Mount Meru is shrouded in clouds, and for most of the ascent we can only guess where the summit is.
Clouds rest gently on the valley below, looking like whipped cream. It takes us two and a half hours to climb the remaining 400m to the summit. It is a difficult climb where we frequently stare down at an abyss below. Edward motivates us by telling us that we are about to “eat the lion’s heart”. The last 100m are so steep we need to scramble on all fours.
Then, suddenly, before we realise it, we are on the summit. After all the efforts of the last three days, it feels almost disappointing to have reached the summit. Climbing a mountain really only has meaning in the journey. The end is strangely devoid of value. And then, the long, tedious trek down begins. By the time we reach the Momella gate, at the entrance of the park, we will have walked for 30 hours.
