Travel Poland: In My Lungs Grew Pines. (Part 1)

Hello everyone! I hope all of you are okay and feeling grateful for each passing day. This weekend, I actually travelled 5 hours south to the Tatra mountains, located near the border of Slovakia (we might have entered Slovakia on our way a couple of times). I was never a mountain lover because I didn't see beyond their rocky, green and icy surface. To me, they were awfully boring but since last year, when we went hiking uphill, I fell in love with mountains. Especially their forest-covered terrain, filled with pines, ferns, moss and passing brooks. Also, I found a new passion and it's: HIKING!


First we headed to a valley located in the Tatra National Park called Dolina Chocolowska (pronounced as Dolina Hohowovka). We walked as the clouds got more dense and grey, reaching up high as the mountain could take us. Every now and then, we would hear the sound of the brook, gushing against the rocks.

The mountains looked spectacularly picturesque; grand and divine as they are. The crisp cool and moist wind would bring about the fragrance of fresh pines and this lush of sweet, refreshing air made me feel as if my lungs were a fertile ground in which pine trees were growing.. the fragrance was everlasting and the emotions accompanied were sensational.

As we headed upwards, it started raining and I felt really okay about it. What was better than walking in the forest as it drizzled? But as time passed, it started really pouring. It was rather petrifying but I was delighted. I found myself walking with a light spring in my step, taking deeper breaths, feeling laughter sprouting within me. I never liked the rain, but now I do. I love it, actually. And to my friends who actually read this blog, I know you're surprised as I say this. I no longer despise the rain after this adventure.. after being soaked up with this freshness... with this transcending earthliness.

After about 50 minutes, we had turn back as the rain was getting heavier as we climbed up. I was insanely cold and so was my sister, who was whining the whole way. It seems that she dislikes walking and no matter how hard I am trying to actually force her to imagine things, she cannot do it when she's bored. I think I was the same when I was young too but when I was in her age, we didn't have a car and I had to walk everywhere. But well, I think now I cannot live without walking at least 6 kilometres a day, haha.

Make a funny face, I told her.

We reached the end of our hike 1 hour and 40 minutes later (11 km), and we were freezing so we headed to a thermal swimming pool and plunged into a 36 degree jacuzzi and just stayed there for an hour, thawing the rigidity in our muscles. It was actually really fun. :)

I cannot be more grateful for this experience and I thank God every single day for allowing me to learn more about myself and about the Earth every single day. I have grown to love this universe and this world, and I find myself in beautifying it through our own souls. May I remain forever inspired.

Await the next part of this heavenly adventure!