"The danger of an adventure is worth a thousand days of ease and comfort." —Paulo Coelho Since I don't have work on Monday and Tuesday, I decided to take a hike to clear my mind and evaluate where I am in life. I chose to hike Mt. Tapulao, located in Palauig and part of the Zambales mountain range. The hike started at 4:00 AM, with a beautiful sky in the background. The first 3 kilometers of the 18-kilometer hike to the summit (36 kilometers in total, since this is a back trail ) are on an asphalt road that was previously a dirt road. During these first 3 kilometers, I was faster than my co-hikers, but I couldn't keep up with the first guide and the leading hiker. I found myself walking alone on a dark road, reflecting on many things while being wary of cars that could hit me. After 3 kilometers, the end of the asphalt road revealed the West Philippine Sea in the background, where I could spot Chinese ships. This made me think about how close the disputed territorie...