Just Keep Trekking
- Nov 13, 2024
- 2 min read
I admit I am not the most athletic or outdoorsy person. However, in my defense, I walk everywhere--at home and beyond.
When it comes to traveling, why miss out on seeing the earth's most infamous natural sites for fear of the journey being too strenuous? After all, many sites cater to visitors of all active levels.
Visiting natural wonders gives you both a sense of accomplishment as you trudge up and down the rugged terrain and allows you to really appreciate the world's geodiversity.
Here's a look back at some of my most memorable treks.
Most recently, I made a pilgrimage to Machu Picchu and Peru's Sacred Valley, and I was simply in awe at the vibrant landscapes around me! Well deserving of its title as one of the seven wonders of the modern world! From Machu Picchu to the sites of Ollantaytambo, Sacsayhuaman, and more, you are transported way back to the sheer innovation of the region's ancient civilizations.
A few years prior, I took a trip to Tanzania while I was living and working in Djibouti. It was a "best of" kind of trip, where I had climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and visiting the island of Zanzibar on my list! I learned a lot climbing up the infamous mountain--mainly that its base is essentially rain forest. I was on alert for exotic flora and fauna one normally sees only in textbooks or on screen. It had rained the day before my trek, making the terrain a bit soggy and slippery. I will never forget almost losing my shoe in the mud while I hopped around with a dirtied sock to retrieve it! After some seven hours, I only reached the first base camp. That was enough of an accomplishment for me! One day, perhaps, I'll return and make it all the way to the top!
Lastly, I think it was my visit to Egypt back in 2010 that started everything, my very first trek. I hired a private car that took me from Cairo to the Sinai Peninsula to climb the infamous Moussa Mountain. Moussa is Arabic for Moses, and as the Old Testament recounts, this was the place where the prophet was given the Ten Commandments. I remember leaving the sweltering heat that hung over the city that mid-August day and sitting in the back of a sedan in a surprisingly quiet six-hour drive. We probably arrived two hours or so after midnight to be able to reach the summit by sunrise. The terrain was dry, rocky, and steep in some parts, and the long and arduous climb in the darkness of the wee morning hours was challenging; but we were rewarded with the unforgettable views at the top!
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