THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF A TREK

A climb is treacherous but it breaks and rebuilds you

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After a 10-hour, 6,207-foot-high, 34,000-step trek, it took hours to catch my breath. I joined the trek only because one of the regular trekkers, a good friend — I doubt it now — had invited me for a pub hop and a poker night on earlier weekends, both of which I had declined. I didn't have the heart to refuse a third time. Nor the wisdom.

On the designated day at 7 a.m., our group was a sight to behold. Dressed in top gear — hiking boots, trekking poles, rucksacks and sunglasses — we looked set to move mountains. Then appeared our local guide, ambling by in his flip-flops, with none of the paraphernalia advocated by trekker bloggers. Plus no sunscreen and energy bars or drinks.