[B1] My First Time Trekking

Hi everyone, welcome back to 5-Minute English Practice. I’m Jessica. Today, I’m going to share a personal story about my first time trekking. This was a very special experience for me because it was something new, a little challenging, and also very exciting. I will describe what happened, how I felt, and what I learned from this trip.

It all started when my friend invited me to join a trekking trip in the mountains. At first, I wasn’t sure if I should go because I had never done trekking before, and I was a bit worried that it might be too difficult for me. However, I also felt curious and wanted to try something different, so I decided to accept the invitation.

Before the trip, I had to prepare a few things. I packed comfortable clothes, a pair of good walking shoes, a water bottle, and some snacks. I also brought a small backpack to carry my things. I didn’t want to bring too much because I knew I would have to carry everything while walking. I also checked the weather forecast to make sure I was ready for the conditions.

On the day of the trip, I woke up very early in the morning. I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. We met at a meeting point and then traveled together to the mountain area. When we arrived, I saw beautiful views of trees, hills, and fresh air all around. It felt very different from the city, and I immediately felt more relaxed.

At the beginning of the trek, the path was quite easy. It was flat, and we could walk comfortably while talking and enjoying the scenery. I felt confident and happy, and I thought to myself that trekking was not as difficult as I had imagined. However, after some time, the path started to become steeper and more challenging.

We had to walk uphill, and the ground was sometimes uneven and slippery. I started to feel tired, and my legs became a bit heavy. At that moment, I realized that trekking was more difficult than it looked. I had to slow down and take small steps. I also needed to focus on my breathing to keep going.

Luckily, my friends were very supportive. They encouraged me and told me to take my time. We also took short breaks along the way to rest, drink water, and enjoy the view. During these breaks, I had time to look around and appreciate nature. The trees were tall and green, the air was fresh, and I could hear birds singing. It was very peaceful and calming.

As we continued the trek, I started to feel more comfortable with the rhythm of walking. Even though it was still challenging, I felt stronger and more confident. I realized that trekking is not only about physical strength, but also about patience and determination.

After a few hours, we finally reached the top of the mountain. The view from the top was absolutely amazing. I could see the landscape far away, with mountains, trees, and the sky all around. At that moment, I felt very proud of myself because I had completed something that I once thought was too difficult.

We stayed at the top for a while to rest and take photos. I also had some snacks and water, and everything tasted better after the long walk. I felt happy, relaxed, and grateful for the experience.

On the way down, the path was easier, but we still had to be careful. Walking downhill can also be tricky because it’s easy to slip. I tried to walk slowly and carefully, and I paid attention to where I stepped.

By the time we finished the trek, I felt tired but also very satisfied. It was a great experience, and I learned a lot from it. I learned that it’s okay to feel nervous when trying something new, but it’s important to give it a chance. I also learned that with patience and effort, I can overcome challenges and achieve my goals.

After this trip, I felt more confident and more open to new experiences. I also realized how important it is to spend time in nature and take a break from busy daily life. Trekking helped me relax, clear my mind, and feel more connected to the world around me.

Now, I actually enjoy trekking, and I hope to do it more often in the future. Maybe next time, I will try a longer or more difficult trail.

Thanks for listening! I hope you enjoyed my story and learned some useful English for describing past experiences and outdoor activities. Try to talk about your own experiences and practice using simple past tense. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to 5-Minute English Practice. See you in the next lesson!

See more: Easy Topics for B1 learners

Word / Phrase Part of Speech Meaning (English) Example Sentence
trekking noun long walking in nature, usually in mountains I went trekking last weekend.
experience noun something you do or live through It was a great experience.
challenging adjective difficult but interesting The hike was challenging.
exciting adjective making you feel happy and thrilled The trip was very exciting.
invite verb to ask someone to join She invited me to the trip.
curious adjective wanting to know or try something I was curious about trekking.
accept verb to say yes I accepted the invitation.
prepare verb to get ready I prepared for the trip.
pack verb to put things in a bag I packed my backpack.
backpack noun a bag carried on the back I carried a small backpack.
weather forecast noun phrase prediction about the weather I checked the weather forecast.
nervous adjective feeling worried or anxious I felt nervous before the trip.
relaxed adjective calm and not stressed I felt relaxed in nature.
scenery noun natural views The scenery was beautiful.
confident adjective feeling sure about yourself I felt confident at first.
steep adjective rising quickly, difficult to climb The hill was very steep.
uneven adjective not flat or smooth The ground was uneven.
slippery adjective easy to fall on The path was slippery.
tired adjective needing rest I felt very tired.
focus verb to concentrate I focused on my breathing.
supportive adjective helping and encouraging My friends were supportive.
encourage verb to give support They encouraged me.
take a break phrase stop to rest We took a short break.
appreciate verb to enjoy and understand value I appreciated nature.
peaceful adjective calm and quiet The forest was peaceful.
calming adjective making you relaxed The view was calming.
rhythm noun regular movement I followed the walking rhythm.
determination noun strong will to continue Success needs determination.
reach verb to arrive at a place We reached the top.
landscape noun scenery of an area The landscape was amazing.
proud adjective feeling good about success I felt proud of myself.
complete verb to finish something I completed the trek.
grateful adjective feeling thankful I felt grateful for the trip.
downhill adverb/adjective going down Walking downhill is easier.
tricky adjective difficult in a tricky way The path was tricky.
slip verb to fall accidentally Be careful not to slip.
satisfied adjective feeling happy with results I felt satisfied after the hike.
overcome verb to successfully deal with I overcame my fear.
achieve verb to reach a goal I achieved my goal.
confident adjective feeling more sure I became more confident.
open (to something) adjective willing to try new things I am open to new experiences.
take a break phrase rest for a short time Take a break when tired.
clear my mind phrase relax and stop thinking too much Nature helps clear my mind.
connected adjective feeling close to something I feel connected to nature.
trail noun a path for walking The trail was long.
outdoor activities noun phrase activities outside Trekking is an outdoor activity.

✏️ Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks (Basic)

Word bank (mixed):
(proud, scenery, backpack, relaxed, trekking, tired, excited, nervous)

  1. It was my first time ______ in the mountains.
  2. I felt both ______ and happy before the trip.
  3. I packed a small ______ to carry my things.
  4. The ______ was very beautiful.
  5. After walking for a long time, I felt ______.
  6. When I reached the top, I felt ______ of myself.
  7. The fresh air made me feel ______.
  8. The trip was very ______ and fun.

✏️ Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks (Intermediate)

Word bank (mixed):
(appreciate, slippery, break, reach, focus, uneven, steep, encourage)

  1. The path became very ______ and difficult to climb.
  2. The ground was ______, so we had to walk carefully.
  3. It was rainy, so the trail was ______.
  4. I had to ______ on my breathing.
  5. My friends ______ me to keep going.
  6. We took a short ______ to rest.
  7. I learned to ______ nature during the trip.
  8. After hours of walking, we finally ______ the top.

✏️ Exercise 3: Multiple Choice

  1. “Challenging” means:
    A. very easy
    B. difficult but interesting
    C. boring
  2. “Supportive” people:
    A. ignore you
    B. help and encourage you
    C. compete with you
  3. “Slippery” means:
    A. easy to fall on
    B. very dry
    C. very hot
  4. “Determination” means:
    A. giving up easily
    B. strong effort to continue
    C. feeling tired

✏️ Exercise 4: Match the Words

A B
1. overcome a. to arrive somewhere
2. achieve b. to succeed in doing something
3. reach c. to deal with a problem successfully
4. slip d. to fall accidentally

✏️ Exercise 5: Sentence Rewriting

Rewrite using the given word:

  1. I felt very happy when I finished the trek.
    → (satisfied) __________________________________
  2. The trip helped me feel calm.
    → (relaxed) __________________________________
  3. I finished something difficult.
    → (completed) __________________________________
  4. I succeeded in reaching my goal.
    → (achieved) __________________________________

✏️ Exercise 6: Sentence Building

Put the words in the correct order:

  1. first / my / was / trekking / this / time
    → __________________________________
  2. felt / I / nervous / but / excited
    → __________________________________
  3. reached / we / finally / the / top
    → __________________________________
  4. helped / experience / this / grow / me
    → __________________________________

✏️ Exercise 7: Speaking / Writing Practice

Answer these questions:

  1. Have you ever gone trekking or hiking?
  2. How did you feel before trying something new?
  3. What was the most challenging part?
  4. What did you learn from the experience?

👉 Try to use these words:

  • nervous, excited, challenge, proud, achieve

Answer Key

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks (Basic)

  1. trekking
  2. nervous
  3. backpack
  4. scenery
  5. tired
  6. proud
  7. relaxed
  8. excited

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks (Intermediate)

  1. steep
  2. uneven
  3. slippery
  4. focus
  5. encourage (or encouraged – both acceptable depending on tense)
  6. break
  7. appreciate
  8. reach (or reached – both acceptable)

Exercise 3: Multiple Choice

  1. B
  2. B
  3. A
  4. B

Exercise 4: Match the Words

1 → c (overcome = to deal with a problem successfully)
2 → b (achieve = to succeed in doing something)
3 → a (reach = to arrive somewhere)
4 → d (slip = to fall accidentally)

Exercise 5: Sentence Rewriting

  1. I felt very satisfied when I finished the trek.
  2. The trip made me feel relaxed.
  3. I completed something difficult.
  4. I achieved my goal.

Exercise 6: Sentence Building

  1. This was my first time trekking.
  2. I felt nervous but excited.
  3. We finally reached the top.
  4. This experience helped me grow.

Exercise 7: Sample Answers (Suggested)

👉 (Answers may vary — here are examples)

  1. Yes, I have gone trekking once in the mountains.
  2. I felt nervous but also excited before trying something new.
  3. The most challenging part was walking uphill on a steep path.
  4. I learned that I should be patient and never give up.