hiking dead women’s pass: was it worth the struggle?
Halfway up Dead Women’s Pass on the Inca Trail, I bumped into this guy who looked just as exhausted as I felt. We’d both been climbing for hours, legs burning, lungs screaming, and honestly, I started questioning my life choices. The scenery was stunning—mist rolling over ancient stones, wildflowers everywhere—but all I could think about was how my knees were begging for mercy. We traded stories about why we’d signed up for this madness. He said his friends convinced him, I said I wanted to prove I could still do something adventurous at my age. But as we stood there, catching our breath, I couldn’t help but wonder: is the pain really worth the bragging rights? I mean, nobody warned me that the altitude would hit this hard, or that the steps would feel endless. Has anyone else felt like quitting halfway through a big trip, only to keep going because you don’t want to let yourself down? I’m torn between feeling proud and thinking I should’ve just booked a beach vacation instead. Sometimes I think these bucket list adventures are overrated, but then again, the view was unforgettable. Still, my knees might never forgive me.
#IncaTrail #TravelStruggles #MidlifeAdventures #Travel
