The trip to Nepal was something we'd been planning for nearly a year. Myself and three friends had booked a ten day trek around the Annapurnas in the Himalayas, followed by five weeks in India.

The trip was exactly what we needed. We'd just finished our exams and felt revived amongst the wonderful scenery and mountain air. Although the air grew a bit thin at the top, we made it over the Thorong La Pass at 5416m with only mild mountain sickness, and no sign of the Maoist rebels. The trek ended in Pokhora, Nepal's second city. We spent the first day relaxing, shopping and getting our clothes washed! before having a farewell dinner with our guide.  

They were in their twenties and wearing bandanas and face masks. They came down the path towards us and asked for money. This is common in Nepal and India, so we gave our usual reply that we didn't have any. Then one guy pulled out a baton, and we started to feel uneasy - made much worse when his companion brandished a knife.

The one guy in our group was at the back, and nearly knocked me over as he pushed past me, I had no idea what he was doing, but at that point two more men came up the path below us, also with knives. 

Now we had time to for it all to sink in. Whilst I was particularly upset having lost a nearly full memory card in my camera, all I could see in my head was the Rainbow Foundation's video where the two lads get stabbed. I kept thinking, "that could have been us."

This was when my friend confessed that he had been trying to be the gentleman and protect the three girls by standing in front of them. It hadn't occurred to him that he was a foot taller than the attackers and so would appear aggressive - maybe if he'd seen the video he would have realised this.