Step by step ~ Exploring the World one step at a time

There are rare moments in time where life comes along and slaps us across the face. For me that was standing on top of the bottom of the earth.

I was visiting friends in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We were setting out to hike the Tablelands; a 1000 foot high rock formation of the Earth's mantle. It had been thrust to the surface millions of years ago during a tectonic plate collision. With no clear paths or marked routes, we had to navigate the path of least resistance ourselves. My timing was perfect, it was August and the snow had just melted from the top.

The Tablelands consist of rough rocks, stones and boulders in a deep rust color that seemed to glow against the powder blue sky. Equipped with my hiking boots and a backpacked filled with water and snacks, we set out to conquer the ancient beast. Walking on rocks on an increasing incline is tricky. A few centimetres of a missed mark, and you have rolled your ankle. Each step must be mindful and requires constant concentration. After a few hours of this my feet were throbbing, my lungs were raw, and I was certain I was about to collapse. Yet my two feet and stubborn determination continued to carry me forward. I was focused, determined to reach the top, to prevail over nature, to be a success. I was so engrossed in reaching my destination that I almost missed the beauty of this incredible journey. Because of the toxic amount of heavy metals in the rocks, not much vegetation can grow on the tablelands. It is how I picture Mars looking; rust coloured, dry rocks covering everything, barren landscape, cool air, and not a soul in sight.

When we finally reached the top, I lost my breath, not from the climb but from the shear, raw beauty before me. I was literally in awe. I was witness to all of Gros Morne. The lush, green rolling hills falling into the dark blue sea, the barren valley below, from which I climbed, and only the clouds above me. Unable to speak or move, I let the beauty of the place surround me. All of the pain and fatigue faded away in a fog that the cool air took down to sea. It was difficult to catch my breath as I realized I was standing on something that was UNDER the ground millions of years ago. I knelt down to pick up one of the jagged rocks that had been my nemesis for the past four hours. This little piece of peridotite had been around since the dinosaurs. I had never felt so small - like a tiny grain of sand in the hour glass of time.