After a year of being an office worker, I entertained myself by exploring the world through Google, saving money to plan a real trip. But in the end, I ended up going to the doctor because my body was weak. Sitting in an air-conditioned room, not exposed to rain, wind, or sun, my immune system became lazy. I can't wait any longer, it's time to go out and see the world.

Inspired by the movie "Yes Man," where the protagonist embraces new experiences by saying "yes" to everything, I impulsively agreed to a hiking trip to Doi Luang Chiang Dao, the third highest mountain in Thailand. As an office worker, I questioned my physical ability, especially considering my friend's extensive hiking experience. Despite my concerns about being a burden, the allure of conquering such a peak proved irresistible. I embarked on a fitness regimen to prepare for the grueling climb, determined to contribute to the team's success.

The day of the journey arrived, and we gathered with 16 other members of the group at the appointed time. We distributed the communal supplies among our backpacks, as we were responsible for our own belongings on this trip. The porters would only carry our drinking water. We left Chiang Mai city center in a rented red truck, heading towards Chiang Dao district. We stopped at Chiang Dao Cave to pay respects to King Kham Daeng before arriving at the Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary office. We registered with the officials and were informed of the regulations. We prepared ourselves mentally for the climb to the summit the next day. For tonight, we would set up camp at the San Pa Kia High Agricultural Station. We built a campfire and cooked dinner with the majestic Doi Luang as our backdrop. After the Yi Peng festival, the full moon appeared to greet us around 8:00 PM. At this time, Doi Luang had the sky, stars, and moon as its companions. Standing here, it felt like looking from another planet, not the Earth we inhabit.

Before embarking on the journey, the pink plum blossoms at the end of the branches bloomed instead of waving goodbye. The weight of the backpack made me feel a little worried. I was still complaining in my heart when I was carrying it in the concrete jungle. I don't think I'll look good when I go hiking, but I've come this far, so let's do it. There are two trails to the top of the mountain, which is 2,225 meters above sea level. One is the Pang Wa trail, which is 6.5 kilometers long and very steep, and the other is the Den Ya Krad trail, which is 8.5 kilometers long and the one we chose. The first part of the walk was easy, under the shade of the pine forest, admiring the wildflowers along the way. We stopped for a while to catch our breath and slowly walked on. The destination was still a long way off.

Before embarking on the journey, I conducted thorough research. One particular aspect that captivated my interest was the endemic flora of Doi Luang Chiang Dao. These unique plants are not found anywhere else in the world, and some are even endangered and susceptible to extinction. Therefore, I harbored a fervent hope of witnessing them firsthand.

The highlight of Chiang Dao's flora is the "Tien Nok Keaw" (Parrot's Beak Orchid). Its exceptional nature lies not only in its endemic status but also in the remarkable shape of its flowers. From the side, the flower resembles a parrot with its wings outstretched in flight. The white-pink petals are accented with purple-red wings, reminiscent of the mythical Makali bird from Thai literature. It is truly astonishing to imagine that a plant from the mythical Himavanta forest could manifest as a bird in the forests of Chiang Dao, living up to the legendary reputation of this mountain.

Reaching the lunch break spot, some of the supplies had already been lost along the way. Unloading the luggage from our shoulders, we stretched our legs and shook off the fatigue. We gathered around and stuffed rice into our stomachs in the middle of the forest, catching the wind that would accompany us on the road ahead. From this point to Ang Slung , the path was steep all the way. On both sides were towering limestone cliffs almost perpendicular to the ground. Looking down at our feet, we took each step, looking at the high mountain peak ahead, wondering how our two feet would take us there. The luggage on our shoulders was so heavy that we wanted to throw it all down by the side of the road. Our legs were so sore, and the higher we climbed, the thinner the air became. We breathed harder and harder until we were panting. "Nature, we give in... We know how small we are," we gritted our teeth and continued walking, passing a porter who said it was just a little further. After walking for a while, we passed another one who said the same thing: "Just a little further." Hmm, that's a lot of "a little further" already...

Finally arrived at Ang Slung, the camping site of Doi Luang Chiang Dao. Before we could catch our breath, we had to set up our tents and cook food, because we would have to climb to the top of Doi Luang to watch the sunset. "Did I hear that right? After walking this far, and the peak is that high, where will I get the energy?" I asked myself if I should go with them or wait at the camp and then go up in the morning. The answer was, "Well, let's go. I've come this far, why wait for the dew to settle?" It took about 30 minutes to walk from Ang Slung to the top. The steep path climbed along the ridge of the mountain. Chiang Dao wild roses were waiting to bloom, decorating the path at intervals. Looking back at the path we had walked made my hands grip the rock face even tighter. I felt dizzy because of the wind blowing on the steep slope. I could see the vast landscape as far as the eye could see. When we reached the top of the mountain, we found a place to sit and watch the sunlight fall from the sky onto the rocks.

The setting sun, though not yet tilted, was already attracting the attention of many pairs of eyes. The warm orange hue gradually pulled down the curtain of the dark blue sky, closing the curtain on the daytime sky. The sun here at the end of the day looked as gentle and lovely as the moon last night. We descended from the mountain before the light faded because many people said that it was dangerous in the dark. But we thought it was easier to descend than to ascend. Our legs didn't tremble because we couldn't see the steepness. We built a fire from the charcoal we carried up because Doi Luang has a rule that prohibits cutting wood for firewood. We skewered marshmallows and roasted them over the fire, accompanied by dried squid. The two looked good together in the fire, even though they were from different countries. The stars were abundant in the sky, falling as shooting stars for people to wish upon. We don't know how many stars fell into the betel nut. Before we looked up at the sky until our necks hurt, we remembered that we should go to sleep soon because in a few hours we would have another peak to climb.

Just after four in the morning, the gang leader woke up the members indirectly with a gurgling sound, as usual. The weather was so cold that I almost gave up and didn't want to get out of my sleeping bag. I crawled out of the tent, tightened my jacket, tied my shoelaces tightly, and headed for the top of Doi Kiw Lom. The path was as steep as Doi Luang, but I walked under the humid forest and climbed up until I was above the treetops. The world was already spinning as the sunlight painted the horizon when I reached the top. The steam from the hot tea in my hand was sent to me to relieve the cold while waiting for the sun to rise. Kiw Lom is full of rare plants, perhaps because it receives the first light of the day before anyone else. I sat down on a rock near the prey of a goral, waiting to greet the sun together.

The sea of mist blankets the town of Chiang Dao below, bathed in the glow of the rising sun. On the other side, white mist floats in the wind, gradually covering the shoulder of the mountain in front of us. Brother Oat, the leader of the gang, jokingly says that if he had remembered to bring chili paste, they could have picked the tips of the clouds and dipped them in the paste for breakfast. We stand teasing the mist, playing with the rainbow reflected in the clouds like children, smiling at the sun and taking deep breaths. Because today we will descend from the mountaintop and return to the life we left behind. At first, we thought the descent would be easier than the ascent because we wouldn't have to fight against gravity. But we realized we were wrong when we descended via Pang Wa. The steepness of the path throughout the entire route was a heavy burden on our knees and feet. With the weight of our luggage on our shoulders and shoes that didn't protect our toes from impact, our bodies were in more pain than during the ascent. Our legs protested our determination all the way to the meeting point to enter the park. Many times, we wanted to grab a bamboo leaf to cushion our bottoms and slide down the mountain for fun, ignoring the fatigue.

The journey's end brought a sense of physical exhaustion, but also a profound realization. We are not superior to nature, and any attempt to conquer its peaks is an illusion. We are merely observers, witnessing the beauty and grandeur of the natural world. Just as fallen trees in the forest provide sunlight for new seeds to sprout, we humans should show humility towards nature, the source of all life. Returning to the city, fatigue lingers, yet a renewed sense of vitality emerges.