Article by: Priyanka Venkateshwar Reedy
Photo Credit: Vijayapal Reddy Gogula and other group travelers
Okdeal Siming Mountain Hiking Trip in 27 July 2019
Its a celebratory time in the most populous country, China, with a huge boom in the tourism industry. China attractions and landmarks are crawling with its residents relishing in the monumental sights of their country.
It was dawn when I started to prepare my lunch and other necessities for my first ever hiking experience. I was very excited. We were a group of 40 travel buddies, or should I say 'hikers' ready for a fun filled day trip away from the hustle and bustle of Shanghai.
We reached our destination at around 11:30 AM. It was time to warm up and get ready for my first hiking experience. We started walking towards the entrance. The initial trek was downhill and had a stairway.
The entire trail was filled with soothing greenery and small pools. Although it was noon, the sun could not touch us directly. For the next 10-30 minutes, I was trying my best to keep up the pace and progress further with a little difficulty. After almost 30 mins, walking and rising uphill, I couldn't do this anymore.
I wanted to go home. I wanted to go back to the small pool I previously saw. “This is so tiring!! When will I get to the top of the mountain? Do I even need to do this? Can't I just stay here? I don't want to take another step anymore. I am done.” But I continued to walk. My husband helped me to catch my bag as he saw I was about to faint. The tour leaders were so patient and one of them kept cheering me to not give up.
With occasional pit stops and continuous encouragement from the other group members, after an hour climb, we reached the TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN.
We witnessed a beautiful waterfall and many natural pools amidst the bamboo forests. I was happy to see the beauty of the mountains. We chose a small picnic spot nearby and relaxed for a bit. We enjoyed our picnic food and the cold breeze. We took a dip in the pool and clicked loads of pictures and panoramic views of the mountain and waterfall. It was all worth the efforts made in the last few hours.
“Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you are climbing it.”Thanks to the OkDeal team and of course my fellow hikers for this memorable experience.
