Elevation: 10,080 ft – 5390 ft
Distance: approximately 6.2 miles
Hiking Time: 7 hrs ( 1 hr lunch not included)
Mweka Camp – Mweka Gate (Shower Day)
DAY 8 KILIMANJARO CLIMB VIA LEMOSHO ROUTE
Morning rain forest walk
After breakfast we started our last hike to the Mweka trail gate where the minivans were waiting for us. Majority of the trail went through magical rain forest; tree branches were covered by Spanish moss; it looked very peaceful and untouched. We heard and saw Colobus monkeys again.
Sunburn
I had a sunburn, no let me say it again: I had a SUNBURN! Yes, I know about sunscreen and yes, I used it and yes it was 50 SPF, and yes, I reapplied it 4 times, but… I still had a sunburn. My entire face and especially my lips hurt. It was very sunny day again, unfortunately for me. Our guide, Rick, offered his baby butt cream. Apparently, butt creams have high content of Zink. Zink is also the main ingredient in majority of natural sun screens, so you can use butt cream as sunscreen. Now that you are going to spend or have already spent $ 3000 + on your Kilimanjaro climb, it is about time to learn money saving life hacks like replacing sunscreen with baby butt cream.
Here I am, covered with the butt cream.
My new sunscreen, Kilimanjaro, Mweka trail
Chameleon
My next discovery was the fact that not all the chameleons change color. Look, this thing sat on my bright blue sweater for about 20 mins and it did not turn blue. It actually did not change its color at all.
Chameleon, Mweka trail descent, Kilimanjaro
Lunch
Half way through the hike we stopped for lunch near the hut that was selling cold water and canned beer, both water and beer same price, $1 each. Guess what majority of the people bought? This cold beer was the best beer I had in my life. Well, at least that’s what I thought when I was drinking it. Later, 4th of July, 2016 I had even “better” beer, ice cold can of Tecate, in air conditioned room Phantom Ranch Lodge on the bottom of Grand Canyon; he temperature outside was 120F.
Shower talks
The second part of the trail was much more entertaining. Beer helped. “Shower” was the main topic of the conversation. I learned much more than I ever wanted to know about other people’s shower habits, it was shower topic brain overload. Some liked it burning hot, some liked warm showers, some people loved contrast showers in the morning. Others took showers twice a day, some brushed their teeth when taking showers, some took short showers, some took long showers. Some people sing in the shower, some people listen to music in the shower. There was a long discussion about body scrubs, shampoos, conditioners, other shower related products, then using those products during short, long, hot, cold, etc. showers when singing or listening to the music. Suddenly, a little over a day after Kilimanjaro summit, the most exciting thing in the world was the upcoming shower.
Celebration
We were back in the hotel and I took a SHOWER. Yes, it was the best shower in my life. Around 8 pm we meet downstairs in the restaurant for Kili climb celebration. Each person received the certificate, some of us met later in the bar for couple drinks and went to bed with huge feel of accomplishment.
Our climb was over.
It was the most challenging but at the same time the most rewarding experience in my life. Also, it was also the hardest thing I have done in my life. I hope I will be able to do it again sometime in the future.
