Well, it's going to be the first and the last blog post in English. I hope I got it right and you'll enjoy it.
I spent many hours trying to figure out what I wanted to write as the last blog post . A lot of memories went through my mind, but there were some I just can't forget:
* the moment when I booked a plane ticket and all this absurd idea of walking 2665 miles from Mexico to Canada became a super stressful reality.
* A few days before the flight, I was lying in bed sleeping and had tears coming down. What the hell am I doing? Hiking the PCT means being almost half a year far from my cozy bed, my family, friends.. I trembled with fear and could not get sleep for a moment that night.
* The day before the flight: checking everything hundred times, trying to ignore the fact that I am now flying to San Diego to start the PCT. I'm nervous as I had never been.
* going to the bathroom on the plane, looking at myself on the mirror and seeing for the first time how swollen my eyes are from the last couple of days.
* Starts to walk for the first mile, excited as I never was. Trying to translate into words that exact feeling, but couldn't. I start the crazy journey from Mexico to Canada and I feel AWESOME.
And from here on I'm out walking into the most significant journey of my life, in every aspect: physicaly, mentaly, spiritualy, socially .. It felt like everything in my life became unknown and turn into a question mark. It took me a lot of time to get used to the idea i'm on the PCT, that this is what I am going to do the whole summer. I was scared.
From time to time I forced myself face my fears because it's so easy to ignore everything. I knew from the beginning that the PCT is not only about walking from Mexico to Canada, it's about ME growing up, become stronger and accept changes.
the trail changes all the time and you must adapt to those changes, the more you change and adapt, the more chance you'll be in Canada, I thought. I had hard time answering all the question I had about me and my life, because nothing was permanent and I was changing with the trail. I think there are some main principles that forces you to change all the time:
- there is no actual routine to stick to (after a month and a half in South California desert where there's not much water, it's hot and it's easy, you approach the Sierra Nevada at full power, for example),
- the NOT knowing what's going to happen tomorrow (Trail magic with Coke or thunderstorm, for example),
-the curiosity everyday leads to, because you cover so much distance in a single day on the trail.
- every decision you take has an immediate impact on your life (should I get into town so I can eat hot food, or skip the town to cover extra miles?)
-the people and friends who changes all the time (after a while you get knowing who you want next to you and who you prefer love from a distance, for example).
- and so on..
I think I absorbed a lot of things, but many of them are in the subconscious. I'm sure I will get into situations and conflicts in life which I know the only reason I could handle them is because of the things i went through the PCT. my body and mind reacts better and translate each situation in better, smarter way.
I feel like I became the man I wanted to be and always dreamed of being. Despite the difficulties, I could always smile and be happy, and always being with a lot of hope that everything will get better only if I wanted to. Everything seemed to me that I could turn negative to positive, and this approach I will definitely take with me on.
I met the most amazing people, angels in human bodies. The social experience has no substitute, and I know there is no way to explain it in words. I know they changed my world, and I'll change the world to others now. All of the people I met became a part of me.
I conquered new territories: Whether it is a physical limit (go to the Sierras with a heavy weight, snow, low air etc.) or mental (Can I do that?). I know now that there is no such thing as limits or boundaries, and everything I want is just a wish and desire away. I feel much stronger now. nothing scares me.
The PCT is the best thing I ever did and I'm proud to be one who complete it successfully. I can't be happier than I am, and I want to say a big thank you to all who was through the process with me. Without you this would not have happened.
It's time to go back to put deodorant, stop farting in public, and stop think the whole world is a potential bathroom.
Thank you.
(big thanks to Easy A for the amazing photos)
