Knowing the Kilimanjaro trek would soon be completed, I let myself sit in a deep sense of gratitude for everything I’d experienced. The people, the experiences, the trust in myself, the way this trip filled up my soul until it was overflowing.

We found the trail that would lead us back down the way we came, and it was amazing to see the landscape in the daylight. There was still a lingering fog that colored everything in neutral blacks and whites but we could see the environment starting to take shape around us.

Abuu had been positive and unconcerned by the weather thus far, but he was soon saying, “This weather is terrible, just terrible.” We weren’t left inspired for the climb ahead but he reassured us that it was more than possible for every one of us to reach the summit and achieve our dream.

When we stepped outside of the tent, we could see the storm system on top of Kilimanjaro becoming more prominent. It was another moment of recognizing the juxtaposition of Kilimanjaro’s beauty with its terrifying power.

The morning of Day Four arrived in gusts of wind, blankets of fog, and the realization that maybe I don’t actually enjoy tent camping. At this point I thought the wind was really bad, but I would soon find out it could get a lot worse.

The fog continued to dissipate, and as we rounded a small corner, the clouds parted and Kibo Peak showed itself. We all stopped in our tracks - literally in the middle of the trail, trail etiquette far from my mind - as we were overwhelmed with how close we were.

We started off hiking beneath the cover of the trees, up a steep, rocky trail. We hadn’t met the majority of our porter team yet, but we’d soon learn that after we left camp that morning, they would break down the entire camp, pack it up, pass us on the trail, and have camp set up at the next site all before our arrival.

In these posts I want to take you back to the moments I lived throughout the trek, and wrap you up in the experience as if you were there. Let’s go back in time, to the thrilling landscape and life of Tanzania.

Next month, I’ll be flying to Tanzania, Africa to begin the adventure of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. And the most common question I get in response is - “What made you want to do that?” Let’s talk about it.