My best birthday ever — on a hike

My second time with Kuluar and my second time completely delighted. I like everything — the organization, the convenient hub and gear rental, and a good budget, so there's more than enough of everything — food and treats alike. But I believe that 90 percent of the impression of a hike is still the team leader, their professionalism and charisma. Olia Zapalova is the person who turned 13 separate people into a friendly team on the very first day. She showed us a lot, even more than planned, fed us as if for a feast, told us loads of interesting things and created an atmosphere as if we were all old and good friends. What touched me most was the feeling that she wasn't just doing her job, but sincerely living this little life together with the group. And this girl, who probably weighs about 50 kg, actually gives a sense of calm and reliability. She's one of those people who will load her backpack heavier than any man, take on the hardest work, carry most of the gear herself and never admit it to anyone — and then it turns out that this backpack even held a string of fairy lights for a cosy evening. So if they say the mountains show what a person is like, then Olia is the person I'd go with even to Everest without hesitation. This time I planned my birthday during this hike — and it was the best birthday ever. By the way, our team leader's bottomless backpack also held a lovely gift from Kuluar, festive “happy birthday” flags and a little cake with a candle. It was so unexpected and pleasant that I almost cried