This was my first experience hiking in the mountains, and it turned out to be a very instructive one. I set out to test myself—to see if I could physically and mentally handle this kind of hike. But Ivan and the group we had gathered didn’t even give me a chance to give up. Interesting conversations along the way—facts about nature, the terrain, plant names, and mushroom subspecies—distracted me from thoughts of fatigue. Throughout the entire hike, there was an atmosphere of absolute trust between the group members and the trip leader, which gave us the energy we needed for the difficult (perhaps only for me) stretches. I can say without a doubt that Ivan is a true professional who is passionate about his work, and that’s very inspiring.
