Nepal is a land that carries a lot of weight. Seriously, almost two-thirds of the country is mountains, and eight of the world's tallest peaks are here, including Mount Everest, which is taller than a skyscraper!

          Carrying things is just part of life in Nepal, it's like a culture, a way of being.

          In the cities, you see people using rooftops for everything: kitchens, cafes, even rooftop seats on buses!

          In the mountains, people don't have cars or motorcycles, so they carry everything on their backs. Food, firewood, even things bigger than themselves!

          It doesn't matter if you're in the city or the mountains, you'll always see Nepali people carrying their kids on their shoulders. It's the safest and most comfortable way to travel for little ones.

          Nepali people are masters of carrying things. They use their shoulders, their backs, their heads, even their hands to hold things steady. They even use a strap across their forehead to help them carry heavy things, using their whole body to move the weight.

          I remember vividly my own clumsy attempt to emulate this grace. I'd arrived in a small mountain village, brimming with enthusiasm but woefully unprepared for the trails ahead. My backpack, packed with what I deemed “essentials," felt like a lead weight on my back after just a few hundred yards. I was huffing and puffing, struggling to keep pace with a woman who effortlessly carried a bundle of firewood twice the size of my pack. Her movements were fluid, almost balletic, a testament to years of carrying such items. It was then I understood; the act of carrying weight in Nepal wasn't just about physical strength, it was about balance, resilience, and an almost spiritual connection to the land. It was a lesson in humility and a profound appreciation for the strength of the Nepali people.

          The mountain paths are rough, sometimes easy, sometimes hard. When I got tired, I reminded myself to look up, to see the snowy mountains in the distance, shining like diamonds.

         The mountains seemed to smile at me, like they were saying, “Keep going!" And I realized that carrying weight is a kind of style, a way of being strong and graceful, even when it's hard.

          It's a beauty that only those who carry the weight know.