Yesterday morning we left for our short overnight trek. The first part of the trail was a long long downhill which was honestly one of the most difficult parts for myself. The downhill was so steep and never ending which was challenging for a clumsy person like me. One wrong step or slip and I would be tumbling down the mountain side. As we approached the bottom of the valley, we began to clear the tree cover and see the sun shining down ahead of us. We walked along the mountain side and approached a small village along the cliffs. Our guides, Vipul and G helped us along the way by communicating with the locals who were nearby. One man generously offered us a place to stay in his field close by. We followed him further along the cliffs, up to a beautiful field where he kept his buffalo, 3 goats, and a dog who kept guard, watching out for the very mischievous monkeys that seem to always be nearby. There was a tap with water and a concrete slab where we could cook our meals. That night I decided to “cowboy camp” which in other terms means to sleep outside with no tent or shelter overtop of your head. I laid out my mat, sleeping pad, and sleeping bag and watched the stars as I fell asleep. I even was able to see two shooting stars which was so amazing. The next day we had coffee and breakfast and headed back to Hanifl Centre following the loop that we had started on.
This “shakedown” or overnight trek was a completely new experience to me and from what I am used to. We had to look for places to camp ourselves with no designated areas and in a terrain that most of us were very unfamiliar with, this was very challenging. I think in preparation for the upcoming 10 day trek, something that I have learned from the short trek is to be aware and think outside the box. Nothing will be perfect, but thats okay and sometimes you have to work with what you have around you in the best possible way and always with the leave no trace guidelines in mind. Because in order to enjoy our world, our home, and our environment we have to respect it and treat it as we would want to be treated.
When reflecting on the group’s leadership as a whole, we struggled sometimes with communication and certain voices and needs being heard. This is okay because as a group we are still figuring it all out and how each of us work best and what is best for the group as a collective. Failing is okay because we are learning from it, one day or hour or minute at a time. But at the same time we also had some great team work during the campsite portion of the hike. Setting up the tents and cooking the meals, we had a great sense of shared leadership among the group. We were super efficient in setting up the tents and getting the stoves and kitchen set up as well as cooking our food. I think this was because everyone took on their own part in order to help the whole which really helped us in succeeding.
I think I also took a step into my own leadership role during the shakedown, especially during the trekking portion. I made sure to try and be aware of those around me and what their needs seemed to be because sometimes it is hard to speak up, especially in such a large group on a trek like this one. So making sure that those voices were heard was important to me and I tried my very best to do so.
The shakedown trek was challenging but rewarding, it was so different from anything I had experienced before. But I am so glad I did it and I am very excited for the 10 day trek that lies ahead.
