What a weekend this was! I am still processing and reflecting on the adventure that I was privileged to have by doing the moonlight snowdon trek with my #ClimbKiliwithAwmb sisters.
Huge thanks to Kiran Kaur Kondal for documenting this hike as it is great to look back and relive the experience visually. This was a weekend of many firsts for me:
- First time staying in a hostel
First time doing ardaas out loud outside of my immediate family - First time trekking Snowdon (added challenge of doing it in the dark!)
- First time using a lot of my hiking gear (@ospreyeurope backpack and 3l hydration water bladder etc)
- First time doing Japji Sahib out loud outside of my immediate family
The trek was challenging given the weather- dense fog, rain, strong winds but we did it and more importantly we did it together.
I am finding this whole trekking adventure is turning into a spiritual journey for between Maharaj and I. During the hike we had 3 staff with us- 1 at the front, 1 in the middle and 1 at the back. Throughout the hike we were doing simran and singing shabads- I felt like this is what Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Bhai Mardana would have felt as they travelled around and felt a deep connection and honour to be present on Mount Snowdon.
As a hiker, I am normally in the middle of the pack but somehow as we got to summit I realised I was at the end waiting for everyone to start moving forward.
As I climbed the last few steps upto the plinth which marks the top of Mount Snowdon, I had a sudden realisation that I was all alone, no sisters, no staff and no strangers. I looked around and saw the steps I needed to take down, the dense dark fog surrounding the mountain and the headlamps of my sisters on the platform below. As it dawned on me that I was all alone, I started to let my fear of heights and the fear of being blown off (it was super windy!) and falling off the mountain overcome my mind. I was in panic mode.
The steps to get down were probably a couple of steps away from me but I just didn’t know what to do.
My first attempt was me thinking I would figure it out when I got the first step- I started walking, began to Sway because of the wind and then realised I needed an actual plan so turned and grabbed the plinth!
My second attempt involved me thinking I would use my hiking poles to keep my balance and stop me from swaying. As I started to walk to the steps I realised that the steps were all slate and wet- so nothing for the poles to actually grip to- so again I turned and grabbed the plinth. At this point, I was so annoyed at myself and wondering “shall I wait it out?” and “how the hell did I manage to put myself in this position?!?”.
So I took a deep breath and had a talking to myself. In the Ardaas we had asked for Nischaa Abhang (inexhaustible faith)….I had to dig deep and have a conversation with Waheguru, my main thoughts were “if this is how I am going to die then so be it- for it is your hukam!”.
In the Ardaas we recited before heading on the hike had asked for Waheguru’s jot to shine through each of us…..so I gave up control and sat in my faith that Waheguru has got me 10000%. So for my third and last attempt, I took a deep breath and edged forward grabbed the step and leant down (being careful that my backpack didn’t push my body too forward), crouched down and side stepped my way down the steps to meet my sisters. Half way down the staff realised they were 1 headcount down and could probably see my head lamp bobbing up and down from the summit. They rushed to see if I needed anything to which I responded – nope I got all that I need.
Thank you to all my Inspire sisters who made this weekend brilliant and to Rehmat our film maker who let me narrate my summit experience when it was so fresh in my mind.
This weekend was transformational. I realised that my faith and my jot (which is Waheguru) is what will get me through my hikes and everything in life. I just have to accept hukam, bhaana and lean into it.
Minimal aches and pains on the Monday- so feeling proper boosted! Mount Kilimanjaro we are coming to conquer you!
Short video of the conditions to summit below – gale force winds, freezing cold and pitch black it was quite the experience!
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