Impressions

In hindsight, I could have spent endless weeks climbing the staircases of Gurung country. Fuelled with the staples of potato and rice, spurred on by tantalising glimpses of Himalayan peaks, encouraged by the welcoming smiles of local people, life becomes a mantra. The worries we surround ourselves with at home vanish in a short time. There are no possesions to think about except what can fit in a rucksack. Housework is reduced to packing a bag and rinsing a few pieces of clothing. The layers of defence which we build up against the onslaught of stimulation in city life drop away and a flood of new sensations are let in. Smells, sounds and sights of nature which are around us all the time finally become apparent. The simple and open nature of the local people is refreshingly honest.

In the time between acclimatising to this mountain serenity and the point when the isolation from home comforts begins to nag there is a period of tranquility. The trick is to know when to stop.

Acclimatising, for an already experienced walker, does not involve breaking in the boots, or hardening the blisters. Instead it is the slow process of realising that the reason for travelling to Nepal may not in fact be the right one. In the first few days there are schedules. Guide books recommend routes, suggest timings, regulate the trip. Former travellers boast of their performance. Fellow travellers need to prove their ability. Future travellers must be impressed by your stories. There is a mountain to be climbed.