At the same time, there is a feeling of melancholy because my time here is over, and it feels like it passed by so quickly. All I can do is try to be present every day and enjoy my last month here with the scenery and people I choose to surround myself with.
After around an hour at the peak, we began to freeze and quickly made our way down. The hike down was a lot more comforting and easier to navigate. We quickly gathered our belongings from Paiyun Lodge, ate a very hearty second breakfast of seafood noodles, and headed back down to the entrance (where we parked our car). Due to the early hike and the fact that the hike to the lodge was FIVE MILES, by the end of our time at Yushan National Park, we were very, very tired. We began our four-hour drive back to Taipei with feelings of appreciation, exhaustion and pride. The three of us aren't avid hikers, and this hike was quite renowned amongst Taiwanese as very challenging. I think we were all grateful for the opportunity to complete it safely and proud that we were able to do it in our time here. As we drove home, we began to talk about how we wished to spend our remaining month in Taiwan and the future hikes we could do as a reunion once returning to the States.
When reflecting on my hiking experience in Yushan, I can tell my mental and muscle endurance has grown stronger. Likewise, I know my time in Taiwan has helped me grow into a much more independent, attentive and professional individual. I am currently preparing to return home in July, but I do not know what I will do yet. However, similar to preparations for my next hike, I know I will take the experiences and memories from Yushan to guide me.
