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Go to places you've never been, do things you've never done. We only have one life to live, so live it to the fullest.
That's a favorite quote of 25-year-old Luu Huu Duc Anh. From Vietnam to South Korea and back to Vietnam, Duc Anh is constantly searching for and discovering the hidden beauty of new lands, and camping on the frozen river in Andong, South Korea, is a memorable experience on that journey.
Camping on a frozen river
Andong is located in southern South Korea – a region with significantly higher temperatures than the northern provinces. How could a frozen river exist in this area? This was the question that Duc Anh's group pondered throughout their 300-kilometer journey. However, as soon as the car ventured deeper into the mountain roads, the weather suddenly changed. The cold gradually permeated the vegetation along the roadside and lingered in the car windows. And slowly, a wide, frozen river lay beneath the mountains, and a towering ice waterfall appeared. The ice camping trip officially began.
Unlike camping on land, setting up tents on ice requires certain techniques to avoid damaging the ice's structure and causing cracks. Instead of using hammers to secure bolts, 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 belongings, and then erected individual tents for sleeping.
Here, in addition to strolling, taking photos, and eating, Duc Anh can also enjoy ice skating amidst the vast, white expanse of ice and snow. Those who have taken indoor rock climbing courses can experience the thrill of dangling precariously on the cliff face to conquer the peak of the white ice waterfall. This is also an ideal location for astronomy enthusiasts to capture sparkling Milky Way photos at night – something difficult to achieve in crowded cities.
Despite his extensive experience on exploration trips, this was Duc Anh's first time sleeping on a glacier. The cold of the night combined with the biting chill emanating from the ice surface exceeded his expectations. Only when his travel companion provided two extra bedding pads did he manage to doze off for a short while.
Is camping on ice really that simple? The answer is no. The ice may look quite solid at first glance, but due to the constant impact, it occasionally frightens travelers with eerie cracking sounds, small, palpable fissures, and the sensation of water seeping through.
"At its peak, a strong crack appeared, causing the surrounding camping teams to scream. Many people panicked and worried, then hurriedly packed up their tents and left," Duc Anh recounted.
However, this fear didn't deter the young man. Reassured by his thorough preparation, and with his sleeping mattress also serving as a float, he decided to stay. Duc Anh wasn't the only one who enjoyed this somewhat adventurous experience. Even though it was well past midnight, new camping groups continued to arrive, excited and seemingly unconcerned about the frightening cracks. And in the end, the night passed without anything too dangerous happening.
When asked about his reasons for embarking on this "adventurous" journey, despite not knowing how to swim, Duc Anh shared: "If fear made me miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore, I would forever only dare to curl up in bed, gazing at their photos and daydreaming. Perhaps my adventurous spirit outweighed my fear, so I decided to set off."
Step outside your comfort zone to see the world.
Not everyone dares to give up their daily routines to pursue their passions and fully enjoy life. Fear of the unfamiliar, the judgment of others, or self-doubt act like giant anchors, trapping people in their comfort zones.
As a young man who has explored many strange lands that few dare to set foot in, few people know that, like other young people, Duc Anh also once faced feelings of anxiety.
“Three years ago, before my first trekking trip to the Tiger Cave system in Quang Binh, I thought I wasn't strong enough to experience such physically demanding journeys. However, after completing that first trip with great enjoyment, I realized it wasn't so dangerous when going with experienced people. I was perfectly capable; it's just that my spirit was weak at the time, so I unintentionally let fear take over.”
Since his first trip, Duc Anh's perception of travel and exploration has changed. His youthful energy, enthusiasm, and curiosity about the world spurred him to embark on a second, then a third trip… Instead of letting fear overwhelm him as in the beginning, Duc Anh proactively faced it. From experiencing nighttime snow climbing in freezing -30 degrees Celsius to witness a brilliant sunrise on the horizon, to braving a small storm to reach Sonjaryeong to pitch his tent, or camping amidst a glacier in Andong, the young man truly stepped outside his comfort zone to see the vast world before him.
"These times are different. I'm proactively approaching my fears with the experience I have, not with an empty head like the kid I was years ago."
These trips have allowed Duc Anh to see firsthand magnificent landscapes that he thought only existed in movies, find like-minded souls, and share his passion with the world.
Most importantly, perhaps, somewhere amidst the mists clinging to mountaintops, before the gently lapping waves of the sea, or in the vast, snow-capped valleys stretching to the horizon, one will feel their soul soothed, and discover a profound part of themselves. That is also the greatest reward for daring to cast aside fears and follow the true calling of the soul.
"Step outside your comfort zone to see the world" - Luu Huu Duc Anh.
