Comfortable with being uncomfortable

Today was a travel day.  We drove to the Annapurna Mountain Range. (Annapurna is the 10th largest mountain in the world with a 20% fatality rate for climbers). Exciting that we are here, but the drive was uncomfortable.  The kids used their first toilet level to the ground and had to spray their bottoms.  Not bad but perhaps uncomfortable.  They were in a hot bumpy car.  Not bad but uncomfortable.  

At home, we have so many comforts.  Controlled temperature is a big one.  Nice roads are another.  Money to buy most anything ... freedom to be whoever we want to be.. and the list goes on.

Learning this lesson, opens doors. We can have better, braver communication with others. We learn to say what we mean instead of what makes us comfortable. We can do hard things like start companies or stand up to bullies. We aren't hindered by embarrassment. And ultimately, we can work past our fears.  

Maybe its wishful thinking that a hot bumpy car ride and new-to-us toilets can help teach such an important lesson, but the importance of the lesson is clear - be comfortable with being uncomfortable. 

All that being said, the Robbins family had some pretty miserable travelers.

Notes from the day:

1. China is rebuilding the road from Kathmandu to Pokhara which was never good, but was also devastated by mudslides. This is why our trip took 7 hours instead of 2 hours. (China is also rebuliding the temples in kathmandu devastated by earthquakes.) The Nepalese we have met, like China.

2. The last picture is a girl who tracked me down at the Pokhara lakeside park to take a picture and to talk.  She told me she was a taxi driver as of last year.  My girls had just asked why none of the drivers were women.