80 Degrees to the Top
How often have you been faced with a challenge you weren't sure you could overcome? I think this has happened to me numerous times, whether it was personal struggles or mental and physical challenges that I pursued through and even in those moments when I was ready to give up I stuck through it. Mount Panderman was definitely not a challenge I was ready for. I'm not in the best shape but I'm also not in the worst shape and I'd say I hike rather often but I have never encountered anything like Panderman. It wasn't until yesterday when a group of 22 volunteers and a handful of community liaisons began to walk, there was no warm-up to this hike. The second we got off the angkot it was an uphill battle and I thought when we got off the angkot that's when our hike would start--nope, after walking uphill for about a half hour we stopped to meet our guide, the journey was only beginning.
Little did we know that the hike up only got more treacherous, steep and slippery. I took many breaks in between, it wasn't until I had to apply myself physically that I realized how dehydrated I actually was, thank god I had fellow trainees who helped me out and gave me an extra bottle of water. As we got higher, it seemed like we would never get to the top, at this point a group of us were together going at our own pace and each time I would really just be alright to climb back down. After climbing the mountain from close to 7am until 10:30/11am lunch and a nap in the dirt was all I wanted. I honestly would have easily given up had it not been for the fellow traineeswith me. It got easier too, when we could see some fruitful progress after looking back and just seeing how far up we came, even to the point of being inside a cloud. The views were impeccable and many moments when I realized "shit, I'm in Indonesia". On the way down it was a lot easier to be optimistic because the worst was over, we made it to the top and now everyone just wanted to be home, get their "mandi" (bath) on and chill out for awhile.
By the time we got down the mountain, we still had to walk for another hour or so just to get public transportation back to our villages. At this point, we had been walking/hiking from 6:30am and by the time I stepped foot in my house it was past 3:30pm. The only thing my mind could really grasp was sleeping, but that wasn't easy considering there was a party down the block and enough speakers to supply a small concert for 3,000. I have never felt so drained of emotion and energy and when I could manage to close my eyes all I could see was Panderman.
Other than extreme exhaustion, I had a few revelations:
1.It's time to start some insanity or at least working out in general.
2. My fellow trainees and soon to be volunteers, will be a point of strength for me if I come to a place where all I want to do is look back they will help move me forward.
3. If ever there was a time to test my limits, it's now.
Little did we know that the hike up only got more treacherous, steep and slippery. I took many breaks in between, it wasn't until I had to apply myself physically that I realized how dehydrated I actually was, thank god I had fellow trainees who helped me out and gave me an extra bottle of water. As we got higher, it seemed like we would never get to the top, at this point a group of us were together going at our own pace and each time I would really just be alright to climb back down. After climbing the mountain from close to 7am until 10:30/11am lunch and a nap in the dirt was all I wanted. I honestly would have easily given up had it not been for the fellow traineeswith me. It got easier too, when we could see some fruitful progress after looking back and just seeing how far up we came, even to the point of being inside a cloud. The views were impeccable and many moments when I realized "shit, I'm in Indonesia". On the way down it was a lot easier to be optimistic because the worst was over, we made it to the top and now everyone just wanted to be home, get their "mandi" (bath) on and chill out for awhile.
By the time we got down the mountain, we still had to walk for another hour or so just to get public transportation back to our villages. At this point, we had been walking/hiking from 6:30am and by the time I stepped foot in my house it was past 3:30pm. The only thing my mind could really grasp was sleeping, but that wasn't easy considering there was a party down the block and enough speakers to supply a small concert for 3,000. I have never felt so drained of emotion and energy and when I could manage to close my eyes all I could see was Panderman.
Other than extreme exhaustion, I had a few revelations:
1.It's time to start some insanity or at least working out in general.
2. My fellow trainees and soon to be volunteers, will be a point of strength for me if I come to a place where all I want to do is look back they will help move me forward.
3. If ever there was a time to test my limits, it's now.
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