The sun was up, the temperature pleasant, the air fresh and thin.

A group of about 20 of us stepped out of the minibus at the base of Volcano Acatenango and took our first steps up the sandy, steady incline. I started at the front, just behind the experienced local guides, thinking: I'm excited. Let's go.

One foot in front of the other. My boots slipped back slightly with each step on the loose volcanic sand, black and grey, soft under my shoes. We reached the first viewpoint fairly quickly, then kept moving, slow and steady, passing groups already making their way down from basecamp where they'd sleep that night. The air smelled of pine and earth, cool despite the climbing sun.

A female guide smiled kindly as we stood to let them pass, "Suerte, chicas!" I felt a spike of anticipation.

We walked uphill for three hours, the path narrowing at points, as we entered thicker forest. Moss clung to twisted tree trunks. Shafts of light broke through the canopy, illuminating dust particles suspended in the air. The stops felt short, the guides would stand, and we'd follow so as not to fall too far behind. Gradually, I found myself at the back of our group. My left hip had started to seize from the relentless incline. I kept reminding myself: Squeeze your glutes, take the load off the hip. But it still hurt. A lot.

By lunchtime I'd gone quiet, retreated into my shell. I should have trained for this. But the sun was shining gently through the leaves, and the hike itself was beautiful, soft volcanic soil underfoot, the gentle breeze moving through branches overhead, bird calls echoing in the canopy, the chatter of hikers in different languages drifting up and down the trail.

At some point the terrain levelled out, opening into clearings where wild grasses swayed. Such relief. It became undulating, gentler. Bigger views of the valley below appeared between trees. I thought: Now this is the type of hiking I love.

Then we reached the base of basecamp. The trees thinned. The incline steepened again, the path turning to exposed sandy scree. We all had to push. One foot in front of the other. Nice and steady. The air had grown noticeably colder.

We had reached basecamp.

Wow.

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Stay tuned for Part Two: Basecamp, the lesson learned, and three exercises to prepare your body for the hike of your dreams.

With Warmth, RONDY