How to trek like a woman and why I do it - Women's Agenda

How to trek like a woman and why I do it

Taking a break: The author, Di Westaway.

Laughing till it hurts. Snuggling into a warm cocoon beside a babbling brook. Gazing up at the Milky Way. Sucking on dark chocolate roast macadamia nuts from a cliff top overlooking the Pacific ocean at sunset. Relaxing around a glowing camp fire. The chitter chatter of happy voices. Sipping tea after a long exhilarating day on the track…

I’ve sat at heaven’s doorstep in the wilderness and experienced some of the most magical moments of my life while trekking. Like childbirth, memories of the painful, sweaty, arduous, monotonous, freezing, breathless and sweltering periods in remote locations disappear over time and only the exhilaration, love and beauty remain.  

A baptism of fire taught me this. My first taste of trekking came from the world of men. A world in which we raced silently through the bush; no stopping, no side trips for views, no boiling the billy, no indulging in a cool splash in a mountain stream and no pausing to smell the wattle. And definitely no gourmet cuisine. Just add boiling water.

To be fair, we were carrying 23 kilo backpacks on the Overland Track, but the mission was simply to “get there” fast. The destination, not the journey. The summit not the adventure. It didn’t matter what “there” even looked like. A tent spot just needed water.

Our real destination turned out to be the Wrest Point Casino in Hobart. Aaaaarrrrggghhh …

My second taste of trekking was a complete shemozzle. We were out to “conquer” an Andean mountain in a “dog eat dog” adventure where the last man standing wins. One of eight won. The rest of us lost.

But it didn’t frighten me off. This failure became the phoenix of my future. And it taught me that I’d prefer to trek with women. I love men. But women do it differently.  

I tried trekking with my husband. Being a SNAG, he was happy to boil the billy and stop for magic moments, but when we got lost it turned sour. It wasn’t his fault. I blame our biochemistry. Even though I had since become a trekking guide my primal instinct made me defer to his masculine energy.  Against all logic I trusted him to find the way. We argued and got more lost. He ended up with a piece of stick in his leg which was my fault for making him “bush bash” on his hands and knees through the thicket.

Our differences were laid bare as our Neanderthal ancestry prevailed. 

But with women, I’ve discovered differences become strengths. We pull together. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. We lift each other up.

It’s the funniest thing. When I asked a few girlfriends what #treklikeawoman meant to them they said: “Me pushing to the limit, being happy, sweat, having trek buddies by your side, compassion and support, fun! It’s gotta be fun, a lightness in the step physically as well as mentally. Reaching new heights and improving you own personal best, strength, vulnerable yet strong, able to smile, can ask for help.”

“Walking out the door and being free, pushing yourself every day and every little victory adds up, you are strengthening your willpower, muscles, increasing your ability to do more, be more, achieve more! All the while connecting with Mother Earth and hopefully inspiring a younger generation of women to be Wild in nature and feed their souls. Nurturing, inspiring and empowering each other to succeed.”

“Putting on a back-pack with girly treats inside and tackling a challenging but beautiful trail with good friends, going flat out but still leaving enough breath for talking.”

“Putting your heart, mind, body, soul and soles into the journey not just for yourself but to share the exhilarating experience, however challenging, with the band of wonderful inclusive women.”

“Wrap yourself in nature’s blanket, get sweaty, support and being supported” … “eating cake because I deserve it.”

For my boytrekker friends, #treklikeaman was “To experience a wild land without human noise during the walk, with the promise of hot tuna pasta and great conversation at day’s end in camp.”

“To banter but also being able to trek in silence, comfort food, gadget envy, playing dice games in the evening, snoring in the tent and generally carefree fun.”

“Í like a fun challenging experience that isn’t your run of the mill kind. And a nice venue to finish and brag. Just like the girls. Ha ha!!”

“An awesome experience requires great views, fun activities, good people, simple food and 1 muesli bar.”

“I like trekking with a girl – that way you get to eat delicious food.”

A little light hearted banter in our office revealed a few other differences …

  • Women pack everything; men take just what they need
  •  Women chat endlessly; men walk in silence
  • Women love the journey; men love the destination.
  • Women love spending hours preparing and eating delicious food; men add boiling water
  • Women brainstorm to overcome obstacles; men act independently
  • Women like to arrive at the summit together; men like to arrive at the summit
  • Women wash everything every day; men don’t
  • Women search for ages to find the perfect camp site; men need water and a flat spot
  • Women lift each other up; men toughen the f*** up
  • Women like to train hard to prepare; men say “it’s just walking”
  • Women ask for directions; men keep looking
  • Women ask for help; men don’t
  • Women cooperate; men compete

Luckily there’s no need to battle: you can choose to #treklikeawoman or #treklikeaman. Either way trekking is a great way to get stronger, fitter, healthier and happier.

But if want a good feed #trekwithawoman and if you want weight loss #trekwithaman. 

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