Royal National Park Hike

On Saturday, August 18^th I partook in a full day, intermediate level hike at the Royal National Park.  This six-hour hike, while simple, positively impacted my confidence and enhanced my relation to the outdoors.  During my time at the Royal National Park I connected with the environment, tested some of my basic courage issue and debunked a few of my own uneducated thoughts in relation our environment.

In the weeks leading up to the hike, I was not overly excited about the journey. The long bus ride and early wake up time, acted as excuses for my apprehensive self to cling to. I focused only on what I perceived as the negative aspects of the adventure, rather than embracing the positives. This attitude changed during the lecture that took place before the hike.  The talk about “Checking Your Mindset” and thinking about the hike as an opportunity to grow really made me reflect on how destructive my negative thoughts were not only or myself, but for those around me. Looking back, I wish I had a positive mindset from the beginning. I thoroughly enjoyed the hike, and I probably would have had an even better time if those lingering negative thoughts were completely vanished.

One extremely impactful moment of the hike was during our mediation session, although it had nothing to do with the act of mediating. It is hard for me to sit silent and unmoved, and this did not change during the mediation. Instead of sitting uncomfortably, I explored the surrounding rocks in the area that we were sitting on. I did not disturb any of my fellow hikers and I felt that so powerful in that moment. Even though I took little risk and remained close by, there was something intimately freeing about the experience. I jumped from rock to rock and truly breathed in the outside and loved everything it had to offer. This is experiential learning at its best. Jumping from those rocks, although they were small, safe gaps that any slightly experienced hiker could handle with ease, tested my little courage and allowed growth that I simply wasn’t expecting. To me, learning through the unexpected is a huge part of experiential learning, and this moment that was supposed to be dedicated to mediating gave me a completely different, yet totally acceptable and empowering experience.

 

Undoubtedly the overall most impactful part of the hike was the relationships I started to build with classmates. I made a great connection with a German exchange student, Louisa. Learning about her life story, was incredible. This could not have been possible without the outdoors acting as a powerful agent.  Being outside crumbled the walls and guards that I normally have and allowed for open communication; almost as open as the environment we were in. On the impending Blue Mountains adventure I challenge myself to meet even more people and forgo the safety blanket that was my two close friends with whom were both in my group. While having them there was fun, it did slightly hinder my ability to connect with other people.

The Royal National Park hike was an awesome experience. I hope to apply the personal growth that happened during the hike to my preparation and participation in the upcoming Blue Mountains three-day trip.