This weekend added another chapter to my trail-running diary; interesting, not exactly adventurous, that stays with me long after the run is over. I explored a section of the Kathmandu Valley Rim (KVR), the stretch from Godawari to Tika Bhairav, which also forms part of the Kathmandu Ultra trail route. I intended to scale up to Dakchinkali, but I have to end at Tika Bhairav. After a short bus ride to Taukhel, Godawari, the fun began. I followed a route suggested by the maps.me app, which led me to what was supposed to be the “starting point.” Instead, I found nothing more than a faint footpath brushing through patches of grass. It looked nothing like a starting point; there were no signboards, no gate, no welcome arch, just a small trail gently insisting that I trust it. So, I trusted the map and stepped in. After a few minutes, the first mark appeared: two horizontal lines carved onto a tree trunk—the KVR symbol. A small relief. Then more marks followed, like clues in a treasure hunt:...
Monologue .......