“THE BOY WHO ALMOST DROWNED:” ANUP GURUNG

Boulders and mud blocked the road, forcing a traffic jam that delayed Anup Gurung and his friends on their way to a multiday kayaking trip on the Kali Gandaki River. Born and raised in Nepal, the power of nature had always been tangible, visible, and present to Anup. He had been dreaming of a cross-country paddling expedition for years, inspiration building each time he paddled the rivers of his home country. As Anup watched the excavators clear the landslide, the gravel, mud, and debris pouring into the river brought the devastation of Nepal’s rivers