34. Traveling by Sleeper Van (Part 10), Mount Egmont (The Art of Parking for Overnight Stays)

That day, from morning until afternoon, I drove along the road until I got close to Mount Egmont. Looking from the nearby community, it was truly breathtaking and spectacular. I think the people in this community must feel that they have beautiful morning views to enjoy. But it might just be because it was my first time here.

But this one really looks outstanding and magnificent, especially when viewed from the village or even while driving like this. The peak, still covered with snow that hadn't melted yet, adds to the grandeur. The atmosphere starts to get cooler as I drive closer to the mountain, and finally, I arrived at the parking spot for tourists.

Here, although it resembles a national park, there is no toll fee. I think there are cars coming in and out all day, but the actual number of cars that stay overnight, including mine, is only four. I adjusted my car to find the most balanced spot for sleeping, which at least raises my head a bit higher.

Finding a parking spot for camping is an art. Each area where I park has a different slope. Experience has made me more contemplative about finding parking spots. For example, if it's going to rain at night, and if you ask me how do I know, the tool that helps with this is an application on my phone (thanks to my awareness of this from working in the garden, which has been very useful even in my daily life now).

On a night when it will rain, parking under a tree is not as good as one might think. It will make me hear the sound of drums from the raindrops falling from the tree above all night. The irregular rhythm of the drops can be quite irritating to the mind. In such cases, parking away from the shrub's radius is the best option. Even though the car roof will be fully exposed to the raindrops from the sky, the sound will be consistent, similar to the sound of a house roof during rain. No matter how heavy the rain is and how loud the sound becomes, the consistent sound waves will not stimulate the auditory nerves at all.

Mount Egmont has several tracks for walking. I tried 2-3 of them and was satisfied. Many of the tracks can connect with each other. You will be impressed by the scenery and streams that cut through some of the paths. My feeling about walking the tracks here is somewhat similar to walking in a dense rainforest. Although I have never experienced such a forest, the paths in some sections are densely covered with various trees, and the spring humidity causes the trees in the area to be covered with light green moss, making it feel like stepping into an emerald forest. I returned to the car in the evening and made a simple meal. That night, it rained lightly again, and I fell asleep peacefully.

Drinking coffee in the morning always makes me feel good. For this new morning, I took my cup of coffee up to the nearby observation tower. It felt great. When I woke up early and drank coffee peacefully while others were still in their cars, the colors and freshness of the morning always rewarded my new day. Once everything was in order, it was time to set off again.