Day 2: Arusha Final Prep Day

We made it!! With all the planning and preparations, to finally be here, in Tanzania, feels like we already accomplished a big goal. For me personally, hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro has been a dream that has been set, cancelled, and delayed. I started planning in 2019 to hike the summer of 2020. COVID cancelled it, then the following summers included getting married and moving to a new town, so it really does feel a little unreal to actually wake up in Tanzania, and I am so grateful to be here!

We landed when it was already dark outside and while we couldn’t see much, driving from the airport to the hotel was certainly an adventure. If you can imagine speeding through traffic in downtown Atlanta, but make it a two lane road, that might give you an idea of how they drive around here. Our driver Sammy was a pro and got us here safely, though my mom’s white knuckles are still recovering! 

This slow morning has been so needed after two long days of travel. Our hotel is beautiful and breakfast was delicious. Now we are completing our final preparations before we start our hike tomorrow! 

After 4 years of planning, this mountain has already given me so many gifts, and I haven’t even seen it yet! From friendships made with the amazing group of people that were supposed to be on my original trip, to deepening friendships with those who have hiked before and encouraged me to continue to work to get here, to meeting our current group who we will share this once in a lifetime trip with, I already feel incredibly blessed by this experience and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be here with my mom and brother.

~ Lindsay Ramaekers