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.