I wasn’t planning on writing about this trip. Not that it would be as bad, or that nothing special would happen there (it was actually quite the opposite) but I didn’t post or talk about it much either. It was one of those trips that I do to feel ok or to feel better. To gain more confidence, to ensure myself. To take a break, to distance myself, and to get the right headspace. I do them simply to give myself some me-time and to try to get more hints of who the “me” really is. So rather than posting about every single day of mine, I turn the phone off and direct all the energy inward. But during this trip, I came to a great realization that needs to be shared. So here I am, writing these lines only for you not to be as wrong as I was from the very beginning.
Okay, let me give you some background so you can get the picture. It’s still pandemic and the idea of getting tested every other day just so I could be abroad doesn’t sound appealing. I haven’t been on a solo trip for too long and it feels like a necessity by now. I’m staying in a shared apartment in Prague, the insanely beautiful yet a super-busy city. Feeling a bit stuck in this ever-moving place I missed nature and the peace it brings. Not long before, I had heard about a year-old project which was a collab between one of the universities here and KRNAP (Krkonoše National Park). Basically, there were some architecture students who built a few shelters, that were placed around the national park and are supposed to serve as an emergency place to sleep in while hiking in the mountains. They are so lovely and for free. That sounded pretty perfect to me. So I planned up a hike connecting four of those shelters, packed my backpack with a bunch of food, some clothes, and a sleeping bag. And ready to take a break from people I hit the road.
As far as I know. I like to talk to people, I really do, but I need some alone-time, and it’s super hard for me to be around a bigger number of people or even around one but for longer period of time. Riding the bus from Prague, I was more than ready for this social detox and so happy with the vision of being alone in the forest just hiking and leaving all the noise behind. I knew my choice of meals was gonna be limited, I knew I wasn’t going to shower for 4 days, and that the bathroom is gonna be shared with squirrels, deers, and all the other animals. So, call me crazy (or disgusting) but I was looking forward to it. For, as one of my schoolmates said
You don’t need a shower to clear your mind
The hike went well. The nature was stunning. I got my space, I got my peace and silence when hiking the trails across those gorgeous mountains. I got all I wanted, all I needed, all I planned, except one thing. The main thing. The very core of this trip. I WASN’T ALONE. I met quite a few people during this hike. Some I shared the shelters with. Some joined me on the walks between. And they all were… super nice. Yes, they all were super nice, because I guess that grumpy or city people don’t really go on hikes in the mountains.
The first two guys I got to talk to and with whom I shared the first shelter, were so funny and easy-going. They made me laugh several times even in that little amount of time, and they offered me hot water in the morning as well as some goodbye and have-a-great-trip smiles (only later I found out that that wasn’t as unusual there). The next was an older man pushing his bike up the hill who asked me about my travels and told me about his. Then an elderly couple who sat down as I was about to cook my linner and told me all about their journeys and grandchildren. They were really sweet and the man kept on talking even when the woman told him several times that they needed to go. Next up were my lovely co-hikers who I only spent one and half day with but it felt like we have known each other for a while. They gave me great tips, shared some tea, and made me laugh even about the simplest things as brushing teeth. A couple of girls brought some laughter into the Jenga shelter. And last but not least a group of great people with whom I got to sit outside and talk through the sunset or feed the mountain cows. Two energetic and upbeat friends, a well-traveled couple, and a mom-daughter duo with a strong and inspirational bond.
Every single person made me smile, every laugh made the time pass by faster, every story shared shortened the distance between the milestones. My backpack got lighter but I felt way richer. They all allowed me to peek into their wonderful lives. And I am very, very grateful for it. It was all so heartwarming, it was all so fun. And I never thought I can get all this here. Here in the country, I was born in.
And so only then I realized. Only then I knew that I was wrong. Wrong from the very beginning. Because I didn’t leave to be alone. I didn’t leave to not be with people. I left to not be with the people who are not like me. Because I thought that only being alone can make me feel better at that point. But I was there, with all those like-minded people and I was HAPPY. And it is good to talk to people who are not like us. In fact, I consider it super important, because only that way we can learn. But it is the like-minded people who make you feel like you belong and that may be important too.
This hiking trip was a great success. The purpose was fulfilled and I was leaving with a clearer mind. The goal was reached by sleeping in all the shelters. But what more? I came to some nice realizations, met great people, and got some stunning views on the way. What else could I ask for? So, as stupid as it sounds, I’m thankful that I (kinda) couldn’t cross the borders this time, and that I got to see the incredible beauty of this little country I was born in.
Where I have been 