Day 225 - A Hike to The Waterfall
Saturday, February 16, 2019.
Today we were awoken by the workers outside. They started to make noise at 6:30am! I wanted to kill them but instead got up and got ready for our big day. I prepared PB&J for our hike to the waterfalls.
We agreed to meet at Mama's shop across from the Ilboru Lodge at 10:00am but no one was on time. I was frustrated because I planned so we all could be on time. I think what bothers me is that I’m the only one who cares. Everybody else kept telling me that it was African time and that I needed to relax. [Gregory's note: Lili, are you sure you're Mexican? This should feel normal to you.] Sunshine and I went inside the lodge to use the restroom and we stayed in the lobby for a while.
Today we were awoken by the workers outside. They started to make noise at 6:30am! I wanted to kill them but instead got up and got ready for our big day. I prepared PB&J for our hike to the waterfalls.
We agreed to meet at Mama's shop across from the Ilboru Lodge at 10:00am but no one was on time. I was frustrated because I planned so we all could be on time. I think what bothers me is that I’m the only one who cares. Everybody else kept telling me that it was African time and that I needed to relax. [Gregory's note: Lili, are you sure you're Mexican? This should feel normal to you.] Sunshine and I went inside the lodge to use the restroom and we stayed in the lobby for a while.
Around 11:00, people started to show up but we were still waiting for Daniel’s sister, Catherine. By then, I finally agreed to ride a pikipiki (motorbike) to get closer to the mountain that we needed to hike to get to the waterfalls. I was nervous to do it but whatever, I just wanted to get everyone moving. There were so many of us and we needed to pay for everyone's bikes. Gregory and Daniel rode on the back of one, Sunshine and Catherine rode on another but I didn't want to share. I didn’t like the idea of three people in the motorcycle but Gregory said that it would be OK.
The adventure began when we started to go down the bumpy road. I was just praying that I would not fall off, especially when we were going uphill. I don’t want to think about how much dust ended up in our lungs. Our faces were covered with a layer of dust. It was hard for me since I wear contacts and if I closed my eyes, it felt like I was going to fall off. Everyone would stare and the kids all yelled mzungu! I was scared to wave at them, I was busy keeping my hands on the side rails and squeezing the driver every time we passed a big bump. [Gregory's note: he probably has bruises.]
We finally made it where the bikes could not go any farther and when I tried to get off the motorcycle, I burned the back on my leg on the exhaust pipe. It was a sharp pain and I started to cry at first because of the pain, later because I felt homesick and wanted to go home. I honestly wanted to be left alone and just cry but everyone was following me, including a bunch of kids and passersby. I think they were shocked to see me cry. I was very mad at myself for burning my leg exactly the same way I had done many years ago!
I calmed down and we started hiking up. I decided no to focus on the pain but on the hike. I was walking fast together with Daniel, our guide. Everyone was behind. During our walk, we passed some houses made of cow dung and fields with corn and other vegetables. We also saw many Maasai women carrying big chunks of wood on her head.
After a few hours of hiking, we made it to the top where there were shelter and a guard who told us that we needed to pay $10 per person to pass and continue to the waterfalls. We got a little bit upset because that seemed a lot of money for the white. It is free for the Tanzanians but we didn’t even have $40 to pay for our family. We told the guard that it was fine, that we were going to stay there and not go to the waterfalls and it was perfect because it started to rain very hard. I took a bag of p&j sandwiches. When I counted, I realized I didn’t have enough for everybody. Daniel’s sisters had invited friends to come along, and other children just came and joined us. I cut the sandwiches in half and gave one half to everyone. I didn’t offer one to the guard because he did not want to negotiate the price to let us to the waterfall. It didn’t matter, it was perfectly fine since we didn’t want to get wet. It was actually chilly and we couldn't believe how fast the weather had changed from roasting to cold and rainy. The view was breathtaking and just that made the hike worthwhile.
When the rain lessened, we decided to head back because there were bigger black clouds behind us. It was still raining but Daniel cut some big palm leaves and gave it to us to use as umbrellas. Coming down was much easier and faster. I thought we were going to make it to the main street and order a car to go directly home. But we made it down all the way to Iboru Lodge with all our friends. We made it to Mama store, sat outside and bought sodas (disappointed, I thought they would be cold) Because it had rained, there were a lot of mosquitoes and I was ready to go but Decklin, the Irish guy invited to his house to eat soup that he had made in the morning.
We walked to his house, played with a kitten name Gatita and had vegetable homemade soup. We also met his wife, who is from Tanzania and they are expecting a baby. It was a small but cozy home. After a while, we told Gregory that we were ready to go home because we wanted to take a shower. He also remembered that we had a Rotary fundraising dinner. He was disappointed that I didn’t want to go but I was exhausted. We called our ride, Peter and took us home. It felt so nice to arrive at a clean place with hot running water! I felt so blessed. Only Sunshine and Gregory got a hot shower but it didn’t matter, the fact that we have running water is a blessing. I thought about our Tanzanian friends who probably were not going to shower after a rainy and muddy day!
We made dinner and watched a movie! Home is where you feel cozy and comfortable!
The adventure began when we started to go down the bumpy road. I was just praying that I would not fall off, especially when we were going uphill. I don’t want to think about how much dust ended up in our lungs. Our faces were covered with a layer of dust. It was hard for me since I wear contacts and if I closed my eyes, it felt like I was going to fall off. Everyone would stare and the kids all yelled mzungu! I was scared to wave at them, I was busy keeping my hands on the side rails and squeezing the driver every time we passed a big bump. [Gregory's note: he probably has bruises.]
We finally made it where the bikes could not go any farther and when I tried to get off the motorcycle, I burned the back on my leg on the exhaust pipe. It was a sharp pain and I started to cry at first because of the pain, later because I felt homesick and wanted to go home. I honestly wanted to be left alone and just cry but everyone was following me, including a bunch of kids and passersby. I think they were shocked to see me cry. I was very mad at myself for burning my leg exactly the same way I had done many years ago!
I calmed down and we started hiking up. I decided no to focus on the pain but on the hike. I was walking fast together with Daniel, our guide. Everyone was behind. During our walk, we passed some houses made of cow dung and fields with corn and other vegetables. We also saw many Maasai women carrying big chunks of wood on her head.
After a few hours of hiking, we made it to the top where there were shelter and a guard who told us that we needed to pay $10 per person to pass and continue to the waterfalls. We got a little bit upset because that seemed a lot of money for the white. It is free for the Tanzanians but we didn’t even have $40 to pay for our family. We told the guard that it was fine, that we were going to stay there and not go to the waterfalls and it was perfect because it started to rain very hard. I took a bag of p&j sandwiches. When I counted, I realized I didn’t have enough for everybody. Daniel’s sisters had invited friends to come along, and other children just came and joined us. I cut the sandwiches in half and gave one half to everyone. I didn’t offer one to the guard because he did not want to negotiate the price to let us to the waterfall. It didn’t matter, it was perfectly fine since we didn’t want to get wet. It was actually chilly and we couldn't believe how fast the weather had changed from roasting to cold and rainy. The view was breathtaking and just that made the hike worthwhile.
When the rain lessened, we decided to head back because there were bigger black clouds behind us. It was still raining but Daniel cut some big palm leaves and gave it to us to use as umbrellas. Coming down was much easier and faster. I thought we were going to make it to the main street and order a car to go directly home. But we made it down all the way to Iboru Lodge with all our friends. We made it to Mama store, sat outside and bought sodas (disappointed, I thought they would be cold) Because it had rained, there were a lot of mosquitoes and I was ready to go but Decklin, the Irish guy invited to his house to eat soup that he had made in the morning.
We walked to his house, played with a kitten name Gatita and had vegetable homemade soup. We also met his wife, who is from Tanzania and they are expecting a baby. It was a small but cozy home. After a while, we told Gregory that we were ready to go home because we wanted to take a shower. He also remembered that we had a Rotary fundraising dinner. He was disappointed that I didn’t want to go but I was exhausted. We called our ride, Peter and took us home. It felt so nice to arrive at a clean place with hot running water! I felt so blessed. Only Sunshine and Gregory got a hot shower but it didn’t matter, the fact that we have running water is a blessing. I thought about our Tanzanian friends who probably were not going to shower after a rainy and muddy day!
We made dinner and watched a movie! Home is where you feel cozy and comfortable!
For pictures please click here
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