Mt. Meru: Little Meru Hike

Knowing that we had a few days between Christmas and when Parry and Molly arrived, we wanted to come up with a fun adventure.  Our goal:  do a family hike to the top of Little Meru, the smaller peak of the mountain that we see from our house.  The plan was three days hiking, two nights sleeping on the mountain, and a picture on top of 12,500 foot (3820m) Little Meru.  It was awesome.

The major landmarks of our trip on a model of Mt. Meru

Day 1:  Gate to Miriakamba Hut – 9 miles and 5 hrs 45 min

Blue Monkey and Siafu (biting ants)

Long and hot hike

Lunch at Fig Tree Arch

Ashy loved to check her heart rate and blood oxygen levels…for Matt and I it might have gotten a tad competitive.

It got much cooler at Miriakamba Hut

Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru at sunrise

Day 2 morning:  Miriakamba to Saddle Hut (11,500 ft) – about 2.5 miles, but the same increase in elevation that we had done over 9 miles the day before i.e. it was straight up for 3.5 hours.

Saddle Hut fun and relaxation after lunch

Day 2 afternoon:  the final push to the top of Little Meru – another mile or so and another hour up.

We did it!! 3,820M / 12,533 ft

Nice view back down to Saddle Hut in the clouds

 

You might think that this was the *peak* of our adventure, but it wasn’t over yet.

Day 3 early, early morning: Saddle Hut to Rhino Point (12,467 ft), another mile and just over an hour.  Wake up call at 4:45 am!  Our goal was to see the sun rise from Rhino Point and return to Saddle Hut for breakfast.

My favorite photo of the weekend

The hike was a bit technical and from Rhino you could easily see Little Meru across (Saddle Hut is tucked between the two)

Gorgeous hike back to the hut in the clouds

Day 3 after breakfast: Saddle Hut all the way back to the gate with a lunch break at Miriakamba Hut.  It’s a long way back down. 

We all agree that the sunrise from Rhino Point was the highlight of the trip, but since it’s just shy of Little Meru’s 3820m peak the certificate we got is for Little Meru. 

We couldn’t be more proud of these kids.  Everyone commented on what strong hikers they were including the ranger that went up with us.  High praise indeed. 

The Final Stats:

• 3 days, 2 nights
• 15 hours hiking over
• 21 miles / 33km with
• 8,200 feet / 2,400m of elevation gain

Animals spotted on foot:  giraffe, warthogs, buffalo, dikdik, bushbuck, chameleon, colobus monkey, blue monkey, and baboon (and zebra from the car).

Even though we are all walking a bit tenderly this morning, Anderson wants to know when we can do it again. 

Best quote:  “My favorite part was the ash hole” (instead of ash cone). 

Christmas 2014

Phew.  Made it through another Christmas successfully.  We all must have been on the Nice List this year because it was a great day. 

Christmas Eve we had a few friends over for a fondue dinner.  This might have to become a new tradition because it was so much fun.   Dinner was followed by some festive music:  T on piano, Ash and Hunter on guitar, and John on viola. 

As you can imagine, energy levels were high especially among the under 12 set, but they all knew that Santa would not come until they were all asleep.  The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, our giraffe was guarding the presents, and cookies and carrots were ready for Santa and his reindeer. 

The kids got new sleeping bags from Santa that they are very excited about.  They will come in handy as we leave tomorrow for a two night/three day hike on Mt. Meru (our goal is Little Meru at 12,400 feet).

Getting in the spirit with Christmas color highlights

We had a few other families for Christmas dinner.  Another great evening with good friends.  The rain let up just in time.

I only managed a picture of the kids saying the blessing before dinner.  It was very sweet. 

We hope that your Christmas was relaxing as ours and that all of your Christmas wishes came true.

Merry Christmas

 

Swim Gala and Gingerbread Houses

I love our climate.  I really do.  But, it still feels very weird to be getting ready for Christmas in summer.  Christmas carols and tree and gingerbread house decorating just don’t feel the same when they are done in shorts and tank tops (or in bathing suits as was the case with the kids). 

Saturday we held an internal swim gala for all the kids taking after school (and sometimes before school) lessons with Sebastien.  Sort of an intramural swim meet.  It was so much fun to watch the kids show us all that they’ve learned so far this year.  I thought I’d learned a lot over the past few months, but these kids put me to shame. 

Anderson’s Learn to Swim Group showed off some of their skill drills and did a ‘race’ the width of the pool to show us their crawl.

The rest of the kids raced 8 different events - 50 meters each (1 full lap) crawl, breast stroke, & backstroke; 25 meter butterfly (or 50M for older kids); 100 meter crawl; 100 meter IM (individual medley:  one length each of back, breast, fly, & crawl; and crawl and IM relays.  That’s a lot of racing.  

 

Since Saturday was so active (Matt and I even went to a dance party that night), we decided to have a very lazy Sunday.  We spent the afternoon assembling and decorating gingerbread houses.  This has been a fun new annual tradition thanks to our good friend, Carolynn (she bakes the gingerbread frames and then gives them out as gifts). 

Getting the toppings ready.  There’s a contest this year, so we got serious.  (Thanks, Grammy Webb)

Anderson’s

Ashlyn’s

Tierney’s

Proud decorators

Our last day of school is Wednesday and then we have (a much needed ) 4 weeks off!  We’re getting very excited for Molly, Parry, Lucy, and Cally to come visit us at the end of the month.  Woohoo!!

Day of Performances: Share Time and Umoja

The Primary Share Time this week was hosted by P5/6 (Tierney’s class) and P2 (Anderson’s class).  Share Time is when the students get on stage and show the rest of the primary what they have been learning through skits, songs,…really whatever they want to do. 

Anderson’s class welcoming everyone with a song about acceptance

Then they showed us how they do their morning “Brain Gym” exercises

And then they sang a Christmas song in Kiswahili

This is the note that he gave me after we got home.  Too cute not to share.

Tierney’s class was next with skits showing us what they’ve learned about Systems of Exchange (trading, money, invisible money, negotiating…)

It’s always fun to see in action what they are learning in school, and also to see our kids so confident on the microphone in front of the school.

Tierney also received recognition for putting her learning into action “By challenging students in P5/6 to start businesses”

 

Later Tierney had her singing debut at last night’s Umoja performance.  So proud of her for singing and playing “Tomorrow” from Annie. 

Umoja Recital December 5, 2014 from Lisa Coyle on Vimeo.

Tierney's singing debut with "Tomorrow" from Annie

And really all schools should recognize how much more relaxing school performances and recitals are when there are drinks available