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As the sun began to set we finally reached Mweka Camp. It would still be a full days hike the next day before getting all the way down. Mweka was a cauldron of activity. Tucked in between the edge of the forest each little clearing had a group of tents and it took me a while before finding our group. Since we were the first ones down in our group we had the spread of toast and cookies and tea.  I found my bag and a tent and tried to sleep but there was too much commotion so I tried to find a stream. There were a few men with guns, (park wardens) along the way which indicated to me that straying too far from camp may not be the best idea. I returned to camp and headed to the central area where Cokes were being sold in the various steel huts. I recall paying an enormous amount for the Coke bottle at least three times the normal rate. All the water bottles were already sold. Jason never arrived that night but stayed at another camp farther up for the night. I waited for him the next morning and was very relieved to see him well as I worried most of the night because I was getting conflicting stories of his whereabouts. It was a long walk but a cheerful one that final day.

This picture is taken at the main center of Mweka Camp looking back up at the peak. This gives you a great idea of the amount of travel we did from Midnight of January 1st to the evening of the same day. I estimated we walked in excess of  thirteen hours.