If you ask me about my hobbies, I’ll say hiking. But that wasn’t always the case. I was introduced to real hiking about ten years ago — and by real, I mean wearing actual boots, hiking pants, and carrying a backpack full of snacks while enjoying beautiful trails and meeting other hikers.

Before that, my “hikes” were more like strolls in flip-flops, shorts, and maybe a bottle of water — but in my defense, I lived on an island!

Anyway, back to the story. I was invited to go on a hike, so of course I went shopping. New boots, huge backpack, hiking pants, a fancy shirt, and socks that cost way more than I wanted to spend. I was excited and packed all the essentials: lotion, wipes, my makeup bag, perfume, a hairbrush (just in case), a camera with lenses, a change of clothes for cute pictures, and one bottle of water.

The drive took two hours. Halfway there, I needed to use the restroom, but they told me, “There’s one at the trail.” So I waited… patiently. When we finally arrived, I discovered that “bathroom” meant a single stall with a hole that looked like it could swallow me whole. I decided I was not using that evil hole.

Still annoyed, I refused all offers of snacks, water, and juice. “Let’s just go,” I said. “I’m not carrying extra weight.”

The hike started beautifully — the views were breathtaking, and my bad mood started to fade. Then nature called again… and this time, there was no evil hole around. Let’s just say a rock came to the rescue (don’t worry, it was only number one).

A little later, hunger hit. I looked in my backpack and realized I’d left all my snacks behind during my dramatic moment. Thankfully, my friends were smarter than me and packed enough to share.

Lesson learned: being uncomfortable and trying something new usually takes a little preparation — and maybe a sense of humor. The things we regret at first often become our favorite stories later.

Fast forward to now: I’m an experienced hiker. I pack only what I need to survive — and trust me, the makeup stays home.