I taste fire, earth, rain: elements of a life with a Sherpa

“I TASTE FIRE, EARTH, RAIN…takes the reader into the remote places of Nepal, with glimpses of Sherpa culture and traditions. This book will enthrall everyone with its unique journey through a life with a Sherpa and rare insights into the Himalayan region.” —LAKPA SHERPA, first Sherpa to climb the Seven Summits and Alpine Ascents International mountain guide who achieved fifteen Mount Everest summits Sometimes one is ready to take risks, accept the unexpected, and commit to a dramatically altered life. With this spirit, Caryl begins her journey around the world, open to the new and ready for adventure. As she treks around the Annapurna Mountains of Nepal, she finds herself attracted to her Sherpa trekking guide, Nima. She denies her feelings for Nima, but as she comes to know the land and the Sherpas, she falls in love with Nima, his country, his people, and their joy. Together, Caryl and Nima struggle to find balance in Los Angeles and Ann Arbor, but it is on their return to Nima’s homeland near Mount Everest that they both come to terms with who they have now become. This is an inspiring story of love, cultural exploration, the importance of place, finding one’s faith, and the revelation that in the Himalaya, anything is possible. Fire, earth, rain represent the triumvirate of three of the five elements of Tibetan Buddhist astrology that sustains life. Fire is heat, light, passion: earth is our foundation: rain purifies and sustains. Together, Caryl and Nima welcomed the elements of fire, earth, rain, which allowed them to grow, flourish, and transform.