Finding the Unexpected in the Unknown

by Jessica Loyd (United States of America)

A leap into the unknown Colombia

It was twenty minutes into my solo journey when I paused to protect my sight from the salty sweat threatening my eyes with a purple bandana that was already soaked (not from the condensation of my water bottle, but from the perspiration that had already escaped me) and I questioned my decision to visit Parque Tayrona. All the choices that had led me to the moment collided in my mind and all I could do was laugh audibly. I thought to myself, “girl, you know black people don’t this sh*t.” Despite several years of being a cool kid in LA and hiking some of the city’s most popular and walkable trails, it seemed I was not prepared for the physical and mental demands to be encountered on the “two -hour walk” to San Juan del Guia - the campsite in Parque Tayrona that was reportedly the site most worthy of the journey. While in Colombia, several people suggested I experience Parque Tayrona. Each person gave me a wealth of information as they told me about this beautiful beach camping experience that only required an “ easy two-hour walk.” It wasn’t long into my “walk” that I thought, something had been lost in translation. I was expecting a dirt path but I wasn’t expecting the inclines, the declines, or the thick jungle vegetation that hid all the creepy crawly things that call Tayrona home. I was surrounded by the unknown and only carrying what I had brought with me. The only knowledge I possessed about my journey was information shared with me in conversation and some signs that were few and far between. This experience was going to require me to activate all of the outdoor adventure muscles and skills within myself. It was twenty minutes into my journey when I decided that my solo adventure to this jungle beach on the edge of this vast continent was going to be worth conquering the doubt and fear that I was bound to encounter along the way. So with the lush foliage surrounding me, the sticky humidity consuming me, and the relaxing surrounding sound of water meeting land keeping me hopeful for my own meeting with the ocean and its breeze, I chose to keep moving forward on the dirt path before me. There were some moments along the path that stole my breath due to the physical requirements of climbing slippery muddy slopes that demanded you to get more than your hands dirty. Then there were the moments that were utterly breathtaking and refreshing when I could see, hear and deeply breathe in the breeze coming from the ocean on the horizon. It was there in Parque Tayrona that I reached peak vulnerability. I had already stepped out of my comfort zone when my response to an unexpected lay-off was to book a one-way ticket to Colombia for a sabbatical that was to last at least 30 days. Now, this trek to my campsite required me to confront the stereotypes and self-defeating beliefs that were self-imposed and then conquer them. With each step that I took, the courage within me grew and gratitude for every detail of my experience soared. With each step, I was rewarded with the sights and sounds of a jungle, the whispers and the whistles from small living things, reminding me that there is still great beauty and growth in the midst of an unknown that is beyond your control. Time passed swiftly as I continued walking my path and fortifying myself by singing aloud and adding some of my own favorite tunes to the songs of the nature that surrounded me. The mistakes I had made along the way taught me some of my most profound life lessons. Like the benefits of packing light and that comparing your walk to another person’s walk is futile because their walk could be your hike. We’re all heading to an ultimate destination, and what we visualize that destination to be is as unique as the beholder, but it is the journey that we must not take for granted. Never let the unknown, the setbacks, the stereotypes or the limiting beliefs about yourself stop you from fully engaging in your journey.