Meeting the Gods: Mt. Olympus

I climbed an actual mountain!

Mount Olympus is another visual experience I cannot fully articulate with any number of words. What I love most about these kind of adventures is, nothing has really changed. Much of what you see there is essentially what the people of the past experienced. It a very cool moment of realization when you're standing up on those cliffs, thinking about that. 

Our first day was a 7 hour bus ride to the mountain, and then a 2 hour 40 minute hike up hill. We were told we needed at least 3 hours to get to the refuge where we'd be staying that night. We were really booking it. 

The refuge was pretty adorable. It was a simple wooden structure with mountain people everywhere. We had a meal, and retired. Our sleeping arrangements? It was just one giant bed going across each wall. It was certainly a record breaking sleep over. I am not ashamed to admit that I was the first to retire. I was super exhausted, and there was more to climb the next day.

We rose early enough to watch the sunrise. The sun came up behind the mountain peaks and illuminated the valley and the Aegean sea. If there is one thing to be said about Ancient sacred places, the Greeks really knew how to pick a view. This has been the case many times.

Be began our ascent around 9:30-10am. The hike up this peak was even more treacherous. It got steep and dangerous immediately. In some places, there really wasn't even a path. Not to worry, our tour guide knew these peaks like the back of his hand. Up and up we went, taking break periotically.

I was in the back of the group, along with four other girls who were just trying to tread along and enjoy the view. Eventually, we got moved to the front of the group, to set the pace.

We took a long break at a place that had a bench and an awesome view all around. 

After that, we began the last 45 minutes or so of our trek. We were so close to the top!

Unfortunately for me, I acquired a major fear of heights. The gravel under my feet kept making me slip and my body was tired. The altitude was certainly getting to my head. And well . . .I panicked. 45 minutes from the very top, I had somehow convinced myself that I was going to fall. If I would have slipped, I would have free fallen into the depths of Mt Olympus. 

Luckily, a CYA Friend, Michael, was able to calm me down before I really freaked out. Even still, I was way to frozen to make myself continue. Michael offered to stay with me, but another student was having serious knee problems and decided it best not to continue.
The rest of the group moved on and Robby and I gathered our strength before moving down to the cliff our group had taken their break before. 

We sat there talking and contemplating our existence until the rest of the group came back down.

Either way, it was an amazing view of Greece. I hope to go back someday and get to the top!

For all the Olympus pictures, Click here!!

The password is, "Olympus"