Climb Ev'ry Mountain....over and over again...

Well, the very fact that I am writing this blog suggests to you, my dear, dear reader that I have survived the much anticipated and feared hike! Here follows an account, of my journey.

It took me two full days to pack for the hike. You see I had discovered the vacuum sealer machine and I was most entertained by the act of vacuum packing my undies and socks. You should try it, but be warned this is a very addictive practice. It started with me vacuum packing my daily rations for the hike. All the chocolates and sweets I had anticipated eating, this time without guilt as I would "have earned them" were sealed in little plastic baggies, so I could rip them open whenever the chocolate fever grabbed me. After every little snack was vacuum packed I searched for other things to pack. Fresh, crisp underwear and socks...I would be hiking "buisiness class" with all the necessities shrink wrapped in little bags.After that all extra clothes were shrink wrapped, did I mention how addictive all this can be? Once everything was vacuum packed I proceeded to pack all the little bits and pieces into the bag. One or two minor snags followed ( I have never been able to pack light...)  but eventually I was able to get rid of some things and keep the important ones like chocolate...

We travelled 11 hours inland to our starting destination. I pulled the bag on my back...it was quite heavy but I reminded myself that at any time I could eat my way through the kg of treats I had vacuum packed...
The first minute of hiking saw me huffing and puffing and because of the altitude, I was quite literally gasping for air. I sucked at the atmosphere like it was the bottom of a chocolate milkshake, but I was still desperate for oxygen. Ten paces into the hike and I was already in line for a heart attack...Luckily, it turned out to be the high altitude and within 10 minutes I was walking alright again.

The first day was alright, I was tired and very aware that I was unfit, but I was already planning my next hike. "Next hike I am going to be a lot fitter.." I arrived to the camp 14 km's later, at sunset but in good spirits. Supper around a roaring fire and good fireside conversation followed. Marshmallows were the treat of the day and I wryly noted that I didn't crack open a single treat the entire day. I had walked all day, sipping my Mexican water bottle.( Just water - I promise) Exercise had curbed my chocolate cravings. Go figure.

The second day saw us hopelessly and completely lost there had been a mix up at the front desk and we had been told to double back to a certain hut on the first day of the hike, it added over half and hour to our labours, but didn't seem at all relevant. What we should have been told was to double back to the hut on day two,or "you will most certainly get lost." Which we did.  It's bad enough taking your lardy heinie up and down marked trails, but it loses it's savour when you are just running in circles going nowhere.

Eventually I suggested we go down to the road and ask one of the service vehicles to tell us where to go or give us a lift to the hut. Unfortunately my hiking partner was overcome by the spirit of Dr Livingstone and we forged on for several hours longer covering the same mountain side like the Grand Ole Duke of York , marching up and down, much to the amusement of the odd Eland loping over the craggy hilltop. After a further three hours, I would have understood if those 10 thousand men had staged a mutiny and had shot that Grand Ole Duke execution style. My sense of humour had left me.

It was eventually decided to head to the road. I sulkily loped down the mountainside, my ankles twisting over all the stupid idiotic rocks. By the time we had reached the road, the service vehicles had left and we were two lone fools heading in one direction on the tar. My partner, Dr Livingstone, decided we should sing hymns.    I scolded her roughly for even suggesting it, so she sang merrily along while I rehearsed a scene or two from Scrooge trudging grumpily behind...Bah Humbug!

We phoned for help on the emergency line and "Paul" arrived in his white pickup to load us to safety. We drove for over half and hour and I was so incredibly thrilled to be back to civilisation and warm baths and all the comforts of life as I knew it. Would I do it again? Yes, but I think with a crowd of people and a hiking trail that is reliably marked and I would try to be a little fitter. Am I glad I did it, Yes. I am.