Our Journey Home

Asleep in my tent, I suddenly became aware of a faint tapping on the flysheet, followed by the words in broken english, "dinner ready, get up please". Oh bugger off I thought to myself. With my usual body clock completely malfunctioning I had no real sense of time, just the half conscious awareness of the need to get off this mountain and head for the relative security and comforts of the Hotel Impala Bar!
In the end, the endless buzzing of activity outside brought me to my feet, and almost before I knew it, the endeavours of the previous 24 hours had been banished to the back of my brain as we prepared for our descent back to civilisation.

Mindful of the pain I felt at this stage last year, I was cautious not to expect too much from the subsequent journey down via the Mweke Route. In the end, both the afternoon trek and the following morning trek were accomplished with relative ease. Infact, the whole last 24hrs on Kilimanjaro was a very pleasant experience indeed. The cynic in me tells me not to read too much into the smiles and helpfullness of the porters, now we were reaching the point at which we decide just how much to tip them. The nameless faces, smiling at us all on our last day, is something you accept on a trip of this nature, and to be honest, on balance whatever we gave in terms of money and gifts, was pretty small beer to the effort both individually and collectively the whole of Tunzo's group had put in for us over the last week or so. Special mention should be made to our (nameless)cook (not unexpected many of you who know me will say), for conjouring up amazing meals with regular aplomb and in the most trying of conditions! Also John John, not yet a full guide, but still trying to qualify from his assistant guide status. His support for Lorraine through the week was steadfast and exemplary in its conduct. Right down to the moment she was picked up along with many others, by Tunzo on our final afternoon, he was by her side, carrying her bag and helping her back down the mountain. Fantastic.!!

As we gathered with the team to say thank you and hand over our tips, a strange sense of anticlimax seem to take hold. What is it about this place that sends a middle aged proffessional like myself back to experience its pleasures and hardships in equal measure for a second time in 12 months?? Last year it was easy. The challenge of climbing to just under 6000m and testing ones physical and mental limits in so doing were clear. This year however, for me, it was about everyone else and making sure they all exprienced the elation and satisfaction associated with a rewarding sense of achievement. Regardless of whether that's true for everyone on this trip remains to be seen. Summit night is a one off physical and above all mental challenge that I have yet to see its like. Perhaps that is why I return, and will continue to do so in the future, given the opportunity.

Our last two days in Tanzania were a mixture of the sublime and ridiculous! Supping 7.5% proof Guinness on our return back to the hotel was very definately sublime. Enjoying the company of our party celebrating on Saturday night, a real bonding moment for the group. Watching Jason give his moving speech about the group in his red underpants, very definately ridiculous, but at the same time highly emotionally charged! Dealing with the local authorities, police and hotelliers in sorting out Jules' lost passport, and spending Valentines Night with Stewart, surrounded by smartly dressed couples just typical of the need to put all first world, western mindsets to one side, and with a joyful sense of purpose, get on with stuff that needs to be done without ever worrying or waiting for things to be done as you would expect. This is Africa, and things will happen according to no specific timeframe or action. Just emerse yourself in it, and you will come out fine.
I learn't from Tunzo that the Masaai, cover their dead in butter fat and leave their bodies under a tree for the Hiyena's before moving on! The Circle of Life thus evolves and revolves around customs alien to ourselves here in the west. And yet this place is magical, touched by god in so many ways. I hope my colleagues on this trip, look back and reflect on their time favourably and with much gratitude to the people who helped them, the sites they observed, and the time they spent in the shadow of the Great White Mountain.
Thanks for reading!

Simon.