From the minute you take that very first big step into the rain forest the mountain swallows you whole!!!! You know and feel the mountain owns you and has no wish to release you
Weather is muggy, damp, hot and then cold…. Every step is uneven.. Up, up no level ground. The team moves fast, out of breath and we are only one hour into a 4 hour “step class”…a total cardiac workout. That’s when we hear the first of many voices from the crew saying Pole Pole…slow slow. We rest, we drink, we laugh…..there was no warm up to this cardiac high intensity workout. We look at each other not yet really knowing each other but you can tell that our fresh face, clean faced, tidy outfits are quickly becoming sweaty, dirty relying on each other as a unit of ONE.
Four hours later of continues steps up and up we finally reach camp in the forest. Our crew had long past us carrying our tents and duffel bags on their heads. Passing you with smiles and cheering words of Jumbo, Asante and Pole Pole. Our tents are up, duffel bags ready and dinner served by chef Bruno. Yes, a hot meal of protein, carbs, fruit, tea, coffee and dessert. Good time to bond as a team, talk about exhaustion, ready for a good meal and sleep. Our vitals are taken…oxygen good, pulse good, #1&2 good, lung sound good, diamox yes, appetite good, scale 10.
After cleaning up with a bowl of hot water brought to you and visiting “the Bank of America” (toilet/bucket)… I am ready for a well deserved rest. I felt really good about the day looking forward to a 6am wake up, breakfast, vitals and 6hr climb out of rain forest and into the desert.
TO BE CONTINUED……
NOTE: I write my journey raw and not edited. I write as it flows, emotional at times, language and bodily fluid statements accurate and could be offensive to some….I apologize however, I can only do this with honest raw gut.