Hike out
From Mweka camp it was 10K (6.2 miles) downhill to the gate where we leave the park. Mostly on a dirt track through a forest but with lots of roots and rocks to keep us on our toes.
We saw Colobus monkeys, which look like this (photo from the internet):
Here are Karen and Sharon with Kili in the background.
I talked to a lot of hikers, keeping my mind off how tired my legs were getting. Karen will be away to Australia soon, where she will visit her brother and go scuba diving in Bali, as you do. She was recently scuba diving in Egypt. Sharon last year did a 160K cross-country ski in Sweden with seven friends – each pulling a sled with supplies. When they got to each hut, they had to chop their own firewood. This gives you some idea of the "sporty" people I was with. I meanwhile play golf and walk my dogs. Not in a bike club or running club like these two. I'm amazed I kept up as well as I did. Another hiker, Ann, will be competing for Ireland in the world triathlon championships next year.
Here we are at our final sign.
And here are the porters and guides singing us the Kili song.
On the steps in the red t-shirt is Wini, who throughout the hike sang a call-and-response song.
One team, One Dream. One Dream, One Team.
More FI-YAH (fire). More wah-tah (water). More wah-tah. More FI-YAH.
Non-stop. To the top. To the top. Non-stop.
Hakuna. Matata. Matata. Hakuna.
I often didn't have the puff to sing along, but I appreciated her keeping our spirits up and reminding us to drink water for more fire!
Last photo is of us with porters and guides. While we are very proud of our accomplishment, it was the porters who made it possible, carrying the food, the tents, the toilets, our extra clothes and gear. I left behind a bag full of food, socks, and fleeces for the porters – they carried it, so they should get the benefit of it. I felt very guilty that they carried a battery pack, a heavy little black gadget, that I didn't end up needing. My new phone holds a charge forever. At high altitude, I expected it to run down faster than it did. I did charge it before summit night but, because I walked in darkness, I never took a photo! I didn't leave the battery pack behind, however, because it was loaned to me by a golfer.
We left the park and drove about 2 hours back to Moshi. On the way, we stopped at a gift shop where I, weakened by a week of hiking, bought an expensive trinket. I later saw it much cheaper so was annoyed by my lack of discipline. But I was subjected to a very hard sell by a guy named Goodluck, and it was his lucky day because I am an easy mark.
Back at our hotel in Moshi, there was much joy at taking a shower and getting in the pool. In the evening, Salim presented our certificates. I got one even though I didn't summit (mine was a little different than the rest). He congratulated me for having the wisdom to turn back when I did. My guess is the guides had my number long before I did and just humoured me by letting me go as far as I could on summit night. If a hiker gets in trouble at or near the peak, it's on the guides to get that person down. So I'm sure they were relieved I turned back.
I expected to sleep like the dead that night but I didn't sleep a wink. On the mountain, life is simple. Eat, sleep, hike. Back in civilisation, I read lots of messages on my phone and ended up spending the night worrying that my mom hadn't looked at her phone for a week, despite being keen to hear my news. It turns out she is simply not good with her phone, but I worried until I got news she was fine. I also beat myself up for my expensive trinket. By sunrise, I was ready to go hiking again and reset my brain.
6 Dec.