“Ah, everything I’ve been doing lately is really boring. Maybe I’m going through a quarter-life crisis. A time when someone feels confused and tends to be depressed about their life. Actually, I’m not that gloomy. It’s just that thoughts about where my life is headed often pop into my mind.”
“Maybe it’s because of the same old office routine? Or maybe there are no other activities? I don’t know. What’s clear is that I need something to make me feel alive again. For this reason, the idea to hike again came about. Wherever it may be.”
“Let’s go.” Just one word from Aldi, my husband, instantly made me excited. I didn’t expect it to be that easy to invite him. It had been 3 years since we last hiked together. The last time was before we got married. We climbed Mount Slamet, and it turned out to be the most frustrating hike. We even briefly broke up over the unavoidable night trekking. If you’re curious about the full story, wait for my next post!
After getting married, Aldi worked at a state-owned bank. It was certainly very difficult for him to take leave, which is very different from me as a reporter at a national TV station, who can take leave anytime.
“It’s been a long time since I hiked. But am I still strong enough? I haven’t exercised in a long time. I also feel really heavy,” Aldi continued. I kept reassuring him that he could do it. I also suggested that he regularly exercise before the big day. To make the trip more exciting, I proposed inviting Ari and Arif.
“Sure. It would be nice to go with them. They have complete gear. So we don’t have to worry about gathering our hiking equipment that’s scattered everywhere.”
To make a long story short, Arif and Ari are our friends. We all used to work together. But Ari and Aldi later resigned, leaving just me and Arif in the same department. We all have the same hobby, which is hiking. After trying to hike together once, we felt we clicked. At least I felt comfortable with them.
Finding a hiking partner is like finding a soulmate. You give it a shot, if it works out, great; if not, well, that’s enough for one time. Some say that if you want to know someone’s true character, take them hiking. I believe that. Because walking up a mountain with a heavy backpack really drains your energy.
It’s in that fatigue that a person’s true nature comes out. Do they become annoying, or do they remain calm because they can handle the load? I believe that someone who truly enjoys hiking and loves nature will remain kind no matter the circumstances. Ari and Arif have proven that. As for me and Aldi? Let others be the judges.
That day, I happened to see Ari’s Instagram feed and realized he had just hiked Mount Gede via Cibodas. I immediately messaged him about the permits to go there during the pandemic. That brief conversation ended with an agreement. Ari easily said he wanted to experience camping at Alun-Alun Surya Kencana. That’s just him—always available for travel, making me feel like I always have a friend when I need one.
That same day, Aldi sent a message via WhatsApp to Arif. At first, the father of one was excited to join. But it seemed he was dealing with some issues, so uncertainty became his answer.
“It turns out he was cheating all this time. I just found out now. Can you believe I’ve been cheated on?! Now he’s paying a lot of attention to his new girlfriend. When she was sick, he took her everywhere and brought her medicine. I never got that kind of treatment! Just asking for a ride came with a million excuses! I ended up going everywhere by myself when I was sick. Ugh!”
This one is my friend, Kintan. As usual, she’s always enthusiastic when talking about something, especially about her ex-boyfriend. I know her ex, and since I can’t mention his name, I’ll just use the initial T. Most people can probably guess who T is.
I won’t tell Kintan’s bitter love story, but the point is, I invited this woman who has been a close friend since 2015 to join the hiking mission.
At first, she was hesitant—very hesitant. First, she had no hiking experience. Second, she didn’t have any gear like shoes, a backpack, etc. Third, she was afraid of being a burden to her friends if she got exhausted on the trail or something similar. And there were many other reasons.
But I coaxed her with the promise that she would be able to forget about T up in the mountains. Because her mind would be freer, and all the burdens of life would vanish the moment she saw the breathtaking views. Her face lit up at the thought of everything I said, but she still hadn’t given a definite answer. So, I waited.
“Hey, tomorrow I’m going swimming with Ari. You should come along.” Kintan continued after hearing that Ari would be one of the hiking members. Without thinking too long, I agreed, hiding my true intentions. I was going to team up with Ari to ‘persuade’ Kintan to hike.
“Hey, Din, make a group later. I already have some friends who want to join.” Ari said after swimming. I was excited and kept encouraging Kintan, who was still unsure.
“Oh man, should I join? I really want to. But I don’t have anything. And what if I can’t keep up and end up being a burden to you guys?” Kintan replied.
I didn’t get tired of reassuring Kintan that Ari would be ready to help and accompany her. Behind his gentle demeanor, Ari is very strong when it comes to outdoor activities. His stamina is like a horse, and his sense of responsibility is like that of a lioness ready to protect her cubs. But Kintan still had her doubts.
The WhatsApp group was formed with me, Aldi, Kintan, Ari, and Puput, a friend of Ari’s. We discussed preparations and other related topics enthusiastically. But Kintan grew even more doubtful upon realizing that we all had hiking experience while she was still a ‘newbie.’
Actually, there’s no such thing as ‘experienced’ or ‘beginner’ in hiking. Every journey presents different challenges. Someone who has hiked many times can get lost due to bad luck, while a first-timer can power through to the summit. This understanding is what I always apply to myself to avoid arrogance. Because being proud about hiking is pointless. After all, I do this to relieve stress, not to show off.
A day after the group was formed, Ari added a member named Ibun. His name sounds feminine, but he is a genuine guy.
The discussions continued. There wasn’t much to talk about in the group, just a list of things to bring and plenty of jokes. Finally, the day was set. Even though she was still unsure, Kintan continued to help with preparations.
Our target was Mount Gede. Its proximity to Jakarta made it the most ideal option during the pandemic, especially since several other mountains were still closed for climbing. I also made an itinerary to facilitate the preparations.
Here’s the itinerary:
To be continued
