KILIMANJARO - 2009 - DAY 13

 FEBRUARY 26

Today I would like to sleep longer and truly relax on the way down to the Mweka Gate, the official end of the Kilimanjaro trek, but the others are anxious to get off the mountain. Visions of hot showers and scrumptious meals float in front of our eyes as we quickly descend to the gate.

Before the gate, I have a chance to talk to our guides and listen to their life stories. Both Living and Adam are tired of guiding and are looking forward to another career. Living wants to return to his farm in Moshi and Adam wants to go to medical school. I wish them both good luck in their new careers.

At the gate we have a bit of a problem with the porters. I insist on giving the well deserved tip to each one of them personally and have told Living about my intentions. At the gate Living tells me that all the porters have gone home and that I should give all the tips to him. I do not feel comfortable with this. Living becomes horrified when I tell him that there will be no tips unless given directly to the porters. He has obviously not considered my stubbornness. If he lost the tips, the porters would be very angry at him. Finally, I agree to continue our trip to the head office of Zara, the outfit that runs the expedition on behalf of the Mountain Kingdoms. After a short drive through the farms and villages we arrive in Moshi. I finally get to say thank you to the porters and present them with the tips they deserve. I cannot guarantee what will happen with the money after, but I have done my best to ensure a fair deal for them. The whole team assembles and sends us home with a dynamic song and dance.

It has been a nice trip. Except for me, all the others have set their mountain altitude records. Wanda and I will be off on a five day safari in the Serengeti and a five day rest stop on Zanzibar. But this will be a completely different trip, a well deserved vacation for us after a strong performance on Kilimanjaro.

As I rest by the pool in the Kili Lodge with a cool beer and a view of Kilimanjaro on the distant horizon, my thoughts fly back to my beloved Himalayas. My goal for the Seven Summits is now closer than ever. It is time to return to face my greatest challenge, the mountain that I will conquer this second time around, the mountain where few have managed to venture. The place where you'll find me, is in the Shadow of Everest. See you in 2010!