It Was The Night Before Summit (Kilimanjaro: The Raw Footage)
The day before summiting to the roof of Africa comes with a lot of feelings.
It’s been 6 days of connecting with the majestic Kilimanjaro. Everyday brings its own set of unfiltered waking up feelings – excitement, sweat, pause, rock scrambling, walking through streams at night, hanging onto boulders, feeling accomplished, chilly air in the mornings and at night, descending 2,000 feet from lava tower, walking through clouds, connecting with pure nature, connecting with fellow climbers, looking back and amazed at how far you’ve come, and simply being.
Today was relatively easy. I think we hiked for just about 4 hours mostly through the alpine dessert and a bit of rock climbing. I recall seeing how much further to get to camp, and thinking, “is this it?, are we really at the end of this magical journey of sweat, dust, camping, and all the craziness in between?”
You see, I am a person of experience and not the end goal only. When I decided to climb Kili, as usual, I was super excited about the minute by minute experience of breathing dusty air in nature, witnessing raw nature around me, climbing hard things, and even sleeping on hard ground. I did not see summit night as the only experience; every single footstep and every single crawl up a boulder was going to be my experience, and it was an experience that will last a lifetime.
For me, the day before summit had me having flashbacks to 20 years ago and beyond. I’ve always been one to test “limits”. Will that be the same for pushing one more day to the Roof of Africa?
My Thoughts Unfiltered
The Car Racing
Tonight, as I lay down in my tent beneath the shining stars of Kilimanjaro, reminiscing about how far I have come on this journey, I can’t help but think about the thrill of my car racing days. I have no idea why this particular scenario keeps playing in my mind. It could be the high altitude.
As the stars shine bright and as I listen to the many chats and laughter from my tent neighbors, I recall the many times I grabbed my steering wheel, and without doubt and without fear, went for the adrenaline rush with any stranger who was up for the thrill and excitement.
I recall the loud cheer from the guy I got to race for almost two hours between state lines, when we eventually parted ways at different exits. I recall the intensity of cars making room for the 5 to 6 cars in the lead on the many race days/evenings.
I recall the feeling of making it to first or second place every single time because of sheer determination. I recall the smile from strangers as we zoom past each other. In those moments, there is no room for second guessing, there is only room for the finish line, whatever your finish line is.
In this moment, as I recall these beautiful memories with a smile, I remind myself about how I love experiences, and how my finish line has always been the line that encompasses all the experiences.
Tonight, no matter what the outcome of midnight summit, I am hiking towards the roof of Africa with the same confidence and determination I did with my steering wheel many moons ago.
Kilimanjaro: A Journey Built A Million Miles Ago
The memories keep flowing. The best part is, every memory makes me smile.
I recall the moment at the breakfast table with my dad as a child in primary school. “I really wish the earth would spin to a different location every few days so we can see other parts of the world”.
My dad shakes his head with a smile, and I keep imagining how wonderful that will be.
A teenager to my mom at the dinner table: “I will become a naval engineer one day so I can simply wander different parts of the earth, no permanent location”. I remember the look on my mom’s face – priceless.
I am the teenager who wanted everyone to be treated equally.
I am the teenager who stood outside the world, simply watched, and decided not to be molded by societal norms, but only by who I was created to be.
I am the teenager who wanted everyone to live only by who they were created to be.
I am the college student who tried to get an internship with NASA so she can float in space one day.
With a smile, I reminded myself that I am the child who made sure I lived it all.
Climbing Kilimanjaro was indeed a journey made a million miles ago at that breakfast table conversation with my dad.
As I drift into deep sleep with the shining stars of Kilimanjaro as a backdrop, I can’t help but smile at the many million stars that I have experienced.
I hope you always choose open roads to a new adventure.
~Eliza
Hakuna Matata (No Worries)
Comments
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Yolene G
This is an amazing journey. Congratulations on accomplishing this great feat. Thank you for sharing.
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Micah Oben
Such a beautiful, captivating and inspiring read. I enjoyed reading. Thanks for sharing Eliza
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Pedriena W
That was absolutely wonderful to read and relive my beautiful trail sister!
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MM
Uplifting. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.