StrollIng down a walkway that runs besIde lake fewa In pokhara, I had a few unexpected encounters. The first happened as I was looking out over the lake and walking forward slowly. I noticed an unusual movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned to see a young woman shaking quite violently and reversing rapidly (does the term apply to people too). With little time to act, I stopped in my tracks, understandably surprised and confused. By this time, she had come so close that I was looking over her shoulder. It was only then that I spotted a young man filming her on a mobile phone. It still took me a moment to comprehend what was happening, but I eventually realised I had landed myself straight in the middle of a &ldquoTikTok.&rdquo
Well, more than one, really, because I then realised that all the people around this couple had their phones out and were filming them while they filmed themselves. &ldquoInception&rdquo much. I quickly removed myself from that situation so that they could resume their important work, only to soon find my path blocked by a crowd. There was panic because someone had fallen into the lake. A couple of brave folks who had already jumped into the water by this time could bring the lady in distress back to shore safely. While everyone cheered for them and began to murmur with concern, I was caught by surprise when the crowd suddenly burst into laughter. It turns out that the only thing she wanted to know upon rescue was whether her cameraman had recorded her potentially &ldquoviral&rdquo experience. Who needs safety or sympathy when you can potentially become famous, right
As bizarre as all this may seem, I assure you that it is entirely truthful. We do, after all, live in a time when people go to supermarkets to dance with the trolleys and a &ldquoWorld Slap Competition&rdquo is considered a sporting event. To be fair, several of these people are extremely talented, and I can&rsquot help but wonder why they don&rsquot treat these skills with more dignity. I would imagine that it is far more rewarding to receive well-deserved applause rather than chase the trivial pursuit for more likes and followers. But, hey, what do I know. Having safely survived my first few encounters with &ldquonew age creators&rdquo in Nepal, I&rsquom now heading to the UK to embark on a 30-day motorcycle ride across England, Scotland and Wales. The weather promises to be cold and dreary, but that will likely just add to the realities of an inherently British experience. I do hope to return with promising updates and stories in my next column. Unless, of course, I get knocked into a lake by a dancer that I do not see, and no one comes to save me because they assume that I&rsquom just busy making my next viral video
