Heroism is great bravery, they say. And a hero, a very brave person. But on the streets of Kathmandu, each traveller is a hero, and each detour in the city- an act of true heroism. If you commute via public transport, your first act of bravery is getting into the crowded vehicle and finding yourself a seat to land your poor butt on, pushing yourself through tens of sweaty smelly co-travellers, keeping a close eye on your wallet or purse, avoiding hitting bars and seats, preventing obscenities from happening, and finally, protecting your poor little body from being crumpled beneath the horde. If you’re a bit luckier (paradox) and you own a 2-wheeler, your first act of bravery comes in training your eyes and respiratory tract to withstand the strong waves of dust and smoke. And then, as you emerge from within this canopy of grey, unscathed even by such exposure to pulmonary toxic, you zoom left and right avoiding open man-holes, pedestrians walking / standing on the road (instead of the pavement) and preventing cattle from being run over by your innocent tyres. You drive past a garbage hump or mud-puddle, spraying your new pair of jeans with their aroma. And those of you who submit to the cowardice of a luxurious 4-wheeler with in-built AC, surround-sound stereo, comfortable seats and a high clearance, you get a relieving realisation that when on the streets of Kathmandu no one escapes acts of bravery. A larger-than-law youngster endeavours to overtake your vehicle in his road-rushing super bike, in the midst of a jammed market, and that from the wrong side! Next part of your bravery emerges when you push your brakes with the impulse of electric current when a vehicle, in full speed, stops right ahead of you to let a passenger down or when it changes lane without a signal. Well, they’re only trying to increase your reflexes, you see. So be thankful. You can always walk to your destination, of course. But the side effects of walking is a culmination of all the bravery acts mentioned in the write-up so far (multiplied by 4) and added to stray dogs, spittle on pavements (and showered from houses), pavement shops and vegetable markets, sagging high-tension electric wires, maddening cross-roads and a lot many more. So the next time you’re travelling somewhere, be proud of the hero that you are !