“It is a privilege to spend time outdoors, but with every privilege comes a sense of responsibility. We need to ensure that our future generations can enjoy the only planet that we have, “opines Zsolt Siklodi, a keen trekker and at the same time, an ardent supporter of sustainability. A strong believer in the ‘leave no-trace’ policy, he stresses that whatever we take outdoors should be imperatively brought back and recycled.
How did you get into trekking?
Trekking is something that started as a hobby and down the years, it became a lifestyle. At a very young age, I joined Outward Bound Romania – an outdoor company, which educates through experiential learning. After volunteering for four years, I started working full time in their office and during the weekends as an assistant instructor. This lifestyle became my passion and led me to have a profound appreciation for the great outdoors, nature and related education. This passion followed me everywhere and has become an integral part of my core being. Relocating to Dubai was a strategic move for many reasons, one of them being close to Asia, which I wanted to explore. Since December 2016, I have been volunteering at a local outdoor company, “Adventurati Outdoor” where I learn new skills and meet like-minded people.
What factors have kept you hooked to trekking all these years?
Trekking gives me the time to savour every step on the way, where I can slow down and absorb my surroundings, it is an amazing feeling to be in unison with nature. This is very special for me as I spend most of my time working in an office and as soon as I am outdoors I can start enjoying what I am passionate about.
Which has been your most memorable trek and why?
All routes have been unique in their own way. Even if you re-do a previous trek, the weather, nature, surrounding, people would still be different. If I need to choose an all-time favourite, it would have to be this year’s Nepal trek – my first visit to Nepal (hopefully, many more to come), where we trekked to an altitude of 4200m with friends from Vietnam. Having had the chance to get into the ‘backyard’ of the majestic Himalayan range was a rather empowering and fulfilling experience.
What does your training involve?
Having time for several activities requires dedication and this challenges me in several ways. My ideal week consists of swimming, cycling, running, gym and yoga. Depending on time and energy, I incorporate a session of stair climbing(going up and down 40 flights of stairs) with weights in my backpack. I try to make my training sessions interesting by combining two or more types and also by training in different surroundings. Nutrition forms an important element of my training. I feel the connection to my body and listen inwardly, thereby consciously making the right food choices. I have discovered all these years that it is not the quantity, but the quality of the food that makes all the difference.
What challenges have you come up against? How have you kept yourself motivated despite these challenges?
My biggest challenge at present is ‘time’, with most people having the same issue. Juggling a full-time job and a consultancy business with a voracious appetite for outdoor activities calls for great managerial skills and an efficient balancing act. The challenge, therefore, lies in striking the right balance between my professional life and my passion for adventure. Sometimes, when I need a greater push, it does help having like-minded friends who give me that extra energy.
What is next on your cards?
My next trek destination is Everest Base Camp (5380m) in September. This incorporates a fundraising event where we need to raise 20,000 AED each for two charities, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which aims at helping Syrian refugees and the second one, Mission Himalaya Children’s Eco Farm Home. Plans to climb Mt. Elbrus in Russia and Mt. Kazbek in Georgia are also in the pipeline in near future. My long-term goal, however, is to climb all seven summits in the world, leaving Mt. Everest for the last, which will require a lot more experience and financial commitment.
How do you intend to take your enthusiasm further?
Whilst I am working towards my targets, I would also like to inspire the younger generation to spend more time outdoors, something that can be referred to as ‘learning through experience’. I intend to share my experiences through my travel blog www.travelntell.net which is currently in the final stages of development. Travelers, hikers, enthusiasts will be able to use this platform to share their experiences with the world. One of my other passions is photography, which enables me to capture moments that I can share with my followers – images that might inspire people to visit these places.
Has trekking brought about any positive changes in your personality?
Trekking for me has opened doors of a different dimension, where I have met interesting people from varying cultures. I feel inspired by nature- may that be alone or with friends. Whilst working at the outdoor company, we organized one to two-day treks with children, wherein we slept in a cave or under the stars. Observing them work together towards a common goal was one of my favourite exercises. This is when I realized that helping others reach their potential makes me truly happy.
You are a firm believer in the ‘leave no trace’ policy. What efforts do you make to achieve this?
In my full-time job, I am part of the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) committee, where I learn a lot about the environmental challenges that humanity faces. I feel the need to share my learning with my colleagues and friends. Educating my friends and colleagues to change their day-to-day habits is one of the challenges. Even a small change, like eating less takeaway or paying more attention to which vendors use paper instead of plastic does make a huge difference. In the outdoors, I brief friends and participants that whatever we take with us needs to come back with us. In addition, I usually have an extra bin bag with me, which I use to collect rubbish that other people have left behind. ■
Words by: Bandana Jain
Photos by: Supplied
