Beyond Limits- Conquering Mountains or Conquering Self?

It all began with a simple plan—to hike to the breathtaking Almaty Blue Lake. As someone who typically plans meticulously, I arranged for a taxi to take us directly there, envisioning a leisurely stroll upon arrival.The sun was shining, and optimism filled the air as I set out with two companions: one fitness freak (let's call him Mr. X) who is very used to these hikes, difficult terrains and who does daily workout for hours , the other (Mr. Y), like me, desk worker,chubby and totally unfit.

However, as fate would have it, our journey took an unexpected turn.Little did I know, our leisurely stroll was about to transform into an epic adventure. The first shock came when our taxi left us at a checkpoint, informing us that no vehicles were allowed beyond that point. Left with the options of walking or taking costly, unauthorized taxis, we opted to proceed on foot. We enquired about the distance and decided to walk. After walking a few hundred meters I started having breathing issues and realised my freshly recovered fractured leg is giving me a hard time walking the steep way. As already my prior country journey was adventurous enough and I faced the first fracture of my life and many more things. I decided to not take a chance. I told them that I have breathing issues and I can't walk this much, I will go back and explore the city. They decided they will not go without me as I was the one who planned it. We all were very excited when we were planning for the day as It is one of the main attractions of Almaty. Our planned day will be ruined.Upon hearing this I decided I will push myself as we were very excited to reach the lake. So I made plan B and asked them to walk slowly and take frequent breaks. We move ahead with the plan. We took the shortcut recommended by a local hiker as he confirmed it will be around 3-4 kms. So we took the snowy mountain pipeline route rather than the defined road structure. With each step I pushed myself, having self doubts, making plans of where to wait if my body gives up, how will a medical help reach me, overthinking and overanalysing all the worst possible scenarios etc. etc. Mr. X was very fast, Mr. Y was highly motivated amongst us. I was visibly struggling and taking breaks.

As we trudged on, the altitude began to take its toll. My recovering fracture protested with each step, and the thin air left me breathless. Thoughts of turning back plagued my mind, but now I have been told by Mr. X in multiple ways that I am the reason for the delay, I am taking frequent breaks and he can do it easily and I can't.

Now my goal is to reach the lake no matter how much time it will take. Let me tell you the terrain was unforgiving—No map, No road signs, No mobile network, the path was patches of wild rocky steep path covered in stones and fresh snow, treacherous climbs up water pipes, and icy-cold iron stairs, around 2 kms long, 2 feet wide and shaky.The weather was changing with every few kms we cover. Every fiber of my being screamed for respite, but I refused to give up. every few meters whenever we are meeting any locals or other tourists we were just asking one question , how far is the lake now and we were getting differing accounts of the distance remaining. So till now we were unable to figure out the exact distance. With this ongoing thing we reached almost 8 kms. Mr. Y and I are already tired with me being in the worst position. We covered one more km. We were relieved to see the part of the lake from afar but figured out that to reach the viewpoint it will take a few more kms. Now here the bollywood movie twist comes in the story. I turned to see that one of my companions, the embodiment of physical strength, had faltered just a kilometer from the viewpoint. Mr. X stopped suddenly and decided not to move an inch. We convinced him that it's just a little distance we have already covered the unknown now the destination is visible. But he didn't move. So we both decided to go ahead and told him that we will wait there. Assuming he is just frustrated with us covering each km from the start, assuming we will reach after 1-2 kms.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of struggle, we reached the summit. My body ached, but my spirit soared with an overwhelming sense of triumph. The view was serene. Seemed like I was seeing something untouched by mankind. Straight from the god's canvas. As I stood there, catching my breath and gazing out at the breathtaking vista before me, I knew that this experience had taught me something valuable. Too tired to determine what is it eaxctly and how it will affect me. We spent a good hour there and returned and I was shocked to see Mr. X was still there just around 800 meters from the view point.

In that moment, I realized the true power of the human spirit and explored my strengths. What I can do if I decide to do it. Learned that It wasn't about physical prowess—it was about mental fortitude, resilience, and the unwavering belief that we can overcome any obstacle.

True strength lies within us, waiting to be unleashed in moments of greatest need. And with determination and perseverance, we can conquer even the tallest mountains.

So, to all who face their own challenges, I say this: Believe in yourself, lean on the support of those around you, and never underestimate the power of YOU. For in the face of adversity, we discover our true strength. Keep climbing, my friends. The summit awaits.