Is Everything Virtual?

We all noticed that digital technologies are conquering the modern world more and more every day. Many areas of our lives are moving online. Virtual reality is no longer a fantasy but something close and understandable. We have access to millions of terabytes of information on any topic. We work, study, and communicate online. We have an opportunity to even visit other cities and countries without leaving our homes. But some achievements still can only be realized in reality.

From the Virtual World to the Real World

Let me introduce myself; my name is Anton Pkhidenko, I am a representative for sales of equipment for infrastructure projects of the Amur machinery, Ltd and I conquered the highest peak of the Southern Sikhote-Alin of the Primorsky territory — the Oblachnaya, or Cloudy, mountain. The mountain is located in the National Park "Zov Tigra" in the Chuguevsky district. Its height reaches 1854 meters.

The hiking route along the mountain runs through different altitudinal zones: at the foot of it, there is a taiga and a mixed forest, passing which you walk into in a spruce-fir forest. However, climbing higher, you will find yourself in the realm of dwarf birches, cedar elfin, and Alpine meadows. The very top of the mountain though is rocky and flat, with many steep slopes and scree. The fauna of the mountain, due to the variety of climatic zones, is surprisingly rich. It is hard to believe that brown and Himalayan bears, red deer, tiger, roe deer, wild boar, lynx, as well as commercial fur animals such as squirrel, raccoon, hare, otter, fox, mink, muskrat, and sable are found here at the same time.

Traveling along the mountainside is very exciting, but the goal of the journey is still the peak. It offers breathtaking views of the Ussuri river valley, the Sikhote-Alin ridge, mountains Snezhnaya and Sestra. To climb to the top of Oblachnaya means to see Primorye in all its glory.

There is nothing more inspiring than achieving a goal.

It took me and my team three days to conquer the Oblachnaya mountain, while our hiking route was 60 kilometers long. We overcame a path full of steep mountain ascents and abrupt descents, icy embankments, and fallen trees, and all this to achieve our goal.

If you ask about my emotions, I can only say that, while I have been hiking and climbing for several years, this is the first time for me to reach а hight like this. During these type of journeys, one's character is tempered, one become akin to nature and give vent to their emotions. I am thrilled, and I think this is not my last experience of this kind!

Pkhidenko Anton Valerievich

Author

Born in 1986.

Two higher educations in the fields of specialization: 1. Engineer navigator, 2. Economist.

Army (Marine Special Forces). Specialization: scout diver

I have been working as a TT sales representative since March 2016, and I worked as a spare parts sales representative between 2014-2016.

I am the father of a 5-year-old son.

Hobbies and interests: volleyball, free diving, trekking trips, climbing, workouts, mountain skiing.

I admire: being in the wild, where I can take a break from people and connections to the world. Mountain peaks, I set a goal and go towards it while fighting myself along the way.

Dream: conquer 10 peaks of the Primorsky Territory and get the "Primorsky Leopard" badge, conquer the oceans and seas on a yacht.

Ideas: travel more, rescind new places.

If I changed my profession, I would be a businessman.