As my friends and I headed up the mountains of Cinque Terre, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, well at least I didn’t. Along the sides of the cliff, there were no railings or rope to hold onto. Just us and the edge. Being terrified of heights this was very challenging for me. I tried not to look down, but I couldn’t help but to tremble as bits and pieces of rocks bounced their way down the cliff. As much as I wanted to turn back, I knew that getting to the top would be worth it. After miles and miles of trails and hours of climbing, we finally reached our destination. Ahhhhh, relief. As I looked around, still trembling in my shoes, I felt at ease. “How could something so beautiful even exist?” I asked myself. “What if I didn’t finish the hike? What if I had climbed back down because I was too scared?” I would have missed this beautiful view. I wouldn’t have felt this internal reward. Though I wanted to give up and just head back down the trail, I kept pushing myself. It seems so silly, but this event will forever stick with me. The breathtaking view I had from the very top was worth every bit of sweat and tears. We stood at the top of the mountain for hours, just gazing down at the city… I never thought I would live to see something so beautiful, but then again I am in Italy.
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