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Today we went for an easy hike in an absolutely gorgeous area. If you’re wondering why we’re spending so many days of our trip in this area, it’s due to our contingency days. When making a trip across the world to climb a peak, you want to have more than one chance to attempt the summit. We got lucky and summitted on our first day, but it was possible that we’d still be up there if the weather wasn’t good!

Let me attempt to describe what today’s hike was like – leisurely hiking through a lush green valley with multiple babbling brooks and filled with fields of beautiful pink wildflowers, ringed by snow-capped glaciated peaks in all directions, with Elbrus in the distance, on a beautiful sunny day. All this after the entire crew successfully summitted the tallest peak in Europe, so we’re already in high spirits. To top it off, Sasha brought along a delicious melon, which we cut up and ate. It’s basically paradise for any lover of the outdoors.

We hiked out for about two and a half hours, then hung out chatting and eating the melon near some large rocks. After getting back, we had the rest of the day to ourselves. I took the opportunity to start reading Xenocide – the third book in the Enders Game trilogy. It was as perfect of a day as anyone could ask for!

Click here to go to Day 11 – Moscow