BMG 2019 Grammarian Issue 4

11 During the September school holidays, thirteen students and four teachers embarked on a trip of a lifetime to explore Kathmandu and Pokhara in Nepal. This was the first time BMG has taken students to Nepal. The thirteen day trip had a non-stop itinerary, with a five day trek through the Annapurna Ranges on the Mardi Himal Conservation Trek, where we stayed in tents and tea houses, and experienced the beautiful lush mountainous landscape. The trek consisted of three days up the mountain and two days down, which required a lot of mental and physical strength. We had seven porters, five chefs, and three guides whose names were Bijay, Karma, and Kalsine, all of whom made the trip easier and the best it could be. As a team, we had a responsibility to not only become physically and mentally prepared for the journey, but to organise activities, meeting times, accommodation, the budget and more. It taught us life skills that we will all hold with us for our future independent travelling experiences. In preparation for this journey, the group went on many walks on the Werribee Gorge track, some High Intensity Interval Training at school, Peppertree Park training sessions and weekly team meetings to ensure we were physically and mentally up for the challenge. We tested our equipment with chilly nights in Daylesford and Mount Macedon, and received the seal of approval by our World Challenge leader, Marika, on our “Build Up” Day! BMG has linked with World Challenge to put together this life-changing experience which, hopefully, future BMG students may also participate in. As a school, we love being involved in charities and giving back to others less fortunate than ourselves, so as a part of our Nepal adventure we partnered with the ‘Seven Women’s Project’ and ‘Days for Girls’ . We all put together several packages that had practical, eco-friendly, sanitary products so that girls in Nepal could go to school all year round and receive the education that they rightly deserve. We took these packs over and delivered them to the ‘Days for Girls’ charity in Nepal which was such an amazing and rewarding experience. In the early days of the trip we did a cooking class to delve into the culture of Nepali food. We created dishes such as Dahl Bart, sticky rice pudding, soups and more! This teamwork driven class allowed us to quite literally get a taste of Nepal’s culture and cuisine. Towards the final leg of our trip, after we finished our hike, our team took part in whitewater rafting along the Trishuli River. We all met at a beautiful campsite at White Water Nepal right by the river, which was set up with tents for all of us to stay in for the night. Once we learnt the basics and safety of white rafting, we were all eager to jump into the crazy rapids of the river. Everyone was having a lot of fun, and we even had some fall in. Overall, the day was a lot of fun. The camp not only provided tents for all of us to stay in, but huge buffets with various foods to choose from for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The chef’s cooking was amazing and everyone thoroughly enjoyed each meal and the variety that we could choose from. All in all, we had an experience that we will all remember for the rest of our lives, where we forged new friendships, tried new things and stepped outside of our comfort zones. All of the physical and mental challenges made us into stronger and more independent individuals. From trekking in the mountains of Nepal to playing UNO with our trekking guides and porters, Nepal will be a trip that we, as a group, will cherish forever and hope that future Bacchus Marsh Grammar peers get to experience. Year 10 and 11 Students