Guys, I have to tell you about this crazy experience I had last weekend. You won’t believe how I got lost and what I had to do to find my way back. So, picture this: I decided to go for a hike in a new area I’d never been to before. I’m not the most experienced hiker, but I thought, “How hard could it be?” Famous last words, right?
I started early in the morning, the sun was shining, birds were singing, everything was perfect. I followed the trail for a few hours, taking pictures, enjoying the scenery, and feeling pretty good about myself. But then, I made a rookie mistake. I saw a beautiful little creek off to the side and decided to go check it out. I figured I’d just take a quick peek and then head back to the trail.
Well, that “quick peek” turned into me wandering around for way longer than I intended. When I finally decided to go back, I realized I had no idea where the trail was. Panic started to set in. I was completely lost, and to make matters worse, the sun was starting to set. I knew I couldn’t just wander around aimlessly, so I tried to remember anything I’d read about finding direction without a compass.
First, I tried to use the sun. I remembered that it generally rises in the east and sets in the west. Since it was getting late, I figured the sun would be somewhere in the western part of the sky. So, I used that to get a general sense of direction. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start.
Here is how I found my way back
- I observed the sun, watched the location where it set in the west. I started to walk toward the opposite direction, which I believed to be roughly east.
- I used the position of the sun to guide me, and I picked out landmarks to help me stay on course. I would walk from one big tree to the next, always keeping the sun’s position in mind.
- I walked for what felt like forever, and I won’t lie, I was scared. But I kept telling myself that panicking wouldn’t help. I needed to stay focused and keep moving.
Eventually, after hours of walking, I spotted something familiar. It was a part of the trail I recognized from earlier in the day! I almost cried with relief. I followed the trail back to the starting point, and by the time I got there, it was completely dark. I was exhausted, hungry, and a little shaken up, but I made it back in one piece.
Let me tell you, I learned my lesson. Next time, I’m definitely bringing a compass, and I’m going to be way more careful about staying on the trail. But hey, at least I have a good story to tell, right? And I proved to myself that even when things go wrong, I can keep my head and find my way through. Don’t be like me, but if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, remember what I did with the sun. It might just save your butt!