Dont make eye contact

 As I mentioned yesterday, it was a sort of blessing that I ended up staying in Moshi the night before. It was a great opportunity to explore! 

On a whim, I decided to check for geocaches and there was an adventure lab right where I was! So of course, I had to do that right after breakfast. Now keep in mind, Iˋm white skinned with light hair, and Iˋm not sure how many tourists actually visit the town. Letˋs say that I was an anomaly. 

I learned very quickly to avoid eye contact, donˋt stop for anyone an try not to engage in conversation. They are persistent!!! Several young men attempted to walk and talk with me -- they were porters or so they say and they wanted me to visit the porters offices or something like that. I was quite rude and brushed them off! Sorry ---- I had a mission and I didnˋt need anything else. 

But they are persistant and they want your name. I usually give my name if someone asks, then in a wild attempt to appear not quite so rude, I became Joan Where did that name come from? But I did not stop! 

It was easy to find the five places of worship I was looking for and I was able to head back to the place I was staying. There were many places of worship around where I was staying and I suspect one of them was responsible for the chanting the previous night. 

The place I was staying was also just on the cusp of the crazy downtown, but you wouldn't know that unless you went outside the gate. The traffic was crazy, but not with cars but with the three wheeled taxis type vehicle. They were careening over the streets and you are literally taking your life in your hands to walk. But I survied - look both ways and then look again. No one is going super fast, so all is good. 

My driver was there right at 11 AM to pick me up and bring me to this hotel where I would meet the rest of the group later in the day. The staff were so friendly and very helpful. I apologized (typical canadian) several times about the mess the previous day. One of the guys, said that I was a very good and polite customer and there were many others who were way worse than I. 

I will say that I have some very itchy insect bites. But what, when and how did that happen Iè seen nothing and felt nothing, but then poof - I have a LUMP. My ankles in particular, but all insects seem to like my ankles. It brings backk ˋfondˋ memories of waiting for the water taxi in Savannah, Georgia where I had fierce bites that looked like firey red anklets on both legs. This is NOT nearly as bad as that. I will put my bug juice on my ankles. 

I spent the afternoon lounging and it felt nice. I have a wonderful room all to  myself een though I didn't pay for a single supplement. it's a numbers game, which I always play and I get lucky. 

Then we met for our orientation. We are four women, and four men. I"m the oldest, but not by much. I think the youngest is 25. One Canadian, one from Cypress and the rest? Australia!!!!  It's crazy and many of them all seem well traveled,, but I can keep up with them! Many have not climbed before, while several have done Base Camp and Anna Perna in Nepal. 

All is good. 

We got our bags for the porters to carry, as well as poles, and sleeping bags. I also got a HUGE down coat. We are allowed 9 KG in the porter bag. Eveything had to be sorte into three bags - one for the porter, one for me to carry, and one to stay here. The smallest bag is the one staying here. Remember, I didnˋt bring much and most of it is going with me. 

My porter bag was just over 9 KG including the sleepign bag and coat which are both heavy. I had to move a pair of pants into my bag and all is good. I have a few more things to pack in the bag that stays here but Iˋll do that after I finish blogging because the keyboard stays. 

The phone and small power bank is coming with me, but the phone goes into airplane mode just before we leave and I donˋt plan to use it for anything except to take pictures. Iˋll turn all notifications off as well. Iˋm charing my fitness tracker which should have no problem keeping alive for 6 days. 

Iˋm not sure what time we will arrive back on day six. 

We are now a great big new family of nine including our leader - Eric. And then there is the HUGE support family which we will meet tomorrow. It sounds like quite the experience and I can't wait to get started. 

I asked at our orientation meeting about geocaching and I got eight blank stares. No one had even heard of it. How can that be? Anyway, I'll review my papers before I leave this morning and I have a pen to take notes and my camera to log pictures. Then when I return, I can log the caches. I'm OK with that. 

Well, I guess that it's for today. The plan is to return on August 16 and it will be in the afternoon, but I'm not sure what the plan is and I will try to get something posted that day because the following day is a travel day but I'm not sure how soon we start. 

The one thing about the trip is safety. We were warned to not hide anything. If we don't feel well, we are to identify it immediately so they an access the situation. And even more impoprtant, they stated that this is all about being positive!!! Of course, I was in my glory when I heard that. Think positie - you can do this!!! And I don't have any doubts!!! I'll do what I can - slow and steady. Keep that open mind and any obstale an be overcome. 

I forgot to mention that the plugs here are tricky. You need your power converter, but then many plugs need to be turned on before they work!!!  It's crazy. But all is good. 

On that note, I just zipped out for breakfast and now we wait a bit before we leave. I learned some cool things oer breakfast and I should mention them here so I don't forget. 

Garbage is a HUGE issue with any tourist thing. So on Kili, after each camp pack up, the garbage is WEIGHED. YES!!!! And when you arrive at the next camp site, the garbage is weighed!! If anything is missing -- well, someone carries a gun. Kidding about the gun, but like everywhere, people are extemely dispectful and just toss their garbage without a thought. Its disgusting. 

Please be resonsible and keep your area tidy!!!! We owe it to future generations, ourselves, and oir environent!!!

I'm the only one wearing trail shoes rather than hiking boots or shoes. I HATE them as I find them heavy. I should be fine as they are comfortale and have room to double up when we summit as it will be very cold. 

On that note, Iˋm out of here. Stay sfe and Iˋll see you in six days. 

Have a super day

Ciao!!!!!