One foot in front of the other, and breathe. That, is all the body can muster at nearly 18000ft. And after the feasting senses have gorged and began to burst at the seams, they too become numbed to the vista of the Annapurna circuit. What remains is the mantra one foot in front of the other, and breathe.

The air is cold and scant, but it’s noticeably fresh, with all the heaviness taken out of it. The lungs struggle with inhalation, taking in what they can...