Realtor On Trails

The mountain stood before us, a silent sentinel against the pre-dawn sky. Gunung Bunga Buah. A name that whispered of gentleness, of something delicate and inviting. But names can be deceiving.  That morning, the mountain was anything but kind. The night’s rain had left its mark. The trail, once firm and familiar, had transformed into an unpredictable adversary...slick with mud, shifting underfoot, every step a battle. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and our determination.  It was around 12 km to and back. The first 30 minutes was a steep climb. It was muddy, slippery and no rest. Then came the tarmac, a gentle incline stretching for about 2.5 km. We reached Checkpoint 1, and from there, it was a relentless up-and-down journey until Rock Garden. I had pulled a muscle during warm-up. Every climb up, I felt my glutes muscle tearing. I wanted to stop, to turn back. But I took painkillers and soldiered through.  If it wasn’t for the pain, I would have loved the...