We were woken up early again today for tea, “washie washie,” breakfast, and then goodbyes to the porters. They sang 3 songs for us, then we distributed all the tips in a “tipping ceremony.” After that, we headed down the last part of the mountain. To say my legs were stiff and in pain is a crazy understatement, and we had about 5 hours to go, downhill. Now, the scenery was absolutely beautiful, as we walked on a trail through the African rainforest. Birds were chirping, plants were blooming, mist was rolling, the air was getting thicker, and we were surrounded by huge green flora. Too bad we were headed down a slick, muddy clay path and had to watch every step so as not to fall! It got quite warm, and my legs were screaming. I discovered completely new muscles in my legs that I had no idea existed! At that point, it was about turning off the pain and just keep moving.
After a while, the trail turned into a very muddy road, which wound down to the gate. When we finally reached the bottom, we signed the register and took a breather. Then it was more walking down to where some boxed lunches were waiting for us. I swear, I was ready to just keep walking right on back to Arusha!
We ate lunch and received our completion certificates for making it to the top of the mountain. We took some pictures and then piled into a large van that took us back to the hotel. It was about an hour and a half ride, and when we finally arrived, I wasn’t sure my legs were going to work anymore! We got to our room, where I took a long glorious shower. It just felt good to be clean again!
We had dinner tonight with the rest of our group members, our last night together as a group. They were all such a wonderful bunch, and I’m so glad to have met them all. I hope I get to see them again someday.
So now...what did I learn by doing this adventure? Was it life-changing? I can’t say that it was life-changing, but it was definitely an incredible experience, and I do think I learned some things about myself. I learned I’m stronger than I thought I was. Getting to the top was just as much mental as physical. I learned that when you’re tired and your body doesn’t want to go further, it can. I can push beyond my limits. Also, if I can climb a 19340 foot mountain, I can stand my ground in life. I’m proud of Dad and myself for what we’ve accomplished.
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| porters |
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| starting the final hike down |
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| getting into the rainforest |
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| this flower only grows on the mountain |
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| rainforest |
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| rainforest |
Congratulations!! Looking forward to seeing more of your adventures - Ramona
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