Why I am here part 3

'Dude, what do you mean you are going to India. Why didn't you tell me?'

'I am telling you Mark, right now'.

'But, but, you knew I wanted to come Nepal and do a trek with you. Why didn't you tell me before?'

'Well I haven't even booked the flights yet. I don't really know where I am going or what I am doing. If you really want to meet in Nepal still, then I can do that'.

We were in a bohemian coffee shop in the Lanes in Brighton in June 2011. It was decorated entirely with objects rescued from skips. Badly stuffed animals rubbed shoulders with paintings from the sixties, tables made of doors, an old pianola in the corner.

'Look, I went with Lisa two years ago, and had the time of my life. We toured round the world, Australia, Thailand, New Zealand. Our last stop was Nepal, and it blew away everything else.

'We went to Pokhara and did a trek in the Annapurna National Park. It was the most demanding beautiful thing I have ever done. Physically it almost killed me, but the views were amazing. We would stay in tea houses. They are very basic, just a bed and simple food, perhaps a bit of local rum at night, but that is all you need.

'I want to do Everest. I want to go to the Base Camp. I have been thinking about this since we left last time. It will be utterly amazing. Harder than anything you have ever done.

'I can get three weeks off in December. Lisa is going to the states for Thanksgiving with her family. You have to meet me in Kathmandu, dude. You just have too'.

I had always put off Nepal. People had raved about it so much, saying what a relief it was after India, that I didn't want to like it.

But climbing Everest after motorcycling around India would be a perfect ending to my trip. If I couldn't find a new direction in my life, new meaning, enlightenment, spiritual satisfaction, or whatever the hell I was searching for, then I would not be able to find it anywhere. It could easily work with the very sketchy plans that I had.

'Ok fella! I'm in! Lets do it!'

'Great! I will organise everything. We will use the same company, the same guide, Indra, as I used last time, we will stay in the same hotel. It will be easy'.

The plans from then on were simple to make. 'Kathmandu, 26th of November. Hotel Utse. Think you can remember that?'

'No but I am sure you can remind me by email'.

We were both giddy with excitement about the adventure.

'This will be the trip of a lifetime dude. I promise you will not regret this'.

Two weeks after I had arrived in India, I had a short email from Mark. 'The thought of this trek is keeping me sane. Hotel Utse, 26th November. Don't die on me. I NEED this trip'.

Looked like Mark would be searching for something too.