We made it back to Barafu Campsite for lunch and fresh pineapple juice
as a recovery drink. I probably had 10 glasses.
I wasn't hungry, just super thirsty.
The porters walked around filling up everyone's cups.
It was endless pineapple juice.
They call it "bug juice."
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We didn't want to sit long, or else we'd fall asleep.
I was dying to get my shoes off, but we still had
five hours of descent to Millennium Campsite for the night.
It was crazy to look at Killimanjaro and think that just a few hours before
I had spent so much time and energy getting to her top.
I felt content leaving her behind.
I came and did what I had set out to do; I was OK with it.
At camp, Christian and I set up our bags and fell asleep.
I heard only a handful of us went to the tent to eat.
We had our last team breakfast in the morning, and
our adorable cooks made us a celebration cake!
That was the best surprise of all.
And the frosting was pretty decent...
or maybe I've been deprived of a good treat.
The porters sang and danced, and we took group photos,
and tipped the fantastic guys who worked so hard to keep us
comfortable and successful on this trip.
They deserve so much more than what we gave them.
They were unbelievable!
On the way down our final six hours, rain began pouring,
and a team member slipped off the trail breaking her tibia.
The porters went into emergency mode and RAN down the
muddy and slippery trail with her in a mobile gurney.
It was the most incredible.
They are the strongest, most efficient men I've ever seen.
We made it to Mweka Park Gate,
took photos at the bottom, and then had
a celebration team lunch together.
They served COKE! Yay for Coke!
A delicious recovery drink, too.
Later that evening, we drove a few hours back to Arusha
where we checked in a beautiful hotel.
