This morning was hike number two of our trip. During my four week stay, they had scheduled two incredible hikes for us, and while I feel so lucky to have participated in them, two is definitely the max that I would be able to endure on this trip...
If I thought the first hike was hard, then I had no idea what "hard" actually meant. This second hike was up Mount Afadjato - the highest point in Ghana. It was much different from our other hike in the sense that was so much steeper and difficult to traverse. Each step felt like a lunge onto either a huge rock or a root that was perfectly situated for our feet to step up on. We were essentially just walking up the stairmaster from hell, in my mind. The trail was nicely sheltered in the woods, so we were protected from the sun but that did not stop me from sweating through every light piece of clothing I was wearing. We would take breaks here and there to sit on a rock and catch our breath, so the hike probably took an hour on the way up and an hour on the way down. Reaching the top was pretty incredible. We were clambering up these enormous steps, using the trees and vines to help pull our upper body and - like the other hike - we came to the top clearing at the most perfect moment. We turned one sharp corner and saw the light flow through an opening just a few feet above us. It's funny how these moments of relief tend to creep up on you. From the top you could see everything! Little towns scattered about and beautiful green hills could be seen for miles, rolling their way into the foggy distance. The mountain immediately next to us was the neighboring country of Togo, so that was a pretty amazing thing to see. The view at the top made the hike more then worth it, in spite of the sweat, bugs, and dirt that was endured on the way up.
It's events like this that are the most rewarding, in my mind. Being out there in nature, and just having your own body and physical/mental strength to help you accomplish a grand feat gives you the most empowering feeling once that task is completed. Though I was pretty miserable on the way up, it still was such an adrenaline rush to stand up there overlooking such a vast countryside with the sun glistening off the bare, rocky point of the mountain. And how many chances to have to go on two legendary hikes in West Africa? :)
Tomorrow I am back at placement in the hospital. I cannot believe that my month-long trip here is winding down so fast! Only three more full days in this incredible country, and I am prepared to soak up every last bit of it. Until tomorrow!
Fie (Good Evening),
~ Sarah
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