Kili Day 7

Moshi, Tanzania

Kili Day 7, 30 Jan 2011

For the last day of our Kilimajaro Trek I had mixed feelings.  On one hand I couldn't wait to get off the mountain, but on the other hand I had a lot of fun and really enjoying walking around the mountain with my friends and didn't want it to end.  On summit day I would have told you that my new definition of hell was being stuck on the face of Kili four hours into the climb with a frozen camelbak and two more hours of climbing ahead of you.  Looking back on it two weeks later from the comfort of my warm apartment in Dakar I would do it again.

We leisurely descended the mountain under the canopy of the rain forest, the mountain hidden by the thick trees.  It took us three hours to get to the Mweka Gate where we ate a quick lunch while being harassed by locals selling t-shirts and bracelets.  An hour later we were back at the hotel where we cleaned up before jumping in the pool.  Later we linked up with our Canadian friends and went out to dinner and the next morning we went our separate ways again.

Big thanks to Chombo, our guide from Zara Tours, for getting us up and down the mountain safely.  I am particularly grateful he helped me through my altitude sickness and that he judged me well enough to continue, all the way to the top.