What keeps me trekking?

It is difficult to accurately put into words about what makes me do treks again and again. Every trekker has an experience that is unique to him or her. But here are five takeaways that I experienced after my first trek and have been experiencing on each trek ever since

A sense of wonder and achievement

With a trek it’s as much about the journey as it is about reaching the end point. Every bend and every turn brings you views and sights that are stupendous and bring a sense of absolute wonder and amazement. When you reach your destination, you feel a sense of accomplishment that beats achieving anything else in the world, be it a promotion, getting into a new relationship or making a pile of money from the stock market. 

The world can manage without you

Before you leave on a trek, there is this anxiety about not being able to take that all important business call, or being able to check on your aged parents/ children.  But a trek forces you to focus and concentrate on the ‘now’, and immerse yourself in the magnificence of your surroundings. Your busy life is waiting for you when you’re done with the trek but for now, it’s ‘you and only you’ time. Enjoy and savour it while it lasts.

 Being amidst nature at its best

Nothing like the mountains to make you realise the sheet enormity and the beautiful magnificence of nature. You traverse remote forests and uninhibited slopes that can never be seen from a road and get fascinating glimpses of the people, flora and fauna that occupy these areas. 

Forming strong bonds with fellow trekkers 

Nothing like a good challenging trek to help you develop strong friendships and bonds with people who trek with you. A trek can test your endurance and bring out the best and the worst in you. People see you as you are, stripped of all facades that one wears in his or her daily life. These common experiences can never be forgotten and a trek can be the beginning of a beautiful friendship with a fellow trekker. 

Quality time with your family

In our daily life, we tend to take our family for granted. We rarely spend quality time with our family. But during a trek, we look out for each other, pace ourselves to be in sync with our spouses speed and hold their hands when we cross a difficult stretch. We endure together and that strengthens our relationships.

You come back a different person

If you don’t believe me, ask any trekker. You come back a new person, with stories to tell. You also come away with a new respect for your body and spirit and the endurance test that it has gone through. Most importantly, you come away with an understanding for what is important in life and what is not. Trekking does that to you.

Please write and tell me about your unique experiences while trekking. Would love to hear from you.