As we all know..being a parent is a lifetime commitment..from the moment foetus was conceived and from then on it's a lifelong process. Stressful? In a way....but my mom told me that it's just the way of life. Her parents had her, raised her, so..she does the same to us.
Let's not be too stressed up. We shall just bear in mind that there are no perfection in life. Instead of aiming for perfection and worrying about whether we can do a good job, let's just enjoy the process...in whatever we do, be it..living life, being a parent..take time to enjoy and appreciate the journey instead of focusing too much on the end results.
As you may have read, climbing up 5,200 steps to the Adams Peak was one of the main highlights in my recent trip to Sri Lanka. We started around 1.30am, all of us were at the peak by around 6am.. it was a long long journey.
It was dark and supposedly cold, but since we were well prepared..the cold didn't bother us much. In fact I took off my wind breaker and didn't put back on until I reached the peak at about 2,500 meters above sea level (half the height of Mount Kinabalu, one of the highest mountain in SEA)
This sounds like a piece of cake for those who had attempted Mount Kinabalu or other higher mountains. It is actually not that hard, really. Most of the steps are properly laid out, hence, there were no real challenging hike.
All you need are strong legs, lungs, enough hydration (but not too much as the toilets along the way are not very pleasant ones) and some energy gel / bar or chocolate bars to replenish your sugar level . Clothing is quite important too. At around this time (end April), we were told the weather is quite decent, a good wind breaker will do the job. If you don't like getting wet, bring along a raincoat or something to shield the rain.
So..many asked..how we did we do it? 4-5 hours on steep steps..?? I'm not sure about others but I opted to take it easy ..slowly enjoying the journey...each and every little step. Pretty much the same as how I run in marathons..
Taking little stops to take pictures along the way..waiting up to see if my friends are alright. And of cos...capturing shots of them in pain..muahahaha.
In other words..it's about stopping to "smell the flowers" . The above are lotus on sale at one of the many little stalls along the way. Pilgrims buy these for their prayers at the peak.
The space along the stairs became narrower and very steep as we reach closer to the summit. I was right behind an old lady...it's amazing to see the young, old, sick...having so much determination. Adams Peak is the holiest mountain in Sri Lanka. We read that it can take up to an hour a step during the peak season in Jan-Feb. Visit the official site (here) for more information.
As said..it's not just about looking up to the top...and asking..when cwill it end?? It's about enjoying the process. Turn around once in a while..to see what you left behind. And ...voila..a beautiful sight of dawn coming through...see below:
And....immersing into the crowd..the atmosphere..
Say hello to the a new friend ...
It started to rain very heavily when we were at the peak. We waited..shivering for a while and decided to descend despite the rain.
Thankfully the rain subsided after a short while..but I truly enjoyed the walk though....how often do you get to walk in the rain..at 2,000 meters above sea level at 7am in the morning?? Never...!
My heart melted when I saw this family..
And this family..and many others..some were barefooted.
As I descend further, the sky cleared, the morning sun shined ..there were more reasons to linger on...to embrace nature.
I totally forgot about my full bladder, wet shoes...until very much later.
I love nature...have I said that?
At one point...while I was busy trying to capture some plant or flower (I can't remember)....I heard a local old man mumbling next to me, he was facing our right side..staring to the sky.
I turned to the direction he was facing..and there was Adams Peak! He was praying :P
So..once again..it's about the journey. Look around..and enjoy the little moments...instead of focusing only the outcome.
Oops.. looks like I've reached the last pic. Thought I have more pics..(uploaded pics last night but was too tired to write).
Quite a long post anyway.
Till then...ciao.
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