Getting a grasp on adventure
- Jase Teoh
- Aug 16, 2020
- 3 min read
No man is brave that has never walked a hundred miles. If you want to know the truth of who you are, walk until not a person knows your name. Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler then mirror-glass. A long stretch of road will teach you more about yourself than a hundred years of quiet introspection – Patrick Rothfuss
The Camino Frances: St. Jean to Finisterra, August 2016
Officially started my Camino on July 30th. Woke up everyday before dawn (between 5-6 a.m) and walked non-stop averaging around 30 km per day in all sorts of conditions (rain, thunder, heat, cold, wind) and in all sorts of pain (tiny blisters, bed bugs) and slept in all sorts of places (floor mats, dorm beds) with 6-40 strangers (snoring, talking, waking up, sleeping late) but at the same time, I also met Angels along my Camino walk and spoke and met people from all kinds of places and from different walks of life (different languages). All I can say is: it’s been a very humbling experience and you learn to be truly grateful. Truly GRATEFUL! We talk about being grateful but here in the Camino, even getting a towel that dries makes you eternally thankful. You also learn that you can live with a lot less! Just a backpack with 2-3 shirts and pants and etc and that the lighter your pack, the easier your journey. I completed my Camino on August 26th and now am going to Fisterra. You truly experience the full Camino when you walk for at least 30 days because the initial stage is very physical, then the Meseta challenges you mentally, and then of course, all of it converge with your spirituality, soul and spirit. The Camino is the beginning of new things, not the end.
Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim, June 2015
My expedition to the Grand Canyon reflects so much on who I am and what I do — that I am seeking meaning and experience to this life. It also prepares me to go to Camino De Santiago, Spain. First, I am very grateful and thankful for the opportunity to be able to hike the Grand Canyon, that many only wish and dream of doing but are unwilling, unable, or give themselves excuses (too old, no time, no money, bad health, have children, no companionship; fear of injury, animals, people, etc) and the list goes on and on…however, I firmly believe that when your heart is convinced of a cause, you will ACT on it. I am eternally thankful to God for this gift of life and health that I will not take for granted. So often, we live life waiting for others, waiting for things to happen, living life with regrets, what “if’s”, sorrows, and emptiness, not realizing that we have within our power, the will, the mind, and the ability to reach for the stars! Life itself is a miracle and people say we cannot always do the things we want, but what people do not realize is that we limit ourselves — “we are our own limitations”, usually self-imposed. Lesson learned: Do not live with regrets and do not be colored by bitterness and or jealousy. Discard things/people who do not bring positivity, joy, and happiness. Life is too short. Reflections: Don’t fret over the small stuff, have no patience for people who say I can’t, do what makes you happy, life is too short. Live in the MOMENT because now is all you have. Celebrate who you are because God created you for a purpose and it is up to you to realize your potential. Celebrate you because you only live once! You are stronger than you think!
Mt. Katahdin & Acadia National Park, September 2015
Man is born to die. His works are short lived. Buildings crumble, monuments decay, wealth vanishes but Katahdin in all its glory forever shall remain the mountain of the people of Maine – P.P.B.
It was an incredible journey and experience. Met several thru hikers who have been hiking the Appalachian trail since March/April. I am always in awe with the vastness of our earth, the majestic mountains, and the challenge that the terrain brings. It was more rock climbing/scrambling than hiking, but we were able to push our limits/boundaries/test it. The key lesson here is: we can do or be more than we think. Fear disables people but when you let go and believe in yourself, the sky can be the limit. It also reminded me to be grateful and to be thankful for this life we have. If something is bothering you, take a hike. Do something different. Gain fresh perspectives and fight again the following day. Breathe and do bikram yoga.
New Hampshire, March 2015
Mount Washington, June 2014
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