Trek Day 1: Turns Out I'm Not Invincible // The Prettiest Country in the World // Drunk on the Top of a Bus

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Yesterday on our way to Monkey Temple I got hit in the head pretty hard by a metal thing that was in my way as I was moving out of the way of a car driver who was about to run over my foot. It started to bled a little, normally I do not care but it was the first time I ever bled from the head and I was in a foreign land, sometimes insurances scam you with loop holes which means I may have had to incur so many hospital bills, I didn't even know where a hospital was, or what if I passed out or worse died and my dad found out I lied about being alone! All that was going through my head for a tiny scrape that shed a tiny drop of blood that turned into a tiny bump. I think I just had a moment where I was beginning to realize that shit can happen everywhere and maybe I won't be invincible no matter where I go. That was reaffirmed as we are making our way up to Arughat (the base city for the trek in Manasalu) and along the way we saw a bus from India that flipped over and fell off the side of the mountain killing everyone. It was apparently common because of the twists and turns of these narrow mountain paths.... I was going to fly to India and take a bus up to the Himalayans in Nepal so it hit me hard. Now I am getting nervous for the trek.

Other than that, today was BEEE-AUUU-TI-FUL! I am now in Arguhat and super tired. It's only 7pm but I'm going to bed. Today we took a 6hr bus ride here and it was playing Indian and Nepali music the whole time. The front of the buses have cushions to sit and vendors come in at random stops and will get off much later, it is also super crowded and hot in there, much different than what I am used to! It was so crowded so we went and sat on the rooftop for 2 hours and Nepalese men offered us some rice wine. Everyone was super friendly and this is the most breath taking country side I have ever seen. There is these "ledges" int he mountain for farming and so many sheep, cows, and hard working villagers along the way. I had so many good things to say but I am so tired now 😞 There is no electricity here and I had to squat-poop lol. l I am worried climbing will be hard and that I will be cold, but I am sure it will get easier with each passing day.

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