“When there is rain, I am a farmer. Other times, I ride a horse. I have to do something to take care of this sinful stomach. I also need to feed him. This one has been with me from the very beginning. Today, there is not much work so we both are just walking in the sun.

When I first started to take tourists who come to the lake on rides, I used to make 5-6 thousand. But now, there are too many horses so I am only able to make one thousand. But it is better than working for someone else. The money comes directly to my hand. And this is my work, not someone else’s where you get promised lies and get only a little in return for all the work you put in.

I am 30 years old. Aging in the mountains is different than aging in the city. I might have 15 years more. Or 20 at the most. Maybe it is the earth we play with that shortens our lives. I go home and sleep in the mud and I wake up in the mud. But the mud has also made me strong. It is better than the momos in the city. When I lived in Kathmandu for a year I ate momo in Sundhara every day. I reached 85 kilos. I came home with a big stomach. It is all for the stomach.”