Auburn Aussie Abroad

I felt anxious. As I sat and pored over the many options of tours in the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia, I wondered if I could actually do any of the hikes without completely humiliating myself.
In previous years I’d have done it without a second thought, but that was 35 pounds (and many beers and cakes) ago!

Still, I was here, and on this particular lengthy jaunt throughout Asia, I was determined to do as much as I could. So, naturally, like an overly exuberant backpacker, I signed up to the longest trek I could find for the following day.
This consisted of a 4 hour return trek through forest about 45 minutes drive outside of Tanah Rata to see the rare Rafflesia flower. Yes, 4 hours to see a flower.

The next morning, I met the rest of the group downstairs.
My anxiety grew. I was definitely the largest person in the group and I worried that I’d be the one everyone would have to wait for all day.
“Slow down, the Australian is still coming” would become the catch cry of the day.

On the drive up, laughing with two hilarious Americans, I’d forgotten my predicament; but I remembered pretty quickly when our guide, Francis, talked us through the trek.
Slippery. Steep. Crossing rivers. Not for the injured or unfit (uh oh).
Everyone else in the group nodded in understanding, so I made my head move up and down along with theirs, but inside my brain was in chaos.

We began. I was determined to get a jump on the others by keeping up with Francis so that eventually I wouldn’t fall so far behind. However, this meant having to keep up with a man who did these walks regularly over 17 years, so it was quite the challenge staying close to him.
For the first 15 minutes my lungs burned, my chest heaved, my face dripped and my brain kept telling me to stop; but eventually my body began to work harmoniously.
I was in a zone of pushing through my anxiety and lack of fitness to see this damn flower.

I was in such a trance, in fact, that I initially walked past it!
As I stood and looked at this deep red, 85cm flower nestled in the forest, I smiled like a lunatic. Not so much because of the beauty of the flower (as remarkable as it was), but because I’d done it. I’d trekked the forest of the Cameron Highlands and not a catch cry of ‘wait for the Aussie’ was heard.

This was what travel was about for me. Pushing my boundaries, surprising myself, and not letting fear, anxiety, or the word ‘can’t’ get in the way of seeing the world.
I’d definitely earned beer and cake today.