October 18th: Day 8 Kilimanjaro Trek

 5am up and at 'em! (With a little help from Emmanuel!)

We had another 10km/6 miles of downhill to Mweka Gate this morning. All in the jungle! I loved the smell, the gentle light, the flowers and of course the monkeys. 

Goodbye, Mama Kili. I love you!

But perhaps a surprising highlight for me was the exuberant porter behavior. Were they hamming it up because it had been a long hard week for them too and they were happy to go home? Or was it us? By osmosis were they high about us summiting?

The National Park office at the entrance is where we'd sign out and let everyone know we were no longer wandering on the mountain. It's also where, reputedly, there is only one computer and the printing of Kili Summit Certificates is a not-fast process. Hence leaving early to avoid the lions share of the crowds before lunchtime.

Our ride was waiting and all of a sudden, 15 unshowered people crammed into a small vehicle didn't feel stinky and awful... it felt bittersweet. These were my people. The caring, generous, supportive and encouraging souls that had kept us safe, fed, positive and loved for 8 days. They had led us on an amazing adventure, pushed us further than we'd ever gone or would have otherwise been comfortable going. And it had been AMAZING! 

After a quick stop at the hotel to fetch tipping cash, we all went to the Habari Adventure office for the celebratory stuff... A lunch, a tipping ceremony and some singing led by our talented, Evance. 

They delivered Sue and I to our new hotel sometime that afternoon. The BruBru Hotel was not too far from the Kili Wonders Hotel, but it was what I'd call a boutique place, rather than the bustling conference and wedding venue we'd gotten used to. Very quiet with beautifully manicured grounds. The room was smaller but both of us found space to repack ready for safari tomorrow and have the world's most amazing shower - as it should feel, after 8 days!

Later that night we walked around the neighborhood to the KWH and met up with "the kids" for sunset, dinner and a drink. A toast to us... if you will.

Later, that BruBru bed was just the bee's knees and we relished every minute laying in it... until the alarm went off at crack'o'dawn and it was time to SAFARI!