We’re now a few chapters into this story. And by 2004, the river carried Nim somewhere new.

Japan.

At least in France, the letters looked familiar.

Here in Japan, Nim was faced with a completely new alphabet —

and a whole new system to try to navigate.

At the end of 2003, Nim had won the Himalayan Whitewater Challenge once again. Soon after, a new opportunity opened — this time in Japan. While working at Equator Expeditions, Nim had met Lincoln Taylor. Lincoln had been travelling independently in Nepal and picked up work as a freelance safety kayaker — where the two quickly became friends. Later, Lincoln — “Linc” — helped Nim secure a job and visa with Top Minakami Company.

In April 2004, Nim arrived at Narita Airport. Linc had given him simple instructions:

“Go to platform number 10.”
Nim went to the tenth.
From there, he found a bus to Takasaki.

When he arrived, a guide was there to pick him up —sent by Linc. But there was a small problem. Linc had described Nim as a tall guy…carrying a kayak paddle.

Nim is 5 foot 5.
The guide was looking for someone else.

Nim waited.
And waited.
For several hours.

Eventually, the guide noticed the paddle. He walked over and said one word: “Nim?

They both nodded.
That was enough.

The guide’s name was Su. He spoke almost no English. But he got Nim to the Top Minakami Company base —

where, not surprisingly, he had a few words for Linc about the description.

In Minakami, Nim expected rivers. He didn’t expect snow It was cold. Much colder than anything he had worked in before.

And almost immediately, there was another challenge.

Language.

Nim spoke almost no Japanese. Most of the guests spoke almost no English.

The night before his first trip, Linc quickly taught him a safety brief in Japanese. There was no time to practice.

The next morning, Nim stood in front of his guests — trying to guide, communicate, and keep everyone safe…

in a language he barely understood.

It wasn’t easy. But he worked hard. Really hard.

By the end of May, Nim received his first proper salary. It was the first time he was earning real money from the skills he had built over years on the river. It meant something. And it pushed him to keep going — even when the language felt impossible.

There were other moments too. Adjusting to a new culture. Noticing how polite and respectful everything felt.

Trying to eat with chopsticks — and not always succeeding.

And one day… accidentally buying sugar instead of salt, and making a very memorable, very sweet curry.

Nim was the first Nepali river guide to receive a work visa in that region of Japan.

Since then, many Nepali guides have followed — now widely recognized among the best river guides in the world.

Looking back, this chapter wasn’t just about working abroad. It was about stepping into something new —

unfamiliar, uncomfortable, and full of possibility.

Learning not just new rivers…but new ways of living, working, and connecting.

As with any river…you don’t always understand it right away.
But if you stay with it — you learn to read it.

(To be continued…)

This reflection is part of Paddle Nepal’s 20-year journey on Nepal’s rivers.