To paraphrase Joseph Campbell, sometimes we must be willing to get rid of the trip we’ve planned so as to have the trip that is waiting for us.  

And so as you may have detected I was quite disappointed in leaving the trip. I was depressed at my body failing, depressed at my thoughts. I was making up excuses blaming lots of things, feeling I had been abandoned not only by me but others, of which none was true and I knew it, but being human was trying to place blame anywhere but me. The above quote came from a dear friend who wrote me and it made me realize we do not always know our path, but it is our path and the choices we make determine future paths. Not much reason to get upset over the natural flow of things. 

Anyway I had a good time while the group was gone, and I was alone, and as noted usually I like being alone, but this time I was not prepared for it. 

Jeanne had wanted me to come home as obviously the trip was over for me. But I felt I had come all this way there was something here. When Rien came in after injuring his shoulder he left soon as he wanted to get his shoulder checked at home in the Netherlands. He had good reason to get home.  I felt good having once descended I was fine. 

And I am so happy I stayed. Not only did I get a good trip bicycling up to Tatopani and return, but when the group returned the day after I returned, they immediately came to my room and checked on me. It was like I had never left the trip despite having skipped 16 of 24 days. We shared stories and compared notes. I felt a part. It felt good. Up until then I had been unable to listen to stories of the Mustang area, or even read their Facebook accounts, it hurt too much. But when they returned I wanted all their stories. 

Turns out their stories included my episode at altitude, and having listened to them I realize I could not have gone on. It was a horrible decision but the right one to depart and descend. I was sick. Apparently not only could I not breath although my oxygen saturation was normal for that altitude(84%), but I could not walk a straight line heel to toe.   

For a different viewpoint read Buck’s blog Buck’s blog not only is he a very good writer but his perspective is different which is often good. The one entitled high country riding is his version of my demise. 

But a great dinner together and then people depart. The trip is over and a memory.  

I was unable to get reservation for flights out until Friday night when setting up this trip, so have hung out in pokhara, as it is more pleasant than Kathmandu. Michelle,  Chad, James, and Paul left Monday morning leaving Buck, Bridget and myself. Buck and Bridget left this morning Wednesday for a 8 day trek to Annapurna base camp. 

Tuesday Bridget, buck and I did a great trek up to world heritage site of world peace Buddhist stupa,which was great and impressive. Glad we had seen Junga the night before, as he said we could take a boat across lake and trek rather than taxi in car around and up (Junga was our bike guide on the trip) we left about 8:30 am but still sweat rolled off us as we ascended through the jungle. It seems there are no flat trails here. 

Talking with Jeanne today. (Wednesday) we were reviewing my schedule and realized I leave Thursday nite not Friday nite. Am very glad I do not schedule tight connections as I would have shown up Friday night at Kathmandu airport and discovered my flight left the night before. 

Met a fellow Anchorage traveller this am, got a haircut, tried to find glaucoma medicines at pharamcies here but that seems a first world medicine and no one had any medicines for it here. Alas. I must go back and pay first world prices. 

And so it has again been a grand adventure. The future has moved into the present and the present has moved into the past. It is a constant ongoing process, never ending.