Traversing the wilderness doesn’t require any extraordinary skills—it’s far easier than the journeys people usually undertake in the human world. Those who smile in the face of life’s hardships are the true strong ones. Nor does venturing into the wild make you any nobler; it’s just a way of living, nothing to boast about. If you love it, just go.
Once you enter the wilderness, there’s no one in front of you or behind you. Want a photo of yourself? You’ll really only be able to leave a “shadow.”
We pitched camp at seven in the evening. The weather was bad, bitterly cold, and we were all damp. A few wild asses stared at our tent on the hillside for a long time. I hoped they’d carry some compressed biscuits out for me. I shouted to ask if they would—they ran off scared.
Once you enter the wilderness, there’s no one in front of you or behind you. Want a photo of yourself? You’ll really only be able to leave a “shadow.”