Deepak

'I really like stories. If there are any on the way, I would like to hear them'.

'What kind of stories?' Deepak asked.

'Oh any kind. Legends, myths, stories about the people'.

Deepak thought for a while. 'I don't know so many myself. But maybe where we are going....' he trailed off.

'Oh I am sure you do. What about you? Whats your story. Tell me about your life'.

'Me? What do you want to know about me!' He seemed surprised.

'Tell me about where you grew up. When you were young'.

He thought for a while. We were on a local bus headed for the Panchesi valley where would start our three day walk.

'I grew up in a village in the Everest region. There was no electricity. I was shephard, everyday take the sheep and goats and cattle up to graze. I am forty years now, so this was a long time ago.

'My father was quite poor. Sometimes we didn't have enough to eat. He would beat my mother.

'I used to walk an hour and a half each day to school. All uphill, and we walk very fast!.

'One day, a friend said to me lets go to Kathmandu. I must have been about twelve. I had had enough of the village, so I ran away.

'I got a job in a tea shop. He said he would pay me 50 rupees a month. I cleaned and I cooked, and I slept in the shop.

'Two years I was there, but he never paid me. I asked once or twice, but he said 'you eat, you sleep here. That is enough'.

I talked to one of the customers, he was a trekking guide. They would come in the shop sometimes. He said work for another month, and if he still hasn't paid you, then I will try and find you a job as a porter.

'So I worked another month, and he still didn't pay me. So one day my brother came into the shop. He demanded that I get my pay. If not, we go straight to the Police. He paid me 1200 rupees, for two years work, and I went to the trekking guide.

'At first he gave me lighter loads, I was still very young. But I worked hard and got promotion. Sherpa, then an assistant guide. A Sherpa puts up the tent very quickly, and guards at night.

'Eight years doing this then I do training to be a guide. I have to do a course, learn about climbing, first aid, altitude sickness, what to do.

'By then I had moved to Pokhara. I did treks all over Nepal. At first always through a company but now I have private clients too.

'These days I prefer just the shorter ones. Three days, four days. I have a wife and 2 children. You want to see picture? Six years old, and one and a half. but so noisy!?

'Do I miss the village? No, not really. Because of trekking I still see the mountains and have the quiet too.

Do you know about caste in Nepal? I am Chittri. This is second highest caste. We often are soldiers, or civil servants. The highest caste is Brahmin. Others are like blacksmith or tailor. When the children ask you for something they are usually from this caste.

'Arrangeed marriages? Yes a lot. I am married ten years, my wifes father is a teacher and he arranged with my father. She looks after the children whilst I go trekking!

'Ok, we are here now, we begin the walk'