I took my friend hiking for the first time. He said yes because he trusted me, not because he wanted to climb a mountain. We reached the overlook in Colorado Springs, and I waited for that cliché moment—someone seeing the world from above, feeling changed. He just stood there, silent, eyes squinting at the horizon. I wanted him to say something profound, or at least pretend he was moved. Instead, he just nodded, like he was checking off a box. Maybe not every view is life-changing. Maybe sometimes you just walk back down the trail, legs sore, wondering if you’re the only one who felt anything at all. #Travel #TravelExpectations #FirstTimeHiking