Kayak Session Magazine – December 01, 2019

MISSION

damasthemostsignificantsourceofwealthandprogresstotheregion.Watchingthe

activistsandenvironmentalistsarguefortheprotection of rivers, watersheds, and animals

gavemenewhopeforourenvironment.

Weweren’taspowerfulorinfluentialastheinvestors,butcouldsharingthestoriesfrom

ourmissionhelpinspirechange?Participants,politicians,andpassers-bystoppedto

watchourscreening,andmanymorestoppedtothankuslater.Ourtravels,ourtrials,and

tribulationsbecamepartof thecollective.Ourexperienceswereexotic,yetourvaluesand

challengesresoundedwithmany.Maybekayakingdidn'thavetobejusta recreational

sport.Thoughwhatdroveallofustotakepartinthismissionvaried,muchofit came

froma personaldesiretoexplore,todiscover,thepushandchallengeourselves.Here,we

realized our expedition could be something more. Our expedition could become a tool to

" In theWest, I found

notonlythenaturethat

wasslipping awayfrom

me butonethatI still

had a chance to save. "

LakePhoksundo- Thefirsttripwestwasthemost

difficult,andtheteamfacedhorribleweatherduring

their mission to Thuli Bheri and to Lake Phoksundo.

Villagein WestNepal- Kidswerealways

approachingtoofferhelp.In return,theywouldget

to play with the team’s kayaks on and off the water.

ThuliBheri,Dolpa-Therockformationsin theThuliBheri were mind-blowing to see, but their coarse

texture would scrape boat hulls dangerously thin.

Pokhara - The last team picture taken before walking separate ways- for now. ©Kripa Dongol

FROMEAST

TO WEST

exploreandnavigatethevariousrealitiesofdevelopingNepal.

EventhoughwewereallNepalisandallpaddlers,wecamefromdifferentbackgrounds,

anddifferentplacesinlifetotakepartinthismission.Itsimpactonus,thoughprofound,

varied.Manyoftheboyscomefromfamiliesandvillagescurrentlyhavingtochoose

betweendevelopmentorconservation.Evenastheexpeditionshapedtheboys'environ-

mentalism,introducingthemtotheveryrealcostofprogress,it mademequestionmy

own.ThecomfortsI seek- betterpaddlingorcameragear,travel,andconnectionin rural

places- alsodriveresourceextractionandcontributeto thetheftofriversfromvulnerable

communities.Theguiltaboutgoingbackto mylifeandthecomfortsof development,while

wantingtopreservethe“pristine”natureofthevillageswevisitedstarted to build. If this

is whatdevelopmentcost,I decidedI wasreadytosacrificeit all.

MissionEastto WestendedtogetheronUpperSetiin thememoryofCass,butourhearts

remainfullofmemoriesandourmindsfullofnewideas.Wecan'twaittogobackand

seewhatmorewe can do in rural Nepal, to discover how the stories we share can change

our futures.