Dare to Bare

My friend’s wedding with two other great friends.

I have also experienced great lows and the darkness of the soul, wondering what I’m doing with life and whether I’m reading Gods plan for me right or if I’m getting it all wrong. This was brought about by a feeling of uselessness and doubting over my gifts and whether what I thought I was good at was, in fact, my calling or only what I wanted to be good at.

This all coincided with the first leg of the Maclehouse trial. Although a beautiful first stage was a very long 15/16 km. To get to the start was a challenge in itself, involving two MTR lines then two green minibuses, which are almost as exciting as the traditional ones in Zimbabwe.

Travel Zim style or by Hong Kong

This is perfectly safe; the only handicap for me is the language barrier. Thanks to Ken, I sat practising ‘yau lok mm goi’ (meaning next stop please) and hoping that I get the right tone and not end up saying something rude or embarrassing myself too much. Thankfully I didn’t need it as one bus was new and had a stop button, and the other one stopped at the end of the line, could have been funny.

So by the time I started the hike, it was 2 in the afternoon. So off I set, once again by myself. Enjoying the scenery and peace and quiet. All was going well, but life does not always stay normal for me, God has a sense of humour and likes to remind me He is control. Anyway, I’m getting close to the official end of the first stage. A lovely, totally remote spot on a beach next to a drug rehabilitation centre, it was really beautiful. Where we are then faced with a decision, either turn around and go back the 10km you have already done or go on and do a quarter of the second stage. Well, I’m not going to do another 10km back, plus I have to go uphill again, so I treck on. Well if I thought going back because of the uphill was a bad idea I had no idea what was in store. This massive uphill, this was after me wandering around in circles on the beach for about 10 minutes (well what seemed like 10 minutes) trying to find the start of stage two. I eventually find the beginning and begin the long, arduous climb. The scenery must have been beautiful, but I can’t say I enjoyed it. I spent the climb cursing my silliness in doing it, my legs, at least the top part, absolutely crippled with a pain I have never had before and my phone battery dying, and not being a total Hongkonger didn’t have a battery pack.

It was now about 5:30 and the sun was getting low. The path wasn’t great; at some points, I was having to clamber over the rocks. I admit to praying to God to keep the sun up just a bit longer and moaning about how silly I was and what was I was doing with my life. Thankfully God is good, and I came to the cement waterway path that would lead me to the road and home. My legs by this point were on their last leg and when I got down to the place where individual taxis could go I was relieved to see a green taxi sitting there. I didn’t care how much it cost I couldn’t walk any further, and the taxi took me to the nearest public transport station

It was a humbling experience and although not enjoyable at the time I’m glad I did it. Even though for two days, my legs ached so bad that it was painful walking, especially going upstairs, which isn’t great seeing that I have 100 to climb when I get home every day. Anyway, here are some photos.

Down some steps is a village, cars cannot get to, so their post is delivered here, it’s amazing how people find these places to live.

The next Wednesday found me having two days off and being persuaded to have a staycation. A lovely idea, and one that I did need. However, I soon realised a staycation in a hotel is not really for me. I felt rather foolish going to dinner by myself, the hotel was lovely, but it’s not me. What is me is camping out in a bubble looking at stars, though that night there wasn’t any stars just an enormous thunderstorm, I will go back again when I can be 90% sure of seeing stars. Here are the photos.

My attempt at a Braii.

Life has its ups and downs. I can face great highs and plough to great lows. I can’t deny that sometimes my downs are unbearably low. My brain can feed me all types of lies about myself, and I can easily believe them. However, if I am honest, I wouldn’t change me. I am coming to learn this is a strength if one learns the lessons being taught, and as Og Mandino said

‘I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars.’