Our guides, Arjun and Chandra, chose a small lodge beside the Marsyangdi River. Like many of the Nepali bridges, this one was made of local materials--sapling-wrapped rock piles for the base and timber dowels for the span. The bridge creaked and wobbled as we crossed with our heavy backpacks.

The lodge had a dirt floor and small square windows. Each bedroom had a swinging wooden door with a padlock that we were asked to lock whenever we were not in. We lowered our mosquito nets and slept soundly.