Five-week trip full of adventures highlighted by the incredible people
Trekking to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, white water rafting the mighty class-5 rapids of the Zambezi River, swimming at the edge one of the world’s highest falls, Victoria Falls, watching the cheetah kill on the plains of the Serengeti, dancing with the Masai warriors — these were all part of our five-week travel adventure in Tanzania and Zambia.
Along with my two friends, Lori Last and Sandy Turner, I travelled to Africa recently to trek to the summit of 5,898-metre-high Mount Kilimanjaro — the highest peak in the African continent and the world’s highest free-standing mountain. The non-technical climb in support of the Alzheimer Society of B.C. was one of myriad travel adventures we experienced during our five weeks in Tanzania and Zambia.
The hike up Mount Kilimanjaro began our adventure tour. Here are my memories upon reaching the summit:
I am standing on Uhuru Peak, the 5,898-metre summit. The sun is kissing my forehead, momentarily pushing aside the only hours-old memories of blowing snow, biting wind and the endless up, up, up, will-it-never-end trudge up the mountainside.
In front of me is a wooden sign I have seen in countless pictures, in other people’s realities. This time, it’s my reality.
I read the words exactly as they are etched on the wood.
“Congratulations. You are now at Uhuru Peak — Tanzania 5898 m. Africa’s highest point, world’s highest free-standing mountain, one of world’s largest volcanoes.
“Welcome.”
I touch the board and I realize I am crying.
All those months of training, the endless evenings on the treadmill angled at full tilt, the fundraising for the Alzheimer cause, weekends hiking in the local mountains to get the muscles trained, the mental push, push, push, the wondering will I make it, but never doubting I would.
It’s all over.
The months have dissolved for this one moment. And it’s real. And I’m there. All 5,898 metres above sea level.
We hug. We stand around stupefied. The air is so thin. Breathing is hard. But I feel strong. We take pictures. We high five. It is real, but yet, so surreal. How can you explain this feeling, this moment?
We have half-an-hour at the peak. The summit is the celebration, but truly, the journey to get there has been the reward.
Now, back home in Canada, how can we summarize the emotions, the experiences, in a few words? How do you explain the journey — the five weeks in Africa — and the many proverbial peaks?
There are the spicy, exotic smells of Zanzibar with its Arabian flavours and labyrinth of bazaars and the merchants bidding us kareeboo — welcome.
There was the physical and mental challenge of Kilimanjaro where we hardly saw the sun but pushed through fog, mist, hailstorms, wind, chilling rain, thin air, snow and more snow, only to be rewarded with the stars on summit night and a brilliant sunrise as we stood on the volcanic rocks way, way above the clouds.
The animals of the Serengeti where we went on safari blessed us with sights we’ve only seen on National Geographic — the cheetah suddenly rising up and in a blaze of speed making its kill; the two lion prides meeting unexpectedly and in a snarl of territorial growls battling for supremacy; the vultures and the jackals battling for the remnants of a cape buffalo while a hyena walks away triumphantly with a hoof dangling from its mouth; a small family of elephants living a Hollywood moment as they walk off into the sunset; the hippos snorting in their pool of mud; and the beautiful giraffes showing why they are the models of Africa. I remember dancing with the Masai warriors by jumping up, up, up among their village kraals (huts) made of animal dung.
There is the mighty Victoria Falls, the smoke that thunders, and the adrenaline rush of whitewater rafting in the class 5 rapids of the Zambezi River starting just below the falls — 23 rapids over 26 kilometres amid the crocs — and paying to be dangled by our feet (honest!) over Victoria Falls after swimming to a natural pool just inches from the brink.
But mostly, our travel in Africa was highlighted by the incredible people of Tanzania and Zambia, especially the children, with warm smiles amidst the poverty, and us, the mzungu (white foreigner), being greeted with the cries of jambo (hello) and sometimes, honoured with the welcome used by locals for locals, habari (how are you).
Ariela Friedmann lives in Vancouver.
Ariela Friedmann - Special to the Sun
