Steem engagement challenge S7/W3 | My last family holiday experience

Greetings my lovely friends!

If there is a place that every person dream to go in Sri Lanka, that is Sri Pada or famously known as Adam's Peak. Last year, I had the privilege of experiencing the hike to the summit of this majestic mountain in Sri Lanka. The journey was one that I will never forget.

^{On the way to this sacred mountain
Location: ///scratching.buyouts.disagreed}

We planned our trip for January because it was my husband's birthday and he always wanted to see the sunrise from the top of the mountain on his birthday. Not every day you can climb this mountain because there is season where the rain stops. Hence the best time to hike Adam's Peak lies between December and April. We also choose this time because usually with thousands of people visiting this place daily, the ones who comes first has the best natural sceneries as well as cool and comfortable environment.

^{Adam's Peak standing majestically}

We went with my husband's parents and my best friend. We took a train to Hatton city and stayed in a hotel close to the trailhead. It was comfortable and situated in a convenient place for travelers. I recommend anyone to go with this place. As it was family run hotel they were hospitable to all the guests.

^{Me and my friend at the hotel we stayed: Hugging Clouds
Location: ///toughening.encircling.leanness}

We set our alarms for 1:30 am and started the hike early in the morning so we could see the sunrise from the summit. According to the previous travelers the journey will take about 04 hours to the summit.

^{Doing some prayers at the entrance}

The hike was challenging, but the beautiful scenery and nature made it enjoyable. We took breaks to rest and drink tea. My mother-in-law, who is not used to hiking, was feeling a little tired but she kept going, determined to reach the summit. My husband was always behind her helping to get to the next step.

^{Trying to cope with the cold}

My father-in-law, who is a bit of an enthusiast to climb the mountain, was also getting tired, but he kept pushing everyone forward. I and my friend had no problem with the tiredness but extreme breeze and cold weather was the problem.

As we continued climbing, we could see the summit getting closer and closer. We were all feeling a sense of accomplishment and excitement.

The last stretch of the climb was the most challenging, but also the most rewarding. We could see the sunrise peeking over the horizon, and it was truly breathtaking. We were almost at the summit, and it was an amazing feeling.

^{Just before the sunrise}

I felt we were in heaven and it was an incredible sight. We slowly reach to the summit and it was absolutely stunning. We took many photos to capture the moment, and we all felt a sense of accomplishment and joy. We spent some time worshiping the temple on top of the summit. It was a birthday my husband will never forget.

^{My husband enjoying his moment with his parents}

^{I'm enjoying every bit of it}

^{Time to leave to earth}

Going down the mountain was the next challenge, my mother-in-law was exhausted and had no energy what so ever by then. We took several breaks and had breakfast that given from the hotel we stayed. It was delicious because we were very tired. Going down took twice as long as going up. Once we were back in the hotel, we had a hot shower and a local dinner while looking at the mountain, thinking about what we had accomplished.

^{Ready for the dinner after a wonderful day}

One of the highlights of our journey was the memories we made with my mother-in-law and father-in-law. They had always wanted to visit Sri Pada, and it was an honor to be able to share this experience with them.

My mother-in-law, who had never climbed a mountain before, was determined to reach the summit, and she did it. We felt like a strong team and we were proud of each other for making it to the summit.

I would recommend a visit to Sri Pada to anyone looking for a unique and special holiday. It's a great opportunity to test your physical limits, connect with nature, and create precious memories with your loved ones. The hike is challenging but the views and the experience are worth it.

And don't forget to plan ahead and bring enough tea and warm clothes for the journey 😊

I would like to invite my friends @nishadi88 , @arshani and @liasteem to join the contest.