The Beginning of Many Adventures!

 Being in the United States is one of the greatest things that happened to me. Studying at a prestigious business school and getting that college experience is great. On top of that, I always wanted to travel around the United States and experience the beauty it has to offer. I have always been an avid traveler, but this time I wanted to experience the wilderness and beauty of nature. During spring break of 2014, I had the opportunity to do go on a 3-day backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

I experienced something magical. It was a great backpacking experience that I will always remember. I had the pleasure of joining a lovely group from Canada on this trip. We had a trip leader from Flagstaff, Arizona, who was responsible for leading the way and ensuring that everyone's needs were satisfied. We started day 1 of the trip by hiking down the famous South Kaibab trail. We reached the bottom of the Grand Canyon just before sunset and we camped at Bright Angel Campground. It goes without saying that the atmosphere at the campground was spectacular. Nothing beats the beauty of nature down there. It was very far away from any means of civilization. It was so calm and peaceful with fresh air and a clear sky. It was simply pure nature at its best! 

Day 2 of the trip was marvelous. We hiked some parts of the North Kaibab trail in the morning and came back to our campground in the afternoon. On the final day, we took off via the Bright Angel trail to reach our final destination at the top of the Grand Canyon. 

Words cannot do justice of the whole experience. It was a total of 20 miles covered in 3 days. We hiked all the way from the top to the bottom, and then from the bottom back to the top again. The enchantment of nature and the company of good people are what made this journey spectacular. It is truly one of the greatest hikes in the world. After the trip, I had an epiphany that I must seize every opportunity to experience the beauty of this world and its marvels. The United States has many similar wilderness destinations. I know now that this is just the beginning of many adventures for me!

Ahmed Almulla is a Bahraini Fulbrighter pursuing an MBA at Texas A&M University.