A few days before our summer vacation, our university announced a trip to the captivating countryside of Scotland. What attracted me most was that instead of visiting the cities, we would be going to valleys and mountains. As someone who loved nature, I had a strong desire to climb mountains, experience bonfires and enjoy breath-taking views from mountaintops. Therefore, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to do so.

We had two weeks to prepare. My friends were also going on the trip, which made the adventure even more exciting. Besides excitement, I also felt a little nervous, as it was my first time going abroad and that too without my family.

All the students and staff flew together and our flight was about six hours long. On the plane, I got a window seat with my best friend next to me. Both of us watched movies and talked throughout our flight. Fortunately, the food on the plane tasted delicious.

After we arrived, I took a deep breath and smiled with happiness. We boarded a bus to our mountainside camp. The journey was long and it was almost night when we reached our stop. From there, we had to walk for thirty minutes to reach our camp site. With great difficulty, we reached our camp and, after having a quick dinner that was waiting for us, we slept.

The following morning, on stepping out of the tent, breath-taking scenery lay right in front of me — the rolling hills were so beautiful and the environment was incredibly peaceful.

I found a beautiful meadow with green grass, a peaceful stream and majestic mountains. I saw yellow ducklings gracefully floating in the water and heard the sound of the river.

The sky was blue with fluffy clouds, and the air smelt sweet like cherry blossoms and wildflowers. Our goal was to reach the mountaintop and after a lot of struggle, we finally made it to the top.

Upon reaching the top, the first thing we did was to set up our camp so that we could rest for a while. It felt like a long-held dream was finally coming true. I was so caught up in my adventure that I completely forgot about my birthday, which was that day, but my friends had a surprise planned for me.

Two of my friends kept me busy, while the others made a setup for a little celebration. They had secretly brought a small cake up there with them.

Since the sun was going down, I went back towards our camp side. As I got near them, I heard all my friends singing “Happy birthday!” It was a great celebration and we took a lot of memorable pictures.

When the sun descended, it seemed to rest directly before us, creating a truly unforgettable experience that will remain with me forever. That night, we slept under the pale crescent moon that shone like a silvery claw in the night sky, with stars twinkling around it.

I felt like I was living a dream. I am proud of my determination to pursue something I’ve always wanted to experience. I sincerely hope that my personal experience can inspire you to embrace new prospects and take risks.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 11th, 2023