Mt. Meili inner circle

I had only been hiking for a short while back then. Like a lot of beginners, I had more confidence than experience. One afternoon after lunch, I left Yubeng village and headed into the mountains.

Without a map or GPS, it didn't take long before I wandered off the trail and into a dense forest. As the light began to fade, I realized I was lost, and for the first time that day, I started to feel scared.

Then I caught sight of two tents by the river in the distance. I made my way over and started talking. One was a teacher who had once walked all the way to Tibet to volunteer in remote schools. The other was a Korean traveler who came here, set up and lived in a tent, did nothing everyday, but only to meditate. I thought, what remarkable people of different levels they are!

Over the next two days, they led the way as we walked trails that looked ready to collapse at any moment, wandered through fields of emerald-green barley, shared homemade wine with local villagers, and listened to the heartbreaking cries of newborn lambs.

What had begun as a frightening afternoon of being hopelessly lost turned into one of the most unforgettable hiking experiences of my life.