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Sunday, October 8, 2017

African Safari 2017


Where can you see LIONS? Only in KENYA!!! After our amazing Kilimanjaro climb; our group headed to Kenya to spend a week on safari... and it was spectacular.

September 4: We crossed the border into Kenya, created the Best Van Ever, and went on our first game drive in Amboseli National Park.










September 9: We spent all day on a game drive in the Maasai Mara. We rescued a stuck van, poured cold water on a frisky zebra and his lady friends (oops), saw a leopard, and, of course, MORE LIONS. 





We put in a lot of hours with our driver, Njaguna, and the fellow members of the Best Van Ever ... so thankful for all of them! Thanks for singing all the parts of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". Thanks for joining in the Best Van Ever chants. Thanks for dancing at gas stations. Thanks for insisting that we sang "I Will Survive" with feeling. Thanks for all of it.

Gretchen, Julie, Liz, Njaguna, Wil, Sunny, Tony... and Liberty #6, the Best Van Ever!


Sunday, October 1, 2017

Kilimanjaro Climb 2017

It's hard to believe that we've been home for over a week ... even harder to believe that it was a MONTH ago that we were here:


I've been typing up my journal and sifting through our 2000+ photos for the blog, but it's pretty slow going.

I have, however finished writing up each day of the climb. So sit back, grab "kikombe cha chai" (a cup of tea) and climb with us:

August 23: First we had to get to Africa. And to do that, we had to spend a night in Canada. (Eh?)


August 24-25: Then we spent the better part of TWO DAYS getting to Tanzania. Along the way we flew across the Atlantic, felt trapped in a featureless departures lounge, and ate a lot of airplane food.


August 26: Then we explored the town of Moshi and met the local wildlife. 


August 27: On Sunday we had our pre-climb meeting, packed for the climb, and went into Moshi to poke around the abandoned railway station. 


Then it was finally time for us to start the climb itself.








September 1: Summit day!






If this had been all we did in Africa, I still think it would have been worth it. We challenged ourselves -- summit day was the hardest single-day thing I've ever done. We met a great group of people and cheered each other on. We saw beautiful places. and we reached the roof of Africa. Sometimes I still can't believe it. 

Next up: safari in Kenya!