Go places you've never been, do things you've never done, you only have one life to live, so live it to the fullest.
That is the favorite saying of 25-year-old Luu Huu Duc Anh. From Vietnam to Korea and back to Vietnam, Duc Anh constantly searches and explores the hidden beauty of new lands, and the camping trip on the glacier in Andong, Korea is a memorable memory in that journey.
Camping on the frozen river
Andong is located in the South of Korea - where the temperature is much higher than the Northern provinces. How could there be a frozen river in this area? That was the doubt that Duc Anh's group carried with them throughout the 300 km journey. However, as soon as the car went deep into the mountain road, the weather suddenly changed. The cold gradually appeared on the grass and trees along the road and condensed on the glass windows. And gradually, a wide frozen river surface under the mountain and a towering ice waterfall appeared. The camping trip on the ice officially began.
Unlike camping on the ground, setting up a tent on ice requires some technique to avoid breaking the ice structure and causing cracks. Instead of using a hammer to fix the screws, the group had to use a drill to concentrate the force at a single point. They set up a large communal tent for eating and storing their belongings, then set up separate tents for sleeping.
Here, in addition to walking, taking pictures, and eating, Duc Anh can also skate in the vast white landscape of ice and snow. Those who have learned indoor rock climbing can also experience the feeling of swinging precariously on the cliff to conquer the top of the white ice waterfall. This is also an ideal place for astronomy lovers to take pictures of the sparkling milky way at night - something that is difficult to achieve in crowded cities.
Although he had many experiences in exploring trips, this was the first time Duc Anh experienced the feeling of sleeping on a glacier. The cold of the night mixed with the freezing cold radiating from the ice surface was beyond his imagination. Only when his companion brought him two more bedding did he finally fall asleep.
Is camping on ice really that simple? The answer is no. The ice may seem quite solid at first glance, but due to the many impacts it can endure, it occasionally frightens the caravan with creepy cracking sounds, small, palpable cracks, and the feeling of wetness from seeping through.
"At the peak, a strong crack appeared, causing the surrounding camping teams to scream. Many people were confused and worried, then quickly packed up their tents and left," Duc Anh recounted.
However, this fear did not make the young man retreat. With the assurance of careful preparation, and the sleeping mat also being a life preserver, he still decided to stay. Duc Anh was not the only one who loved this somewhat adventurous experience. Although it was past midnight, new camping groups continued to arrive with excitement and did not care much about those scary cracks. And finally, that night passed without anything too dangerous happening.
When asked about the reason for his determination to undertake this “adventurous” journey, while he himself did not know how to swim, Duc Anh shared: “If I had missed this unique opportunity to explore because of fear, I would have only dared to lie curled up in my blanket, looking at their pictures and daydreaming. Perhaps my daring was much greater than my fear, so I decided to set off.”
Step out of your comfort zone and see the world
Not everyone dares to give up their daily habits to pursue their passion and enjoy life to the fullest. Fear of unfamiliar things, the judgment of outsiders or self-doubt are like giant anchors that keep people in their comfort zone.
As a young man with many exploration trips to strange lands that few people dare to set foot on, not many people know that like other young people, Duc Anh also faced feelings of anxiety.
“Three years ago, before my first Trekking trip to the Tiger Cave system in Quang Binh, I thought I was not strong enough to experience such a physically demanding journey. However, after completing that first trip with great excitement, I realized it was not that dangerous when traveling with experienced people. I was completely strong enough, it was just that my spirit was weak at that time so I accidentally let fear invade me.”
Since the first trip, Duc Anh's perception of traveling and exploring has changed. Youth, eagerness and curiosity about the world have urged him to continue on his second trip, then his third... Instead of letting fear overwhelm him like the first days, Duc Anh proactively faced it. From the experience of climbing snowy mountains at night under the freezing cold of -30 degrees to watch the bright sunrise on the horizon, to going through a small storm to Sonjaryeong to set up a tent, or camping in the middle of the glacier in Andong, the young man has truly stepped out of his comfort zone to see the vast world before his eyes.
“This time is different, I proactively go into my fear with the experiences I have, not with an empty head like that little boy back then.”
The trips allowed Duc Anh to see with his own eyes majestic landscapes that he thought only existed in movies, find kindred spirits, and share his passion with the world.
Most importantly, perhaps, somewhere between the mists hanging on the mountain tops, in front of the undulating sea or the vast white snow valleys stretching to the horizon, people will feel their souls being soothed, and then find a deep part of themselves. That is also the greatest reward for daring to put aside fears to follow the true calling of the soul.
“Step out of your comfort zone to see the world” - Lo Huu Duc Anh.
