Hiking Teide volcano

My soul felt very lonely and betrayed once again. I experienced deep pain, sorrow, and a profound sense of disconnection—not only from others but also from that special person I met in Gran Canaria last year. I couldn’t help but feel their emotions as though I had no choice. "Someone who is empathetic is being coached by their environment. Empathy is an emotional response to vibration." Eventually, it became too overwhelming, and I turned away, shutting myself down. The strong chi (life force energy) that Ayahuasca gifted me with in July slowly diminished over the following months, and I lost my light. This winter, I was constantly cold—both physically and emotionally—and it felt as if the season stretched on for six long months. I found myself craving the warmth of the Canaries and felt a specific pull toward Tenerife, longing to reconnect with my heart and my soul family.

And so, here I am now, on Tenerife—the heart chakra island. I’ve joined a coliving space that I discovered on worldpackers.com, and I’m slowly beginning to warm up, both inside and out. I’m surrounded by like-minded people—travelers, digital nomads, and soul seekers—and I cherish the time we spend together, both within the house and exploring beyond it. Gradually, my heart is beginning to open again.

Last week, we hiked Teide, the third-highest volcano in the world, to catch the sunrise. Standing at 3,715 meters tall, I only made it to 3,270 meters, where the refuge camp is located. We left home at midnight and drove to the parking area near the volcano, which was packed with cars—clearly, we weren’t the only ones seeking the thrill of a night hike. At 1:00 am, the six of us adjusted our headlamps and hit the trail.

The plan was an overnight hike to the summit, which sounded like an incredible adventure—especially with such a fun group of people. But in reality, it was a test of endurance, battling the altitude, the darkness, and the biting cold as we climbed higher. Fatigue from lack of sleep added to the challenge. At one point, my body felt like a heavy stone I could barely carry. My breathing slowed as if I were about to sleep, while my heart pounded faster from exhaustion. I desperately wanted to lie down and rest, even if it meant passing out on a rock and calling it quits—but I couldn’t. The others were waiting, and there were still two more arduous hours to the refuge.

I eventually made it to the camp, arriving around 4:00 am, and I violently shook from the cold for the rest of the night. I was lucky that a bed had just become available, allowing me to lie down. Normally, visitors have to book beds in advance, but those without reservations can still find refuge on the floor or outside the building. At some point, I managed to fall asleep—or perhaps the cold rocked me into an unconscious state. When I opened my eyes again, it was 6:28 am, right as the Sun began to rise above the clouds. Stepping outside to see what I had hiked for—the sunrise—strong, freezing winds slapped my face and numbed my body. Yet, as the Sun climbed higher, its warmth grew stronger with every passing minute. By 8:30 am, I had gone from shivering uncontrollably to applying sunscreen as we began the descent from the refuge.

My hiking buddies told me that it was extremely cold on the top and they were all shaking so badly that they couldn't enjoy the sunrise let alone take pictures of it. I was shaking badly too, 500 m below them, but I managed to snap a few photos before I rushed to the back of the house to deal with my toilet needs on the rocks. The strong wind blew the pee all over my legs and about number 2., well, that went well...everything came out. I don't know what happened to my body during the hike, or maybe the power of the volcano did something to me, but after this hike all week I needed to go to the toilet two times a day and I literally felt my intestines became cleaner. It definitely unblocked and helped to flow the energy within me. Something has shifted on a subconscious level as well.

When I asked my hiking buddies if they wanted to hike Teide again, they collectively agreed "No!".

We got back home at around noon and I had an English lesson scheduled at 13:00. My student is a 13-year-old teen who asked me "How was the volcano?" My zombie self could barely react. I mean how could I sum up the most challenging hike in my life for a K-pop fan who plays video games in his free time?

1-minute video of the trip