Day 2: Arusha Final Prep Day

Trip Orientation, Welcome Tour Hosted by local Staff. Final Preparations for the Climb, Rest & Relax. Mountain Gear & Equipment Check, Safety Briefing. Overnight Mount Meru Hotel in Arusha

We had a great morning sitting outside, sipping on coffee and eating a very yummy breakfast. The garden at the hotel is so peaceful, especially in the morning! Orientation at lunch was great - discussing our plan from now until our departure and getting excited about meeting our team of porters and guides.  “The Mountain will teach you all that you need to know” is a quote that I have always loved - we took a moment to give this quote some thought and unpack it together. Gabriel joined us after lunch to walk through Safety Briefing and later on do our Gear Check. We love Mfalme Gabriel!!! So long friends, Pamoja Pamoja!

The Mountain is more than a pretty view - it is an ancient teachers, offering wisdom carved in stone and silence. In its presence, we are reminded that resilience is not loud, but steady; that patience is an incredible strength and that humility comes naturally when we stand before something much greater than ourselves. The mountain will teach us that the path is just as sacred as the summit - beauty and meaning live in each careful step, not just in the arrival!

And perhaps even more profoundly, it will remind us that we do not walk alone. The journey is not just in solitude, but in the shared moments - in the laughter, the struggle, the words exchanged along the trail and camp. To grow together, to witness one another’s becoming, to listen and learn as we climb - this, too, is just as much the destination. From the heights, we gain perspective; in the stillness, we learn to slow down. And as the weather shifts without warning, we too are taught to bend, to adapt, and to endure all together.