We began our trek in a small town, Birethani. Our guide, whose name I had forgotten, told me the name of the town as we started walking. I promptly forgot it.
Nepal 61: First Steps
annapurna
Nepal 60: Towards Annapurna
The Malaysian and I split the cab fare— $15 each, or so, which felt a little steep in Nepal. But seeing as the cabbie had just driven us for an hour and a half into the mountains, we weren’t really in any position to argue.
And considering one can drop $15 at Starbucks if they’re not careful, it seemed silly to be upset.
As I stepped out of the taxi, I couldn’t help but realize: here I am.
I was in the Himalayas.
Nepal 59: An Awkward Taxi Ride
The taxi ride was a little awkward.
There were four of us. The driver spoke no English, as far as I could tell. Our trekking guide sat up front, occasionally chatting with the driver in their native tongue. I shared the backseat with a small Malaysian man. We had all introduced ourselves, but the names were foreign, and hadn’t stuck.
For all intents and purposes, I was in a car with three strangers, heading for the remote mountains of Nepal.
Nepal 58: Leaving Pokhara
I didn’t sleep well the night before my trek.
Anxiety kept me from falling asleep, and when I finally did fall asleep, I kept waking up with an irritated stomach—a physical manifestation of the anxiety I felt.
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