Hiking

The last hike I did was a year ago, in some jungle up on Cameron Highlands. It was a really EASY hike with not much inclination. I could focus on the beautiful elements of nature and worship God for His awesome creativity.

This Sunday (yesterday as I type this), Matthew, Ai Choo and Ben wanted to hike up the Bukit Jambul Hill. Since my hubby was so encouraging and enthusiastic, I didn't think that it would be "too bad". I thought, hey... it's a good opportunity to work out, use up some of the energy I got from eating yummy Penang char kuey teow for lunch that afternoon... and bond with M and AC. So I said, "Yaaay!"

At 5.30pm in the evening, Ben and I met M and AC at the foot of the hill. And then I panicked.

My heart sank into my hiking boots when I saw the steep climb we were about to undertake. "WHAT?!??" I gasped. M and AC laughed (rather sadistically, I thought).

I had sudden flashbacks of the hiking trip I made with Kean Yew once upon a time, up the Youthpark hill. I remembered the steep make-shift steps, me panting and huffing like a guy with COPD... and my bronchodilator - Salbutamol. After that hiking trip, I never went up the Youthpark hill again... and Kean Yew kindly never invited me to join him again. I will leave to your imagination how our hiking trip went.

Suddenly, I found my legs doing the things I really didn't want to do. I was climbing that dreaded hill, all because I didn't want to be left behind. It was OK at first. I made myself go on and on, because if I stopped, I would feel my heart beating furiously in my chest and me gasping and choking for air. Soon, my legs were tired. (I did hope that it meant that the calories from my char kuey teow were all gone though!) The next thing I knew - I was telling Ben that I was going to pass out. My heart seemed to be pounding not only in my chest... but up in my head. "Go on without me!" I screamed. "I will sit down here and wait!" Then I noticed a long line of nasty-looking ants crossing my path. "Oh no... I can't even sit down... what should I do?"

Ben said, "We are nearly there!"

I believed my hubby. I dragged (I think this is an understatement) myself further up the hill... After 10 minutes, we saw some bits of the blue sky... "See, you can see the sky! We are nearly there!" Ben said. My legs climbed a little faster. We reached a small clearing. I looked up and saw the sky. And then I looked ahead and saw another unending flight of make-shift steps.

"You bluffed me!" I said indignantly. "I don't think I wanna believe you anymore!"

Here I could hear AC laughing behind us. She overtook us and continued - slowly and steadily.

My hubby said, "Relax... Take a little rest, dear. We will be there soon. See, those hikers coming down the hill are looking fresh, rested and energetic... It must mean that the "end" for us is not too far away!"

This time he was right. Once we reached our destination, I sank onto a stone bench and gasped for air. While Ben and Matthew pumped iron at the mini gym, Ai Choo and I sat on the benches looking over the Southern part of Penang and chatted.

Coming down the hill was much easier than going up (duh!!!!) - except our legs were wobbling like jelly.

Ben, M and AC decided that they would do this every Sunday (if Ben isn't serving in S3 and if it doesn't rain). Anyone interested to join us? :P