Given that this was my second time here, I wanted to attempt the ABC trek alone, but a recent pneumonia scare and a knee injury a couple of months back made me rethink my initial decision.
Meet Yaksha Kumar, my trekking guide from Destination Unlimited Treks, without whom- I couldn't have done it all. His concerns are careful, and even painstaking, but never pedantic. He is silly, honest and kind - a combination of forgotten virtues in today's dog-eat-dog world. He surprises me with local fruits from his bag-pack every now and then, and I try to return the favour with snickers and yogurt bars, which are lame processed rubbish compared to what he offers. He says I exude a melancholic disposition, and I suppose that's why his sunny disposition can be very welcoming when the trek gets challenging.
Ashok, the owner, has been very kind and patient in dealing with my questions and requests before and during the trek. He is not a 'business-man', he is a friend, and for this - I will call him again when I return to Nepal to attempt the EBC in 2019.