Day 2 passes and you're finally thinking, "This is pretty cool. I can do the climbing. I can do the hiking. I can do breakfast, lunch and dinner in the mess tent." Yeah, Shira was a great to place to drop the bags, rest the bones, break out the journals and get writing. So you kick back and take in the scenery, breathe in the fresh air and drift off. Writing? You'll do that later. Once again, we should've known something was up. A short day of hiking? A flat, semi grassy camp ground, and early finish to what seem to have been two somewhat long days? Hmmm.

Blisters are getting a break, backs, thighs, knees, shoulders, are all getting a break. Yeah, we should've seen it coming. Day 4 was just mere hours away and Ian Wade, behind his soft reassuring tones would set the stage at dinner.

"Tomorrow will be a bit more of challenge. We have a few peaks and valleys to get through." Soft laughs echo in the mess tent. And as the sun goes down, hopes rise on the notion that a few peaks and valleys are nothing but a walk in the park. Lest we forget for the moment that the park we're "walking in" is called Kilimanjaro.