Jambo Tanzania

So, I'm back. It is A-mazing what sleeping in your own bed and getting to choose your breakfast and drink real freshly-ground coffee will do for morale after 28 hours of travel and sheer exhaustion. It's impossible for me to put into words the last 10 days, and while my journaling was not the most eloquent or thorough while I was over there, I figure it gives the most accurate running log of the trip (plus the over-150 photos that I have to sort through). So, for the next few posts, I will be offering excerpts from my journal from the trip [with post-trip commentary]. And thank you, thank you, thank you for all your prayers for the trip. I am above all grateful that we are all home safely. And now, without further ado...

Sept 22, 0820. At the gate. Super excited to meet up with the fam in Detroit. Forgot to take the pedometer off at security = pat down [And definitely not the only pat down of the trip. Um, always remember to take metal necklaces off when going through that funny spinning x-ray. Otherwise your whole chest lights up and the ensuing minutes are quite uncomfortable]. Whoops. Have only thought of 2 non-essentials that I forgot.

Evening over the Atlantic. The reunion in Detroit was dampened by the fact that I puked and nearly passed out as I landed. Stupid vagal response. Hopefully that's the last of it. Left my watch at home. Between that and my cellphone being off, I feel totally disconnected and at the same time more able to live in this moment right now. ["This moment" was not all that exciting to live. 9 hour flights are kind of painful no matter how you slice it.]

Me and Mary from Detroit to Amsterdam

Sept 23, Amsterdam. "The number one airport in the world." It. Is. Huge. And there are all sorts of people/languages/style here. I feel a mixture of relief and embarrassment that everything is in English. I'm tired but not sleepy enough (or comfortable enough in these airport chairs) to take a nap. The flight from Detroit really wasn't bad at all, thanks to half a dozen beverage cart runs, 2 meals, 2 movies, and an aisle seat.

Trying to catch some sleep between flights in Amsterdam

Afternoon, over Egypt. As we waited at the gate, more and more travelers wearing backpacks and hiking boots made their way down. We met Mary, Steve, Michelle, and Peter, all climbing the Machame route with us [hereafter, we just referred to them as "Utah" and they referred to us as "Denver". Funny that we had 2 Mary's and 2 Michelle's. Also incredible was the fact that Peter had been calling Michelle "Mitchell" since they started dating years ago. What are the odds?] Just knowing that we may see familiar faces at camp Tuesday night is comforting.

Sept 24, Midmorning, poolside. Life is grand. After 28 hours of travel we crashed at Mount Meru Hotel [in Arusha]--truly an oasis in the middle of the third world. Across the street from our gated, manicured grounds are hundreds of people in colorful dress, dragging carts, leading donkeys, selling fruit. But here, by the glass-top pool, all you hear is the waterfall and the birds (and occasionally a truck out on the highway). The weather is gorgeous, though we're all in longsleeves in case of mosquitos.
     The breakfast spread was unlike anything I've seen. Fresh fruit, crepes and jam, roasted vegetables, bacon, sweet potatoes, thinly sliced cured meats, omelets, coffee and tea, cereal. Truly a feast. And after 11 hours of catch up sleep, it was pure bliss. We can see Mt. Meru from the hotel. 15,000 feet and beautiful.

Breakfast in Arusha

Mount Meru

Poolside with mosquito protection

Okay kids, that was just getting there. More to come soon about the first days of our hike.