‘Alex…’
‘Alex, what do you want for breakfast?’
‘Alex, did you sleep well?’
‘Alex, do you need anything?’

… And what is with Jing may I ask?

Since we started our trip to Langtang National Park I hear only Alex, Alex, Alex and see 2 brown dreamy eyes looking at me. Our guide Sum seemed to have a crush on me. A 23 year old kid with qualities of a porter not a guide brought us through the Tamang Heritage Trial and darkened my days with his sticky attitude.

He was a good porter though out of question but we payed a guide. Jing had her guide experience in 2002 and draw from the beginning a very clear and cold line between her and Sum. Me on the other side with my ‘Western-humanity’ education and ‘we are all the same’ attitude was friendly and patient. Well my parents and society had taught me so and why should I do differently? What a mistake. Now I had to deal with 2 brown dog eyes looking at me, something from my past and experience with my brothers… soft eyes that melt icebergs.
 
This behavior leads a lot to misunderstandings between guide and female client. Friendliness is often interpreted as a wish for more ‘personal’ service. For me it wasn’t dramatic because he was still one of the really harmless and naive triers. At the end I needed to ignore him many times to make understand that I am not interested in anything more then having a guide for that trip.

My awareness ones for the guide-client topic awoken I recognized many couples, male Nepali (100% a guide) with Caucasian girlfriend (100% Ex-client), discussing their marriage and future plans and options of living with HIS parents. ‘You must understand, my parents are concerned we are from different cultural backgrounds. You understand right?’

Here it seems to me more common to have affairs for women with Nepali guides then none. Where else in Thailand  it is common for man to have affairs with Thailand women. Flipped world.

So next time I will forget my good education and will be very cold and rude to make avoid a situation like this. What a hassle.

Alex