Seven Thousand Seven Hundred Ninety-Eight Dollars and Nineteen Cents

Christmas Eve was spent in revelry with a large group of fellow travelers while blowing entirely too much money on dinner and drinks.  Interesting people of various nationalities were met.  Drunken philosophical positions were batted back and forth between repeated rounds of a steaming-hot alcoholic punch of some kind. A British traveler was ridiculed mercilessly when his fondness for the sentimental nonsense written by Mitch Albom was brought to light. 

Christmas Day was spent in solitude, walking the streets around the lake, reading Walden, thinking of people I miss and mistakes I've made, wondering what's going on here and what's going to happen next. 

I like this town though and I'm finding it difficult to leave.  In one more night maybe I'll feel differently.  My next step is a 6 to 10 day trek to Anapurna Base Camp which should afford me the opportunity to view the Himalayas up close and personal.  After a generous gift from my grandmother for my birthday mitigated some of the ridiculous Christmas revelry expenses, I'm running at a little less than 15 USD per day (not counting the visa).  It's not ideal, but I'll take it.  It's already been an interesting journey and it's just begun.