The sun is out and we realize that we are still above the clouds. It is 6am and we are all awake. We decide to get ready and moving. Dhaval is feeling better as he has urinated a lot of the excess fluids at night. Pradeep is still wheezing. I get ready and can't fathom eating but decide to try to eat. Porridge and eggs again. We ask for a jeep at breakfast and are told that we have to go to Maweka camp and from there we can get a jeep. We are all ready to head down. We meet in the mess tent for a meeting with Paul about tips. Pradeep shows me photos of the stickers at Uhuru peak and I can only sob. It is very touching to see education and children at the top of the mountain. Highest stature!! I can't thank Pradeep enough as I fight my tears. The tips add out to be about $350 per person. We are short on cash and will have to figure something out in Moshi!
We steripen for the last time. We take a Kili Trek photo with Kili in the background. We are ready!! We start our hike down with Porters carrying our packs for us. I have my brace on and am slow and careful as it is rocky! It is all down hill and it is difficult! We take photos along the way as we are all happy to be going down to a hot shower and Indian food!
My second fall comes on some muddy rocks. Once again, I hyper extend my right leg as I fall and hear a pop. My knees is aching! We are 30 minutes away from Maweka camp. Bonnie decides to help me my carrying me piggyback style. Paul helps out a couple times in the rotation. I am totally embarrassed and in pain!!
We make it to Maweka and the guys all make fun of me. They think one of the Chinese girls are being carried down. They all help out and for the first time in 6 days, we have a carbonated drinks. I have a coke along with Sonal and the guys are having beers. We meet the Indian Dude, Sharad, who is suppose to get a couple, The New Cheus, married at the top. He has not made it well and has descended. The couple will have a civil ceremony later. Sharad will wait at Maweka for them.
We inquire about the jeep from here. There is no jeep service here. You must descend more to get jeep service. It is 2 hours to the bottom and the porters will all take turns piggy backing me!! I see no enjoyment in this service. My knee is hurting along with my thighs and arms from holding on down the trail! We get down to the jeep trail and there is no jeep waiting. They tell me it is 30 minutes to the gate and that it is best to continue down and not wait. URGH!! We make it down to gate at 2:15pm. I wait in the waiting area for 30minutes as I talk to many different people including three generation family who all summited. Sonal arrives and tells me she was trying to catch up as she thought the rest would jeep it down. So she essentially came down by herself with Alfred. As we chat, many little young boys ask us to clean our shows with them for $2. We advise them that we will later. At 3:10pm, the jeep arrives and our guides send it to fetch Dhaval, Pradeep and Ranjana. At 3:30pm, we all sign the book, get our shoes cleaned and leave for the hotel.
Dirty shoes versus clean shoes!!
We all have hind site and feel we should have not skipped camp and used the extra day to recoup. We would have all made it to Uhuru peak. Pradeep is still having a hard time breathing. As we pile into the can, we decide to stop and get him Lasix and cash my TCs, and get Dhaval some cash. We are all ready for a hot shower and food. I want room 105 again. I wish I had gone on to Uhuru now. I feel better so I am thinking better!! Oh Well.
We get our cash after a few tries and some shady situations. We pay the necessary extras after arriving at the hotel. Pradeep and Ranjana are giving their shoes to Paul and Bonnie after much debate. We get our certificates after our briefing with Kili Treks. Everyone has exciting Safaris ahead and I leave for Karatu in the morning.
We all order our food and leave to take showers. I pull everything out to clean and shower with it so as to have a clean backpack and bag to fill stuff in. All the grime is nasty. Even my nose has dust IN it. I leave all to dry and go for dinner. We have daal, naan, paneer kadhai, chicken 65, lamb mughlai and rice. I have a diet coke too. Pradeep piles on bananas due to his lasix.
We all head back to our rooms afterwards and go to sleep. I charge Pradeeps Iphone and pack my stuff before going to bed. I will be carrying some of Sonal's stuff and everyone's poles back to the US. I try to sleep but to no avail. I am just not sleepy.
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