Lin Bo-hong was particularly fortunate with hiking and trekking last year. Aside from traveling to the Canadian highlands and the Tibetan Plateau for film shoots, he also arranged a trekking trip with friends along Sweden’s “King’s Trail.” The area is home to some of the world’s rare glacial remnants, and trekking through the valley for seven days allows one to experience all kinds of Arctic climate and weather phenomena. Lin Bo-hong was amazed by the experience. He also mentioned that the King’s Trail has become a must-visit pilgrimage site for avid hikers, open only for about two months in summer. Those interested should sign up and find a guide early, and then begin a series of preparations?!
To ensure he had enough stamina for the trek, Lin Bo-hong trained by running and hitting the gym to strengthen his thighs. After buying the gear, he started learning how to use it. Most importantly, he did “shoe training” — he simply wore his hiking boots and backpacked around Taipei streets. But he joked, “I actually looked like I was up to no good!” He even accidentally ran into relatives, and his cousin couldn’t help but ask, “Did you just come down the mountain?”
Practicing English by Chatting with the Guide
Reflecting on the trekking experience, Lin Bo-hong said the first day was the toughest. In the evening, they couldn’t find a suitable campsite — all the good spots were already taken by other travelers, and they had to set up before dark. The guide kept speeding up, and as hunger and exhaustion set in, the team began swearing. When they finally found a flat area, everyone was still “new to this,” setting up tents slowly and struggling to cook the meal packets. Someone also had to fetch water from the valley. All kinds of setbacks ensued. At night, a storm of wind and rain blew in, but everyone was too exhausted to stay awake and managed to fall asleep.
The next morning, they had to quickly pack everything back into their bags. If anyone was too slow and delayed the group, the guide wouldn’t hesitate to yell. Lin Bo-hong believes that trekking not only challenges one’s physical strength and willpower, “but also requires strong teamwork!” Disputes are inevitable along the way, which further tests communication and coordination. He joked that while everyone was busy packing and running out of time, his friend’s girlfriend still had the leisure to drink coffee and feed him breakfast — something he thought was really “not okay.” He advised those with a “princess syndrome” to be fully mentally prepared before setting off and not to hold the team back.
Lin Bo-hong was glad that Qu Jia-rui joined the trip. While everyone was exhausted, she could still cheerfully ask, “Does anyone need to poop?” While others cooked dinner, she dug the latrine without complaint. Later, she also took care of a roommate who had a cold — very tough. He also admired her for being there alone, having to manage interpersonal relationships while adjusting to the physical demands. As for himself, aside from chatting with the guide to practice English during the trek, his mind often wandered, and he deeply realized that life is about living in the moment. “And life is really so simple — just a backpack is enough!”