hotel after surrendering our passports to the immigration authority. The plane would be repaired and the flight would resume in the evening. That day we went sightseeing and came back in time for the flight never realising in what soup we would have been in had we been caught roaming Istabul’s streets without passports. We boarded the plane, and again the captain announced we were going back to Vienna. This time, the passengers got frightened. The plane landed safely at Vienna airport, and the airline staff received us with lot of sweets, fruits and drinks. We boarded a new plane and arrived safely in Kathmandu.

— Hira Kaji Manandhar, Senior scientist, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Kathamndu