Incognito.. but not really.

On the third night of our trek going up the Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal, 4,130m above sea-level, 4,130 reasons why I shouldn't have taken this trek came rushing to mind. First on the list is at that very moment, I was having difficulty breathing. My mind was hazy, my breath faint, and every sound or movement was like thunder and lightning crashing through my brain.
I was having a mild attack of altitude sickness, according to our very reliable Nepalese tour guide, Sanjib. If this was mild, I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy to experience a full blown altitude sickness.
This was by far, the most strenuous trip I had to take. In the same breath, however, it was the most exhilarating and satisfying to say the least. I had one reason going against my decision to leave it all behind, take up a backpack and do the trek, and 4,129 reasons why I made the right choice.
The luscious terrain of Annapurna was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. It wasn't just about the greens, although there sure was plenty of those. It was the rapid river flowing through boulders of rocks, hanging bridges decorated with colourful flags, llamas, herds of sheep, and water buffalos getting the right of way in a narrow strip of land, awe-inspiring sunrise and sunset views with the icy tip of the "fish tail" mountain in the background.
It was the smile in every porter's face - thought-provoking and captivating at the same time. How they can carry hundreds of kilos, almost two or three times their own weight, up and down those mountains and still manage to stay in front of people who carry nothing but a walking stick and a backpack lighter than cotton, still perplexes me. It was finding yourself in a beat up, overloaded KIA on the way down to the city proper with your heart racing faster than Vettel's engine because to your left, and one wrong swerve by the driver, is thousands of meters of nothingness. Except rocks.
As much as I'd hate to quote Miley Cyrus here, she was right - it's the climb. The view on top was breathtaking but the journey to get there was just as exciting and refreshing. Along the way we met different types of trekkers - novices, like us, professional climbers, marathoners (yes, they do a marathon up and down the mountain!!!), even medical professionals who devout time and effort to get to rural areas in the region for their annual medical mission.
There can be a thousand reasons to see this side of the world. Pick one. Pack up. And enjoy the climb.