Yesterday was supposed to be Throwback Thursday.

Instead, we spent the week being fully present, celebrating Kailash’s 16th birthday. Sometimes the present deserves a little more attention than the past.

So here’s this week’s slightly delayed throwback…

One of my favourite photographs of Nim, surfing a wave on the Sun Koshi River in eastern Nepal back in 2004 or 2005. It was taken by our good friend Dave Leafy during one of those unforgettable early river trips shared with Dave, Pete Astles, and Sano Babu Sunuwar—all part of the original Monkey Family. Sano Babu has already made a few brief appearances throughout this series, but he most certainly deserves a story of his own. That one will come sometime soon. 
Many people assume Nim and I met on the river—that I was one of his rafting guests. Not quite! Even back then I was a bit of a workaholic and rarely took time off for adventures like this. This trip was one of the exceptions.

Did I mention I’m actually quite afraid of the water? Joining Nepal’s famous nine-day expedition on the “River of Gold” was a huge leap of faith… and one I’m incredibly glad I took.

I love this photograph. The timing is perfect: Nim frozen in the wave, with a crowd of curious local villagers watching from the riverbank behind him. It captures not just a moment, but an era.

Happy (belated) Throwback Thursday… or perhaps, this week, Forgetful Friday. 😉

(To be continued…)

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