Graduate / Case Western Reserve University- essay- significant experience in my life [4]

Hello, everyone! I'm new here and this is my essay for graduate applying. The question is: Throughout our lives, we have significant experiences, or "milestones," that have a lasting impact on us. Briefly describe such an event and its impact on you. I'd appreciate any feedback. Thank you!

Like many travelers, I used to never consider going somewhere independently, but after a journey to Lake Baikal I have undertaken along with my friend Lindsay last winter holiday, I begin to feel the strong appeal of adventure and exploration that can only be brought by independent travel.

It was one picture of the Blue Ice sent from Lindsay that ignited my desire for visiting this place. Coming from Shenzhen, a southern city of China that remains evergreen throughout the year, I was absolutely fascinated by the glamor and scope of the ice itself. A trip to such a heavenly destination was just like a dream come true. After a research on traditional package holiday options provided by travel agencies, I found none of them catered to our taste in sights and activities. It occurred to me that independent travel would be the ideal choice for us to enjoy the landscape at a slower pace and immerse ourselves in the local culture. However, when I brought up the idea to my parents for the first time, they were hesitant to support our trip to a destination off the beaten path for language barriers and safety reasons.

In an effort to dispel their doubts and win their favor, I decided to demonstrate that I could handle this task in an adult manner by creating a feasible travel itinerary. Based on the information gathered from travel guides and tourist message boards, I discussed with Lindsay about travel schedule and customized the routes to our preferences while staying within our budget. Then I made a checklist outlining the details of our trip including transportation and housing arrangements, telephone number to China's embassy as well as items to be packed. In case the cellphone shut down from the extreme cold weather, I also wrote down all the important information in a notebook. By organizing the travel information into a single document, I showed them the efforts that I had taken to keep our travel safe and sound. They finally agreed with our independent travel.

Despite the thorough planning prior to our departure for Siberia, we still ran into different problems that tested our abilities to overcome obstacles. For instance, we were challenged to seek help from local persons for missing the bus, and we happened to confront with the coldest temperature ever when doing hiking in the mountains. Faced with decisions we needed to make and challenges we needed to overcome when we travelled, I felt more proud of ourselves. Not only did we feast our eyes on the spectacular snow scene and blue ice, we also made new friends with some local residents.

With an invaluable lot of memories and moments I wouldn't want to miss, this trip is one of the most important milestones in my life. First, it allowed me to walk out of my comfort zone and learn how to put ideas into actions. Further, it gave me a confidence boost in relying on myself to tackle any problem with aplomb. I believe this experience has left a deep imprint on my mind and will help me to become a braver person whenever challenges emerge.