The day before we go...

A walk through the coffee plantation

A weird day.  Nerves starting to make themselves felt!

We went to visit a coffee plantation to fill some time this morning, it was fascinating and the coffee was amazing but 'Africa time' was in full swing so everything was running late.  

We got back to Weruweru 40 minutes late for our 12noon lunch, but that was ok because they hadn't started to prepare it.  We were to be briefed by our guides at 1pm, so that had to be delayed!  I'm not sure how much value any of the students took from it!  He derailed each day as follows: "On day x we will walk for around y hours before arriving at camp z.  When you are there you will register, be told where to pitch your tents, greet the camp manager, find out about service (evening meal) and after you have eaten there will be a briefing about the next day." 

Most of us haven't got our head around the idea that we are going to climb a mountain we have yet to see the top of due to cloud cover, repetitive, boring detail is not helpful!  

The guides then wanted to kit check all the students gear and they were p a i n f u l l y slow about it!  This meant that our plans to go to Moshi for last minute supplies and kit that was lost or broken were dead in the water.  A plan was hatched.  The expedition leader would stay with the boys and the teachers would go into town with the driver from Ahsante Tours.  

We assumed that we'd be dropped off and then picked up at an agreed time/place - but the driver had other ideas! He drove us to places he knew that felt very dodgy and we haggled to get some of the stuff we needed before deciding we could improvise the rest!  I sold my spare running sunglasses to a boy who had broken his (the alternative was US$50 for fake Oakleys that were scratched).  He should think himself lucky that I didn't bring my pink running glasses.  

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It was a stressful afternoon.  And we still had to pack our bags!  That's all done now, we are up at 5.30am tomorrow so it is early nights all round.  I'll have no internet access for the next 8 days but I'll try to write a few words each day and upload them when I am back.

Wish me luck!Neither of us teachers wants to contemplate not sunmiting - but it is very much in the back of our minds that one of us may have to come down with a student.  That is a bridge we will cross if and when we come to it!  

Chameleon 

When they asked me to make a cup of coffee I didn't realise I'd have to grind the coffee too!