Joy is everywhere

Crimea “Water and Stones” May 4-11, Year of the Ox (2009).
I, an ordinary office employee, breathing air conditioned filtered by air conditioning and drinking 3-5 cups of coffee a working day, dreamed of relaxing in nature, but obviously not another standard “let’s go on a picnic” mode, and my body was simply begging for some more physical activity than hitting the keyboard keys with my fingers and walking back and forth with papers around the office. Well, as you know, dreams come true!))))

Google, fortunately, is a smart thing and the idea of ​​going on a hike really inspired me. Like everyone else reading these lines, I wandered onto the wonderful site “outdoorcrane” and realized “MY”.

Well, a walk like that, 6 days, is what you need, I decided, having studied the site from cover to cover. For those who are not so scrupulous, I advise one thing - be sure to check out the equipment list and spare yourself, not money - take the entire list and buy the appropriate shoes. Ask Lena from our hike - her legs remained intact only thanks to the prompt response!;) Hello Lenchik!:) But Oleg’s legs... in general, tarpaulin boots were clearly not invented for hiking in the mountains. Well, if you want to see what kind of bloody mess can happen to your legs, then go ahead! ;)

I kept asking myself a question on the train, well, what kind of people go hiking... Kirill is right - only GOOD ones, you can’t find another more suitable word!) Everyone is different, but everyone is cheerful, everyone went to the mountains with different goals, with different expectations, but absolutely everyone completed the trip with the best mood, a lot of impressions and the desire to accomplish such a feat at least once more! I won’t bore you by telling you in detail about every step of our hike; it’s better to walk it yourself, but at the same time I’ll try to share some of my wonderful feelings from every day.

First day of the hike.

Having loaded our backpacks with an additional 3-5 kg ​​of food right at the station, we joyfully jolted in the minibus to the “Start” point. The weather is gloomy, but our faces are shining in anticipation of something special. The “special” didn’t take long to arrive - the clouds over the mountains and the drizzling rain made it clear that it would be “EVERYTHING AT ONCE.”

Hiding your smile in your pocket and quietly muttering: “Well, lucky with the weather...”, we line up in single file and walk straight up. The climb turned out to be just right!))) Gusty winds, as a result, cutting rain, and at the top it completely turns into snow - all this was clearly a test of strength, but in the end it turned out to be so cool when we conquered the first peak! Personally, I was especially pleased with the fact that I did it FIRST! There is always someone first, one way or another, joy overwhelmed each of us, because on this trip we did more than what we were capable of in our usual life.

Due to such weather, we had a chance to have lunch in a cave. Oh, these miracle breads!!!))))) One could write a whole ode about them!!!))) I am sure that they left very special memories for all participants in the hike!!!))) On the hike – BREAD IS NOTHING (because at least there is none), but BREAD – EVERYTHING!)))))

Middle (day 2 and beyond)

The weather spoiled us with everything - the scorching sun, frosty fog on the peaks, clouds, and rain. So, as far as clothing goes, I personally found everything that was taken useful (a T-shirt, two thermal T-shirts: with short and long sleeves, fleece, sweatpants, shorts, 3 pairs of socks (track and one woolen), a cap, a bandana, a raincoat, a storm jacket), except that spare shoes never found their use. In my opinion, more clothing is not required, because... otherwise, walking at an angle of “almost 90 degrees,” you will scold yourself for every extra gram that you threw into your backpack.

T-shirts can be washed if necessary, and due to the fact that thermal bags have time to dry, T-shirts made from other materials are no less successfully dried directly on the body or on a backpack.)))

As the guys from our group already recalled, and as was written in one of the reviews, this route can really be called “ascents and descents”, because... basically we make our way either up or down. Moreover, all the way down to “underground”!)))

The caves, by the way, are included in the route. Impressions from each sea and from each their own!!! I especially remember the softly flowing music under the arch of one of the large halls of the cave..., the muted light, the majestic staloctites hanging in large icicles, the stagnites meeting them and the sound of harmoniously falling drops... For how many thousands of years nature has been doing this... We, perhaps, were not in the project)))

For those who associate Crimea only with summer, the beach and the sea, I highly recommend going hiking in the spring. You will discover completely new sensations and a new mountainous Crimea. Immediately be prepared to sacrifice comfort and remember that any more or less long hike is a test of endurance and your flexible character.

Well, to be more specific, the mountainous Crimea in May is beautiful with spring flowers, which are periodically scattered in small groups along the slopes, young leaves on the trees and the heady aroma of blooming apricots, in the shade of which we were lucky enough to pass. Breathing in the fresh, fragrant mountain air is a thrill!!! And when you stand at the top, your muscles ache in a pleasant languor, and in front of you there are endless expanses and you just want to shout FREEDOM!!!!))))) Beautiful, pleasant...)))

I can’t speak for everyone, but personally I felt very relaxed during this time. It seems that during the hike you are immersed in a completely different, some kind of parallel world that was difficult to imagine before. All the guys become close; indeed, nothing brings people together like doing something together. Even if only for a while. Joy is everywhere: the joy of conquering another seemingly insurmountable peak, the joy of every awakening in nature, the joy of falling asleep literally instantly when tired. No one requires you to make important decisions, there are no deadlines, there is no need to rush anywhere, and the switched off phone is simply silent. Only mighty mountain peaks, clear skies, birdsong and the rustle of the wind - that’s all that occupies your thoughts and caresses your eyes and ears, lulls us such city children. The brain just rests... and the heart rejoices: “How good!”)))

Well, where else if not here can you drink such amazing tea!)

The final day of the hike

Rain. It poured when we needed to set up our tents for the night, when we had dinner, all night, all morning while we were having breakfast, while we were packing our wet tents, and until approximately lunchtime, while we were walking and conquering the final kilometers. We had to walk along a very washed-out road - the squelching mud and slippery climbs made the final day no less romantic than the beginning of our glorious hike!)))

With joy, dignity and very dirty shoes we went to the seashore - HURRAY!!! We did it!!!! Tired, missing soap and warm water, and yet incredibly happy, we completed our journey! The most perky of us solemnly swam in the sea, but the rest just got their feet wet!))) The end is the crown of the matter.

In conclusion, I would also like to note that I personally received great pleasure, a charge of positivity and inspiration! I met interesting people, felt how little a person really needs for life and happiness!

I am sure that this route is interesting all year round and brings its own unique impressions at each time! On this joyful note, I convey a huge greeting to all the guys:

• I send greetings to Tolik in Kyiv and thank you for going on a hike with me.
• Hello to Lenochka too in Kyiv, you are a cool girl, keep it up!)))
• Hello to Tanya in Moscow, remain as good and charming!!!
• Greetings to senior Tanya too in Moscow (an incorrigibly cheerful little man).
• Hello to Oleg in Kyiv, thank you very much for your help with the photos.
• Andryukha, who does not eat mammals, hello to Kyiv and many thanks for “getting” additional canned fish)))
• Andryukha, an incorrigible meat eater, send greetings to Kyiv)))
• Seryozha, also hello to Kyiv.
• Dima and Katya, definitely easy-going, welcome to Moscow.
• Greetings to Zoryane and Igor in sunny Odessa and thanks for the good advice)))
• To our guide Nastya and organizer Kirill - a huge hello to Crimea and thanks for a great hike!

Ekaterina Vzhechinskaya from Kyiv

P.S. Photos of both mine and the guys from the hike were used. At Kirill's request, photographs with flowers and landscapes were not inserted, although there were a great many of them!)))