Why do people go hiking? What pleasure do they find in changing comfort of modern life’s conditions to the survival in the wild? At the first sight, the idea may seem meaningless. But looking closer, you will see a great number of advantages of such time spending. You will understand why some people prefer hiking to beach vacation. Исправлено: prefer hiking for beach vacation.

Hiking is an invaluable experience either for adults or for teenagers and children. The earlier you start the faster and easier you will learn the philosophy of life and gain important features of character, which will be useful to endure different situations and solve problems.

I will tell you about my first serious mountain hiking experience. It was a month trip to the Altai. It happened fifteen years ago but I still feel the effect that hike Исправлено: this hike has made on my perception of life.

Our group was managed by a young fellow who was just thirty years old. The rest of the participants were represented by 20 teenagers from ten to sixteen. Just now, looking through the years I realize the responsibility our instructor put on him that time. Kids are still kids and sometimes they perform reckless outbursts, which can be faithful in a wild nature.

The journey to the mountains took us five days of changing trains and buses. During this long time we watched the landscapes through the windows, played various games and sang songs. In other words we were getting acquainted to each other and to the diverse nature of our immense country.

At last, we got to the starting point that was located on a bank of a mountain river with a rapid flow of crystal clean water. There we were given food and other equipment that was shared among all the participants in equal parts. So, the rucksacks became even heavier. The next time we were to get a trunk of food on the high altitude from a local worker Исправлено: by a local worker.

The tour started Исправлено: has started. First day we took the first pass. The trail was full of mud, feet slipped and the air was stifling after the warm rain. Drinking water was prohibited because it was considered to be more difficult to go after it. We were allowed just to rinse our mouths to quench our thirst. Don’t know why, but that time I was full of energy. So I was the first one to reach the top of the hill. Full of pride I was meeting the rest of our group with happy mood and boasting words, because the instructor had told us before that those who came first would get a prize. So, how do you think I was awarded Исправлено: have been awarded? I was given an extra portion of food to add into my rucksack. It was the first lesson for me to learn and to draw conclusions.

Another circumstance tested our endurance and honesty. The trunk with food that we were to get in the mountains had been stolen. So we practically had to survive until our return to the civilization. What a temptation was not to eat alone everything that I had prepared on the fire when it was my turn to cook.

Summing up, I want to say that trip Исправлено: that this trip has taught me a lot: how to make friends, to be independent and many other things. Besides that, I have got a lot of pleasure and positive emotions from it. Breathtaking nature, including snowy peaks and colorful rocks, clouds that wrap you around, turquoise lakes, bright contrasts of the sky and earth, terrific views from the height, — all these made me fall Исправлено: made me to fall in love with the Altai. Nights with sky full of stars, sounds of guitar and a scent of the fire’s smoke gave the opportunity to feel the life.