(wife on the move down)
Despite some rocky bits and constant steps going down, it was great to be back in forest, to see insects and birds. As we got lower we saw blue monkeys going about their foraging. Made me realise how much I love critters big and small around me going on about their business. I realised I didn't actually didn't LOVE being up on a mountain too long-too rocky, empty, desolate and inhospitable. More of a nature lover than a mountaineer at heart I guess.
As we tootled past Mweka Camp we saw the big Tanzanian I had seen struggling up to Stella Point the day or so before on a stretcher on a uni-wheel. No odema apparently according to our guide but just total exhaustion. Interesting how altitude and exercise (as I saw to some extent with the wife) if pushed too far just makes the body go 'Enough!'. 8 porters struggled to get the stretcher moving and as we watched agape, they picked up speed and raced off, bumping down steps and slopes. Hope that guy got down in one piece. As my knees started to hurt more and more from the constant steps down, I became envious of the stretcher man.
Our guide had told us to move as quick as we could down through the rainforest to try to avoid the periodic torrential rains the Mountain brings at its lower levels. I guess Chunga forgot the wife adn I are the slowest wazungu ever. I picked up some litter I found on the trail hoping the Mountain would repay me by keeping the weather fine. However, as we soldiered on down, the cloud cover got more and more extensive. We dodged long columns of siafu (big biting ants) fleeing the pending deluge. Finally the heavens opened and we were bucketed on. It was like standing in the shower at home on full bore.
We were too tired to change into all our wet weather gear, so we just pushed on. I have an image in my head of my wife with a set, determined face keeping up a steady pace through torrential rain, over an increasingly muddy path, with streams of brown water rushing past her to either side of the track. Go, mke!, go!
The Mountain seemed to be reminding the humans who had the temerity to climb it who was the boss. So utterly soaked, my cellphone ruined, my diary waterlogged we finally staggered down to the Mweka Gate around 330pm to the clapping and cheers of our fellow American climbers. Took us a leisurely 7 hours to get down (should have only taken 5), despite going as fast as we could on muddy terrain through a downpour. We were beat.
Our vehicle shot off to rescue an elderly American walker who was in trouble getting down the last stretch, before we clambered in and headed to Glacier Inn in Moshi (back to 800 m yay!) for a celebratory drink (Kilimanjaro beer of course) and eats with our fellow climbers. Just relieved it was all over. The wife said she was happier to get down rather than to get to the Summit!
After stopping in the tourist office to pay for the extra day we added, get our Kilimanjaro climbing certificates (respect!) we headed off home for much needed showers, clean clothes and relaxing. Then we had to sort out gear we needed to return to the hire place and pack for our trip to Boundary Hill Lodge the next day for some R and R.
Phew. We survived. My fingers and my wife's toes still feel oddly numb. Hmm.
Manfred the Mountaineering Manatee, out.
'Bite off more than you can chew and then chew like hell.'
Peter Brock
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