It’s always hard to sleep when you know that you have to wake up absurdly early. On Friday night I was struggling to sleep in anticipation of the 14k (8.7 miles) hike I was about to partake in. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to worry about what I was going to wear, or whether I should pack food and water. USAC (the program through which I am studying) provided clothes for everyone in the program, and promised breakfast and lunch and water along the way. But despite knowing that, sleeping didn’t really work out for me.
The hike I participated in is a part of Chiang Mai University’s traditional welcome of the freshmen class. Every year, freshmen and upperclassmen alike join to conquer Doi Suthep mountain so they can make merit at Wat
Phrathat Doi Suthep Temple. Students march up the winding road every year they attend school (or at least they are invited to, it is no longer a requirement). When they have made it to their senior year, they have the privilege of being driven up and walking down the mountain. Still a trek, but I’m sure their quads weren’t burning the way ours were on the way up.
We were given traditional clothing to wear for the hike. Since we were joining the faculty of Humanities, we wore baggy light purple pants and white linen shirt. The pants were a little to thick to hike in, and an awkward length for everyone that wore them. It wasn’t the most attractive outfit, but everyone was wearing them so it didn’t really matter. Each college had a different uniform: some were bright red versions of ours, another had tan button up shirts and long pants, and one group of young men were only wearing black diaper-like loincloths. The array of clothing was impressive to say the least. I saw one group with hats made of colorful pipe cleaners and Barbie dolls.
So back to my early morning! My group met in the parking lot at 5:30am and boarded the rot daeng (red trucks/taxis) which took us to campus. The sun wasn’t quite up yet, and neither were we. Once we got to campus, I began to feel a little nervous. Was I really about to hike straight up a mountain? Doi Suthep’s elevation is 1,676m, or 54,98ft high, and we were starting at about 300m (~1,000ft). I also heard that we were going to have to sprint up sections of the road, which sounded less than ideal in 90 degree weather with 55% humidity. But I was also excited to participate in this unique cultural event. It was a once in a lifetime experience; how could I say no?
Before we could actually walk up the mountain, each college performed some sort of dance and chant that they had been practicing weeks in advance. Even though the USAC group hiked with the Humanities college, we didn’t participate in the showmanship aspect of the parade. We just hung in the back until the hike began.
We started up the mountain at a pretty good pace; a swift walk with small bouts of jogging. I was hot and long before I was tired. I was sweating profusely within the first 20 minutes of our hike, but it didn’t come as a surprise. Whenever I go out I plan to be dripping with sweat at some point, whether or not I am doing vigorous activity. When the exhaustion finally started to settle in, we needed something to keep us going. That’s when Brittany saved the day with her music selection. We sang some Taylor Swift, jammed out to Beyonce, and even tried to whip/nae nae up the hill.
All along the road people were supporting us. The seniors walking down would smile and wave, people handed out water and snacks along the way, and everyone made sure you were taken care of. I had several people I had never met before ask if I doing alright. The energy was warm and compassionate the entire hike, even in the most strenuous moments.
At the very end of the hike, each group joins hands and sprints (*follow this link to watch a video clip of us running. Can you spot me??). We had to wait for awhile before we had our turn, but it was nice to get a little break in before the final haul. When we finally started running I felt my heart skip in excitement (or was it due to lack of breath?). There were giant crowds of people on either side of the road clapping and cheering us on. Their energy and excitment bubbled over and helped me with the final leg. I felt like I was apart of something bigger than myself. Even though I won’t be attending school here after this semester, it gave me a sense of pride and camaraderie with the other students. Just knowing that we went through the same thing together and made it out alive was a satisfying feeling.
Check out this super cheesy yet amazing YouTube video I found about the hike!