IA PRACTICE JOURNEY

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a program for young people aged 14 to 24 that helps us learn new skills and grow through fun and challenging activities. There are four parts: Volunteering, Skills, Physical activities, and an Adventurous Journey, with three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. It started in the UK in 1956 by Prince Philip and is known all around the world.

For our practice journey, we went to Chitlang, a beautiful village not far from Kathmandu. It is surrounded by hills, farms, and forests, so it was a great place to enjoy nature and fresh air. During the trip, I walked long trails and learned about the local culture. This helped me grow more confident and independent, which is what the Award teaches us.

We started our journey from Thankot and headed towards the hills. After some road walking, we began hiking. Everyone was excited from the beginning. Luckily, the weather was perfect – not too sunny or rainy but cloudy and windy. The view from the hills was amazing and we stopped many times to take pictures. We hiked for about 1 to 2 hours. The path was not too hard, and the weather was nice. At around 11:45 am, we stopped near "Babu Adventure Camp" for lunch. Even though the area wasn’t perfect because of mosquitoes and leeches, we learned to enjoy and survive through it. Everyone’s homemade lunch was tasty and special. After resting a little, we continued walking. We stopped by waterfalls and rivers with cold, clear water and took more pictures. Soon, we saw many green fields, old houses, and historical places which meant we had reached Chitlang. We reached the Chitlang Organic Village Resort. It was an eco-friendly place where even soda cans were used as art. After resting and eating snacks, we got ready to explore. We walked through fields and met friendly local farmers. At the first Goat Cheese Factory in Nepal, we listened to Mr. Ashok Kumar Thakur, who started the factory by himself. He told us about his struggles since he didn’t get help from the government but kept trying for Nepal. His story was very inspiring. We learned how cheese is made and bought some soft cheese to taste. We also visited Swachchanda Bhairab Secondary School and learned about the history of the Rana Dynasty.

After exploring the village and nature, we went to Satdhara – stone taps where water flows naturally. It was fun and unforgettable. Later, back at the resort, we cooked our own food by dividing tasks and working together. It was fun and a good learning experience. We also presented what we learned to the staff who helped us. That night, we sat around a bonfire, talked about our trip, sang, and danced before going to bed. Next morning, we felt fresh and played games like ludo, table tennis, and swing. After breakfast, we started a new hike. This time, the sun was out and the road was harder to walk on, but the view made it worth it. We had to take medicine for allergies and rest sometimes, but it was worth it when we reached a cold waterfall. We enjoyed and relaxed there before heading back to the resort. After lunch, we packed up and said goodbye to Chitlang, knowing we would miss it a lot.

This trip was important because it challenged us to work hard, be independent, and enjoy nature. It helped us learn teamwork, patience, and respect for local culture and the environment. We also saw how people in the village work hard to make their life better. These kinds of journeys help young people develop important skills that we will need in the future. The fun and challenges will always be special to me. When we left Chitlang, we all knew we can't forget this journey.