And yes, I don’t know when I’ll be back again.

I got some last minute shopping done to burn off the last little bit of Nepali money I have. I did keep a small amount as we collect currency from all the countries we have visited. The hustling and persistence of the shop keepers is quite annoying, but I also understand they are trying to make a living.

Sitting in the lobby of the hotel with a couple hours to burn, I have time to sit back and reflect upon this trip. I have been able to see and do things that I didn’t think I would ever be able to experience. There also have been many aspects of payment for this trip and there will be will more payment shortly; I’ve ignored home and a busy workplace for three weeks now. In both aspects there are those that have covered for me and I am very grateful for those people.  Yet there there will still be some pain in getting caught up and back on track. I can only think and hope that the experiences I bring back from Nepal and the Khumbu Valley long outlast the short term pain I will experience in that regard; I sincerely hope there are memories and things learned that will follow me the rest of my days.

The fact I ended up in Group 2 seems to have had a bit of higher intervention in itself. Group 2 was full as of Jan 17. Yet a slot opened up for me within weeks of my original commitment in October 17 to trek with the earlier group (Group. 1). I have to accept I was meant to take THIS journey.

I can already tell there is an empty spot left where my planning, focus, and execution for this trip has resided for the last 6 months. Now I have to decide what to fill that void with. I definitely hope to fill part of it with some of what I’ve neglected in the last six months, but I also must set some future goals so that I don’t slide back into the physical state I’ve spent so many years in. Whatever the next goal/adventure is, I highly doubt it will be as grand as what I just completed.

Now, I have about 30 hours of travel before I’m home sweet home.

Stay tuned for the next adventure.