I went on a trip in November 2025 (if I remember correctly). I am a very indoor-type person; I don’t meet new people or engage with many (not even my 2–3 friends). I am an introvert. It’s not that I don’t want to engage with people and have a good time, but I couldn’t let myself do that—I don’t know why. Since childhood, I have always been told not to make too many friends, not to go here and there, and so on. So going on that trip was somewhat a tough decision for me. AND I CHOSE TO GO!

I won’t go on yapping about the trip and all—it was fun, to be honest—but I want to share the experience I had while trekking the mountain.

Before I tell you about my experience, I must mention that this is not the first time I have gone trekking. I have been to Jammu & Kashmir (Vaishno Devi Temple, and many more places) multiple times with my family, but I was very young then, so I don’t remember much about it. During that time, I was quite an ignorant kid.

So now let’s talk about the trip I took in November 2025. The place was Parasnath, Jharkhand, India. There were 10 of us in total. We took a train from Asansol to Parasnath (no one got a seat, so we had to stand for three straight hours). After torturing our legs for three hours, we finally reached the station and had some chai. After that, we went out, took a cab, and drove to the starting point of the mountain.

Experience that I had!

I had the most beautiful experience. I didn’t care much about my friends—it was fine that they were with me—but while I was climbing, my mind became so clear. I could feel each and every moment; I could literally feel every step I took during that time. The air gets so clear up there—the fresh air. We started trekking at night, and after some time, when we reached a higher altitude, we could see the stars in the sky—so many stars that you can’t see with the naked eye in normal cities. I can’t put those things into words; it was such an unparalleled experience. During that time, I was literally shaking due to the cold, but still, I didn’t feel exhausted while trekking. It felt like something was pushing me from behind, saying…

Keep moving forward.

Although I did get exhausted while coming down, at that moment I was still thinking, “Why does the mountain have to end now? I wish it wouldn’t end.” To be honest, when I reached the end point, I didn’t feel anything. I was thinking, “That’s it? It’s over now?” At that particular moment, I realized that the journey is more fun than the destination. It’s the journey that makes the destination special and memorable.

I’m glad that I made the decision to go with them. Otherwise, I would have never experienced this.