When going out of comfort zone is the only choice I had!
In a recent trip to one of the most beautiful destination, I signed up for adventure sport and sunrise trek only to realize I was not prepared for it. But did I regret signing up for them?
One month before the birthday, I realized that I did not want to spend my day of my birthday in Singapore. I wanted to get out of my bed, my city and out of everything familiar and comfortable.
While I was hacking away on a perfect getaway plan for a solo trip, my brother kept calling me and kept investigating regarding my plans. I was very suspicious about his intentions and interest in my plan. When I called my mother, deeply concerned about my brother’s plausible interest in spoiling my plan, she finally spilled the beans. My brother had booked tickets to surprise me for my birthday and he was flying to Singapore. But I was determined to not stay in Singapore for my birthday! Well, since I knew where I did not want to stay, it was obvious that every other place outside this city was a possibility to go to. I looked online, found some cheap tickets to Bali and I booked tickets for my brother and me right away.
Not having a perfect plan before you start might be overwhelming and daunting. But once in a while to start something without having to know what you are in for, brings pleasant surprises and heart-warming experiences in life. In the age of the internet and social media, where information is at your fingertips, not wanting to know this information is almost an impossible task.
Previously, when I planned my travel to Hong Kong, I knew the places I wanted to see, the things I needed to bring along, how the place looks like, what is must-see etc. The fact is that while gathering all this information, I had already visited the place virtually, seen the best and worst scenarios of the places through the reviews and feedbacks of all the travelers.
Eventually, when I visited the place, I was busy validating all the facts that I had gathered over the internet, kept finding things that people said were best and not to be missed. In the whole process, I missed the fact that one is there at the place to make the experience one’s own and not live the experience of another.
So this time when I planned for Bali, I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do but I did not prepare and plan to the last detail. On my birthday morning, I knew I did not want to be lazing around in my bed or be hung over because of a crazy party. I knew I wanted to be in a place outside my comfort zone.
We made a couple of reservations. I did not read a lot of reviews. I did not validate information. I went with my gut feeling. So the plan was an early morning Sunrise Trek to Mt Batur and River Rafting on the mighty Agung River. Well, I felt proud of myself about the plan. Little did I know that plans always look good on paper!
We woke up at 3 am in the morning to get ready for our trek. The guide was supposed to pick us up at 3:45 and trek to the zenith was about 1.5 hours. As we started to climb I realized I was out of breath pretty soon. Everything around was dark and the only hope was the light gleaming from guide’s torch. My brother looking at my plight pulled me up and pushed when he could. The feeling of giving up was just lurking around in my mind, I felt stupid about the whole plan. My brother wanted to split into laughter but since it was my birthday, he spared me. Having him around felt like bliss and we somehow managed to drag ourselves on to the top. The sun was still playing peekaboo, we walked along and took some pictures.
For a minute I took in the place that I was at, both literally and metaphorically. And I decided that every year this would be the tradition. The tradition of not being in the city or near anything familiar on my birthday. The way down was easier and by the time we hit the hotel back we were exhausted, but we slept with a sense of accomplishment. We needed that rest as we had to gear up for our next adventure.
When we arrived at the location, we had no clue about what we were in for. The instructor had tattoos all over his body, with a cigarette in his mouth. He explained there are 25 drops and we will be on the river for 4 hours. If anyone one us fell out of the boat, we needed to swim back. Yes, I had signed up for river rafting even though neither of us knew swimming. With a straight face, he asked me if I knew swimming and looking at his intimidating expression, I nodded my head up, down and sideways. Eventually, looking at our concerned faces, he figured that we had no clue about swimming. Then we followed him around to ask him if we will be safe, should we back out etc. There were 100 different voices in my head shouting what the hell should I do. I cursed myself for not having done enough research online and not having read all the reviews. Not only was I risking my life, it was my dear brother as well.
So I thought, even if I lose money on this, it is fine, let me just quit.Then one image popped into my head, the image of the instructor with his smirky face just laughing at my cowardliness. Well frankly, it is not a thought I enjoyed.
With a heavy heart I said, come what may I will do this. The walk downstream to the river was insane. It was 45 min walk downhill to meet this mighty Agung River which was roaring with all its mightiness.
Did it freak the hell out of me! Yes!
Did I lose my sanity! Yes!
Did I curse myself throughout the way for this stupid plan of mine? Yes!
Did my bed, house, and city feel far more comforting! YES YES YES!!
By this time all our belongings were locked away and we were in the middle of the jungle. So thinking about it I had 2 options, either sit and wait there for 4 hours while the others went for the ride or to just to do it!! With some little sanity left in me, I chose the latter. The tattoo guy with strange piercing looked even more intimidating, now with a bottle of beer in his hand. But I chose to ignore it and got into the raft. 10 minutes into the ride, there was a strange sense of relief and enjoyment that started creeping in. By then it had started drizzling. We were in the midst of a tropical jungle and on this mighty river. Being on a raft and pushing the water away was the most symbolic way of letting go of all my insecurities and fear.
After 10 drops then I started to feel like a pro. And then there was this one drop where the tattoo guy himself fell out of the raft, only to be pulled back in the boat by ME!! I was secretly gloating about this fact, but then I saw a huge drop coming up and my worst fear was about to become a reality, I was almost going to fall into the water. I saw a hand reach out to me and it pulled me back to my place. Then I saw this smile on tattoo guy’s face that kinda told me “Don’t worry I didn’t just let you on the raft in spite you not knowing swimming. I know what I am doing. I know Agung in and out. I know where she falls and where she rises.
You are safe”
Following this beautiful unspoken thought, I just let go and enjoyed the beautiful 4 hours of my life. With beautiful smiles from the tattoo guy, the music of the roaring river, flushing out all uncertainties and living in the moment.
At the end of it was a birthday well spent. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone takes a lot of effort. At every step in this journey when things did not go as expected, I kept thinking why I made this decision, to begin with. No doubt thoughts in my head kept going back to what is comfortable, but.. Magic always lies on the other side of the comfort. Choose it once in a while and I am sure you will not regret it!
