Tag: hiking

October-ish!

Published on by MolayMediaLeave a comment

Almost all of the sights and sounds that October gave me

parents in nz

My wonderful parents were able to visit me in Dunedin, it was so strange in the best way. It was unique to be the figure that was fully in charge of all of the plans for the first time, as usually on trips it is the parents that do so. We drove along the southern coast and were able to see sights like Nugget Point and some stunning waterfalls. We stopped through Invercargill, New Zealand’s most southern city, then continued along to Queenstown. Driving through New Zealand never fails to provide rolling hills flurried with sheep and greenery. My parents enjoyed discovering this reality. We spent the evening dining with a perfect view of the Remarkables, a prominent mountain range that is highly recognized in New Zealand. The next morning came with drowsy weather, so we decided to shop around the town, of course buying many souvenirs, and returning home.

We filled the remainder of the week poking around at different sights around Dunedin. Local beaches, the Botanical Gardens, yummy restaurants, a campus tour, penguin viewing, and hosting some friends for dinner. We finished our time exploring Christchurch, a short hour plane ride from Dunedin. Don’t let me forget our luck being tested several times whilst driving on the opposite side of the road, only a few close calls.

Castle ball & Aurora australis

Castle Street is historically known for their wild party culture. It is very easy to find some rather incriminating content with a simple YouTube search. Some acquaintances of mine decided to throw an end-of-year “ball” for any who wanted to come. It was a much tamer environment than what you may find on the internet. Seemingly everyone I had ever interacted with was at this black-tie event. I found myself being the only one wearing a bow tie, I think everybody else missed the memo. The night was filled with what felt like some goodbyes, constant dancing, and was overall a very fulfilling last big social event.

Unrelated to the Castle Ball was finally getting to witness the southern lights! A long exposure camera shot looks entirely different (and much better) than what was seen with the naked eye. However, it is still a super outwardly experience and is something I hope every human gets to experience at least once in their life. The pictures are absolutely incredible! I was still able to see the brightness of the lights, but not the same colors that the photos depict.

Mueller hut

Myself and two other friends embarked on a journey to Mueller Hut, one of New Zealand’s most sought after and popular hut destinations. The views from the entire hike up, and especially from the hut itself, are breathtaking. In particular you have a clear view of Mount Cook, New Zealand’s tallest mountain standing at 3724 meters. The first half of the hike consisted of mind-numbing stairs that kicked off our leg day in marvelous fashion. At the halfway point is where most hikers stop because anything further requires navigation through snow. We enjoyed lunch and continued on our way to the more difficult part of the route. Each step felt like three as post-holing was almost a guarantee. With each step also came slightly wetter boots which only added to the fun. We did not need our ice axe or crampons because snow conditions were too slushy.

We ironically passed some other hikers from our university as they had stayed there the night before. The trek is considered an alpine route and had no coverage whatsoever. This gave the sun perfect angles to beat down on us no matter where we were on the path. Sections before the snow provided some off-trail rock scrambles which were fun. After pushing through the steepest sections we eventually made it to the ridgeline and it was only a short time thereafter that we could see the hut. The greatest part of the experience was the sunrise in the morning. We looked at the sky at 6:27 and it was grey, as we walked passed the hut and looked back up at the sky after only two minutes, it was illuminated with magnificent colors and a stunning sight to see over Mount Cook. I have never experienced something quite like it.

What’s next?

I have admittedly been slacking on my blog efforts, but I am glad it is simply because of lack of time. My next blog will be about the Milford Sound and a 43 mile trek that my friends and I did to end the month.

Thank You, Fear.

Published on by Mattie EmbreyLeave a comment

I wrote my second blog post about my trip from home to Morocco, and how my fear of flying affected it. It’s a little silly to read through now, even though it was only a month ago. I had so much fear and anxiety inside me that I wrote nearly a thousand words exclusively about my flights and feelings relating to them. It was even worse in the month leading up to departure. Every time somebody asked if I was excited, I only ever responded with grief about being on an airplane. I must’ve been a huge bummer, and my list of pre-departure regrets only grows from there.

I’ve already posted about my worry about societal roles and air travel, but that pattern is getting kind of old. If I write this in-depth about every single fear or anxiety I encounter, I’ll have written a very long and emotionally draining novel:

Chapter 1: I’m Scared to Travel Alone

Chapter 2: I Hate Flying

Chapter 3: The Horror of a Long-Distance Relationship

Chapter 4: I Don’t Know Any Languages

Chapter 5: I’m Scared of Being a Woman

Chapter 6: I’m Doomed by My Sense of Direction

Chapter 7: I Don’t Know How Taxis Work

Chapter 8: Unaware of Unspoken Social Rules

Chapter 9: I Really Don’t Like Heights

Chapter 10: Seriously, How Do Taxis Work Here?!

I’m happy to say that, despite all my time wasted on worry, I haven’t let fear hold me back. Every single time, I rose up to the challenge and did what I needed to do. Over the weeks, I kept surprising myself, and my curiosity grew. Why was I so terrified, but also being so uncharacteristically courageous?

There were times where I was just forced to be brave, like when I needed to take a taxi by myself for the first time. I still didn’t understand how the system worked. I could either: 1.) Flag down a petit taxi and attempt explaining where I needed to go to someone who doesn’t speak English; or 2.) Awkwardly wander around the grand taxis with set destinations, hoping someone would direct me to one set for Bassatine (I genuinely don’t know how Moroccans just know which ones go where. There’s no sign or indication anywhere on the street or vehicle itself).

Neither option sounded great, but it was a 15-minute drive to somewhere I needed to be in 15 minutes. I wish I could say that I navigated everything perfectly, but honestly, it was a bit of a hot mess. I waved down a petit taxi and told the driver the name of the neighborhood I was going to but had zero idea how to describe the specific spot. So, I sat next to the woman in the back seat, and frantically searched for a voice memo that I’d been sent as a reference. Once it was located, I handed my phone up to the driver, but he didn’t speak French, which was apparently what the memo was in. He then handed my phone to the lady next to me, who replayed it a few times before finally telling the driver where I was going.

Then we took off, and I was really crossing my fingers that I was going to the right place. I was relieved when we began passing familiar streets, and handed the driver my payment. But, as I was exiting the taxi, I stepped right into a pothole and fell down as the door closed. Embarrassing. At the very least, I got there and even had my own dramatic exit. Although I’m not even close to perfect yet, I’ve become more comfortable with taxis and proud of myself for it.

I’ve taken particular interest in the times where the pressure comes from myself rather than external reasons. For example, my program went on an excursion a few weeks ago to Ifrane National Park, which included an afternoon at Azrou Adventure Park. I’d never done a ropes course or anything similar before, mostly due to my fear of heights. My peers opted for the most difficult course that made my stomach twist just by looking at it. But the idea of trying an easier one, or sitting out entirely, made me feel even worse. I had no idea why– it didn’t feel like the social pressure or fear of being left out. Nonetheless, it was enough motivation for me to put on a harness and go somewhere labeled: “NOT FOR BEGINNERS!”

Don’t get me wrong, I was shaking, sweating, and nauseous whilst watching my friends and waiting my turn. Then, once I joined our accompanying staff member on the first platform, the realization that I couldn’t turn back hit me like a slap in the face. Upon seeing my expression, he asked if I was alright, and I revealed my fright.

“Why are you doing this, then!?”

I shrugged and giggled, both because of the humorous circumstances and because I didn’t know how else to respond. Why did I do this? No matter how– I really had a good time.

I’ll give you another instance. Since my program is short in comparison to others, we have two long weekends in the place of a week-long break. My three roommates and I went to Lisbon, Portugal for this past one (which was SO much fun!!!), but I had zero ideas for the other. As time went on, everyone developed and solidified their own plans, and I was left as one of the only people without a travel group. My mind was constantly occupied by attempts to solve my pickle.

I should ask them if I can join their trip. No, that’s weird. Also, what if they don’t want me there? They likely wouldn’t mind– but still that’s weird. Plane tickets are probably expensive by now, so maybe I’ll just stay home? No. I can’t stay home while everyone else is gone. But I also can’t just latch onto somebody else’s plan. And I can’t go anywhere by myself, no way. So, I guess I could just stay at home and relax? Or wait– maybe I could go somewhere by myself? No. Yes? Well, now I want to. But that’s scary. But since I thought of it, now I have to, don’t I?

Yes, absolutely.

Traveling for four days by myself is still a really scary thought, since I’d never done anything like it before. I actually hadn’t traveled much before coming to Morocco at all. Even when I did, I was just a kid cluelessly shadowing my mom like a lost puppy. But when I imagine myself sitting in my apartment all that time thinking, “I could be somewhere else right now,” that truly sends shivers down my spine. I became plagued by nightmarish visions of myself 10 or 20 years from now, lying awake thinking about that stupid, stupid decision. The potential turmoil of mourning such opportunities and experiences is beyond spooky. This prompted a very enlightening realization: my biggest fear is, in fact, regret.

So, I guess I’ve subconsciously been trying to prevent remorse (as best as anyone can). And, as a result, I now have one plane ticket, one bed at a hostel, and a one-person itinerary for the small beach town of Essaouira, Morocco. After realizing that I could do anything as long as I was more scared about not doing it, committing to everything was surprisingly easy. Anxiety is still rattling around in my brain, and I do still obsess over how I’m getting from the train station to the airport, if eating alone will look weird, and many other obsolete details. But they’re a problem for later.

Of course, fear is a natural reaction that keeps us safe. I’m not going to start ignoring my instincts completely– that would be a very bad idea. You won’t catch me jumping into a tiger enclosure or walking the sketchy part of town at night just for fun. However, these hesitations are backed by survival needs. My terror surrounding taxis, solo travel, and heights, however, are not.

So, scare yourself into fighting your demons. Your future self is watching you from their memory right now– what do you want them to think of you?

Become petrified by regret and horrified of your own judgment. If fear is the one and only thing holding you back from something, you can’t not do it. Trust me, it makes living life a lot more fun.