By Vicky Victorino pddm
Last Saturday, March 22, I chanced upon a group of hikers at the Tung Chung bus station as I searched for the bus that will bring me to Mui Wo. The ‘colourful ladies’ were mostly Filipinos, led by a dynamic lady who introduced herself as Hiker Nene Cha. They were also off to Mui Wo to hike up to Sunset Peak or Tai Tung Shan, the third highest peak in Hong Kong, and the second highest in Lantau, with an altitude of 869 metres.
In our conversation during the bus ride, I asked her how she came to organise this hiking activity. She candidly shared that she has been doing it for years now. She would simply post a notice on their group chat, announcing where they would be going and what they needed to bring. In fact, she said that for this expedition to Sunset Peak, they have around 21 registrants, including one from Nepal.
“What attracted you to this hobby?” I asked Nene. Half-jokingly she replied, ‘‘it removed my unwanted body fat.’’
But becoming more serious, she said, “hiking has taught me to change my perspective in life. In the past, I got so engrossed with my family issues; I drowned in my problems. But when I developed my interest in hiking and made it a regular practice, I developed a broader perspective in life. I learned to detach myself from many worries, or simply put them aside for the time being. In hiking, it’s enough to focus on the simple goal of the moment: point of departure, point of arrival, with the hope that the latter has some beautiful surprises in the end.”
And then, she noted other physical and medical benefits such as more regular and normal blood pressure together with a more healthy and lively disposition even in her place of work. She pensively shared that leading people to appreciate nature by hiking in Hong Kong could be a worthy legacy she wants to leave behind when she passes from this life.
Nene works as a domestic helper and I have the impression, as our conversation went along, that she is among the lucky ones here who enjoys a good relationship with her employer. Perhaps because of this reality, she is able to maintain a more balanced relationship with her family back in the Philippines.
As they arrived near the point where their hike would start, we took some pictures of the group inside the bus, and promised to keep in touch.
I don’t expect to be joining their hike in the near future because of some walking problems now, but I decided to write about this brief encounter to let the migrant workers in the city know that there is this option which can possibly help them heal some of their present woes.
Indeed mother nature continues to provide us with a sure ‘medicine’ for free: pure air, bright sun, and the wonderful colors and sounds of nature. Thank God for people like Hiker Nene Cha who allow themselves to benefit from this gift of God, and generously share it with others as well.
At the end of that day, after I finished my mission in Mui Wo, guess what I got from my new-found friend: the fantastic photos at the end of their adventure! For those who might be interested in joining their future quests, you can contact her at this number: 92624410
