Finale

My journey to Bhutan has given me strength, resilience and makes me accept good things with grace and unpleasant things with equanimity. I'm neither religious nor philosophical, but witnessing the humble trek guide and his assistant, accepting all challenges through this weathered and unpredictable climate, it makes me think how inhumane city dwellers or we foreigners were. They were the first to rise and last to turn in to bed, they had selflessly provided everything they could to keep us warm, setting up camps and tents, from preparing all meals to fetching filtered stream water, let alone carrying all camp equipment, food supply and tents. One commented that the guides are used to it and besides we'd paid for their services. As seasoned and experienced as they were, all of us were unprepared for the drastic weather that made our trekking undesirable. These guides are as human as we are and yet I felt imminently horrified that none of us even showed any sense of empathy but we were only concerned about everything that caters to the safety and comfort of our own.

On my first day, I crave for challenges that my comfy life does not entail and promise that I will be back for more again. On day two, I pondered realistically the chance of joining this tough condition, both coping with cultural and physical demands. On day three, I doubted even a hint of possibility that I will ever be here again to experience the bare minimal life has to offer for survival. By day four, I was utterly convinced that not a chance that I will ever step foot into this kingdom again.