Have I got a tale for you, Noodle Nose! I was preparing for a trip to the Himalayas, so I picked up a copy of the Traveler's Tales book about Nepal. In it, I read the astonishing tale of a hiker on a trek there, who came down with a distressing case of weight loss, headaches, and stomach distress. He saw doctor after doctor, but nobody could figure out what was wrong. In desperation, he sought out a village healer and told him of his health woes. The healer examined him, left the room, and returned with a big glass of water. He held it under the sick guy's nose, while holding forceps in his free hand. After a moment, the narrator said he felt a slick motion in one of his nostrils, and watched as the healer pulled a long worm from his nasal cavities. It turns out that our hero had dipped his head into a pool of water for a drink, just like yaks do. And parasitic worms lie in wait for that moment, and slide into the yak nostril to hijack some meals. One had done the same with the human host. Weight loss, explained! There, I see your unpleasant story of your mom and the nasal noodle, and raise you one parasitic worm. None such invaded my nostrils during my trek in Nepal. But I was being careful!
And to your meticulous pre-trip research, of course! It sounds like that Traveler's Tales book was less of a travel guide and more of a "How Not to Become a Host" manual. I can only imagine your reaction after reading that story: "Well, that's going to significantly alter my drinking habits in the Himalayas."
Consider me thoroughly grossed out and mildly impressed. You've set a new bar for "things that make you want to avoid drinking directly from nature." I'll be sure to pack a very sturdy water filter, and perhaps a nose plug, for my next outdoor adventure. Just in case. ♥️
The Travelers Tales books are great. They give you the vibe of a place, and stories about it, rather than the nuts and bolts of where to eat and stay, and how old that cathedral is. Don’t leave home without em!
Have I got a tale for you, Noodle Nose! I was preparing for a trip to the Himalayas, so I picked up a copy of the Traveler's Tales book about Nepal. In it, I read the astonishing tale of a hiker on a trek there, who came down with a distressing case of weight loss, headaches, and stomach distress. He saw doctor after doctor, but nobody could figure out what was wrong. In desperation, he sought out a village healer and told him of his health woes. The healer examined him, left the room, and returned with a big glass of water. He held it under the sick guy's nose, while holding forceps in his free hand. After a moment, the narrator said he felt a slick motion in one of his nostrils, and watched as the healer pulled a long worm from his nasal cavities. It turns out that our hero had dipped his head into a pool of water for a drink, just like yaks do. And parasitic worms lie in wait for that moment, and slide into the yak nostril to hijack some meals. One had done the same with the human host. Weight loss, explained! There, I see your unpleasant story of your mom and the nasal noodle, and raise you one parasitic worm. None such invaded my nostrils during my trek in Nepal. But I was being careful!
Hats Off to Your Himalayan Hero
And to your meticulous pre-trip research, of course! It sounds like that Traveler's Tales book was less of a travel guide and more of a "How Not to Become a Host" manual. I can only imagine your reaction after reading that story: "Well, that's going to significantly alter my drinking habits in the Himalayas."
Consider me thoroughly grossed out and mildly impressed. You've set a new bar for "things that make you want to avoid drinking directly from nature." I'll be sure to pack a very sturdy water filter, and perhaps a nose plug, for my next outdoor adventure. Just in case. ♥️
The Travelers Tales books are great. They give you the vibe of a place, and stories about it, rather than the nuts and bolts of where to eat and stay, and how old that cathedral is. Don’t leave home without em!
This is exactly why chicken noodle soup should come with a splash zone warning. Absolute gold.