DAY 7 - Return to Home Base

Morning at Millenium Camp.

Our morning at Millenium camp started early. Once again though we were pleased to be facing a bright clear and sunny day. Most dramatic though was the singing goodbye gift we were to get from our porters. Saimon the lead guide assembled them all to chant again what we had heard on our final climb to the peak. It was hard to keep a dry eye listening to these guys perform as a choir.

Our porters performing a last Kili chant before our final descent to Mweka gate.

We left Millenium camp just after 8 and once again started a very rapid descent. My knees were quickly sore once again. A couple of us found ourselves sliding down a few slippery stones. However, I think that I got the prize for the most magnificent fall. I fell forward, head first and landed on all fours. My palms were bruised, my knees were scraped, and my ego took a lot of damage from the embarassment.

With Kibo in the background, I started the day well.

We reached Mweka huts just before 10....and just in time to get my scrapes cleaned up and bandaged. We then continued down into the lush forest we started with a week earlier. For me, with my knees aching and not wishing to take another fall, it was by limping at a much slower pace, well behind the rest of the team, that I finished the trek.

The change in flora was once again dramatic as we re-entered a tropical forest.

We finally reached Mweka gate at just after 1PM. I was quite a few minutes behind the others, but when I saw them give out high fives all around I could not stand being left out of the celebration. With a funny half crouch run I clambered rapidly down the slope to do a quick victory run around the team ...what a feeling!

From there we signed out of the park, jumped into the SUV for a quick drive back to the Keys Hotel in Moshi....and the most appreciated shower I have ever had in a very long time. With a refreshing beer (or two) under our belt, we were then awarded our gold certificates by our highly appreciated Tusker team.

What a trek! Frankly, I would not do this again...but then again I will never regret taking this on.

Receiving my gold certificate from Simon and the tusker team.



The entire team reached Uhuru peak as a "family"...thanks to Simon, Charles and Liberate.