WanderLost- The World

29/05/2024

Meeowsa cats are certainly king in Istanbul. Is is famous for it's plentiful 4 legged 120,000 plus feline friends. This is not in any way seen as a problem and they are welcomed and cared for with open arms. This dates back to the Ottoman era when cats were worshipped due to their cleanliness and ability to hunt. The citizens of Istanbul have an unspoken rule that the cats belong to everyone and no one at the same time. Cats have the best of both worlds, the freedom to roam and food, shelter, water, warmth, love and even toys whenever and wherever they seek it. The cats of Istanbul have a perfect cats life, they are friendly, calm, full of love and can literally be found everywhere.

28/05/2024

A Turkish hamam and why you must.....

The marble slab in the centre of the room at the Turkish Hammam is like a sacrificial altar. We, the ceremonial lambs, splayed across its edges ready to be slaughtered with loofahs and bubbles at the hands of burly women. A Turkish Hammam is a form of public bathing whose origins can be found in the culture of the Ottoman Empire.

It took an awful lot of persuasion to convince Reu to partake in the ritual. As we were ushered into a small changing rooms with nothing more than a small cloth to wrap our naked bodies in he was far from happy. We started off with 15 minutes in a sauna and 15 minutes in a steam room, both were stifling hot and almost unbearable as the sweat poured from us. We awaited our destiny with trepidation and nervous giggles. No lounge chairs or projecting soothing sounds or a spectrum of calming lights. No bathing jet pools or soaking in the water of natural springs. Soon emerged the women with the ability to cleanse – a warrior woman, a soothing, grandma type, and a woman with a sense of stealth I just wouldn’t want to mess with. Within seconds of elimination, we were spared the caressing embrace of grandma. At this point of the experience, Reu had no idea what’s going on, instead of leaving our fate in the hands of half-naked, over-bearing, middle-aged Turkish or in my case Nepalese women whose job it is to batter you into a smooth pulp, the massage is brutal. The onslaught begins when the scrubbing mitt is swiped across your body in long sweeping motions.. Body taps signal the move to roll over, where the process begins again, almost EVERYWHERE, literally. After the scrub, comes the soap massage, which is done with a sponge and soap as the masseur rubs out all of the kinks in your body as you slip and slide a bit on the heated stone.
The final round of bubbles is more soothing as your entire body is doused with foamy goodness. Pulled closer, turned over, put on my side and finally made to sit up, I peered at my bath mother in a sleepy daze, almost thankful, until the final blow, buckets of water thrown ungraciously all over us, the pictures show how much I loved this .... Not! I felt utterly disheveled but also relaxed and as for Reu, well he loved it and I'm pretty sure this is the cleanest he has been since he was a baby, if not ever!

28/05/2024

The beauty of the blue mosque. The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, or to give it its official name Sultan Ahmet Camii, is both a place of worship and a major tourist attraction receiving four to five million visitors every year. Now I normally steer well clear of such tourist attractions, so much so that I was so adamant in India that I didn't do the tourist trail that the first time I went I didn't visit the Taj Mahal. Older and wiser when I returned I went, I stood and cried at it's sheer beauty and how somebody could love so much to build something so beautiful. The blue mosque was also breathtakingly beautiful.

My neck ached from gazing upwards. I slowly turned angling your head every which way. Eyes tracing patterns up and down, back and forth, and round the high up domes that are lit with an ethereal glow from the sunlight streaming through the even more ornate stained glass windows.
We all made sure to sit still for a few minutes, taking in some of the silence of this is a magical place.

Sultan Ahmet 1 became the 14th emperor of the Ottoman Empire in 1609 at the age of 13. In a sort of mosque face-off he ordered the building of a new mosque to rival the nearby Hagia Sophia. The Sultan demanded the mosque have ‘altin minaret’ or gold minarets.

His architect misunderstood and built the mosque with ‘alti minaret’ – six minarets instead. The only other mosque in the world with as many minarets was the Haram Mosque of Mecca. Awkward.

The religious leaders of the time were so outraged that the Sultan sent his architect to Mecca to build a seventh minaret so that the holiest of mosques could retain its superior status.

The mosque is truly beautiful with its gently curved domes appearing to bubble upwards. The interior of the blue mosque is cool and we notice an air of hushed calm as visitors become aware of the beauty inside. More than 20,000 blue Iznik tiles in traditional Ottoman patterns adorn the walls and ceilings. Lilies, carnations and tulips are depicted throughout. the interior domes are intricately tiled, painted and decorated with verses from the Koran and the sayings of the prophet Muhammad. We padded across the carpeting in our bare feet, necks craned upwards. Softly coloured rays of light filtered on to us through the 260 stained-glass windows.

As beautiful as the mosque is watching the awe in Reus eyes as we share these experiences of the world. hope he continues to travel the world long after we stop,and he always continue to be curious and realises he doesn't know it all yet, and never ever will.

28/05/2024

Balat, what a hidden gem, technicolour wooden houses and rainbow architecture. Can you see now why I love it. Whole pink houses! Balat is a neighborhood of contradictions. Crumbling Ottoman homes and the remains of old churches share the pavement with bohemian cafes and stylish boutique stores. Traditional wood-fired bakeries, budget-friendly tradesmen’s restaurants and teahouses sat side-by-side with trendy art galleries, second-hand bookstores and minimalist design studios.

Balat is located along the glistening shores of the Golden Horn in the district of Fatih, on the European side of Istanbul.

It is also the perfect place to see local Istanbulites simply getting on with their daily lives. Washing lines are strung out between buildings, kids play football in the narrow streets and the age-old practice of lowering wicker baskets on a rope from a window to collect deliveries of groceries is a daily occurrence here.

In short, Balat is charming, authentic and completely fascinating! We loved loosing a few hours in a quirky coffee shop sipping coffee,eating cheese cake and watching the world pass by.

28/05/2024

Istanbul, both exotic and culturally rich city. While most visitors tend to stick around the European side, of course as per usual the beaten track is not always for us (certainly not for me) and with a whole 8 days, we had to wander a little didn't we? In fact before even discovering the main sights of Istanbul we took a wander on a local ferry to the equally fascinating Asian side of Istanbul – known as the Anatolian Side. Istanbul is the only city in the world (I think) that embraces two continents, located both in Europe and Asia. The Kadikoy District (Kadıköy in Turkish), specifically, is the cultural heart of this region. Filled with coffee shops and bars and quaint Turkish tea, this area has a more relaxed vibe and fewer tourists.
It is a comfortable community with a thriving art scene that is home to both young hipsters and elderly shop owners alike.

Kadikoy is such a large district that it is subdivided into several smaller neighborhoods. It also has an incredible coastline and features amazing views of the Bosphorus Strait along with monuments on the other side.

While we enjoyed wandering around the various areas of the district in a very lazy chilled Sunday.

27/05/2024

Once again we are on the road, a quick mini break this time to majestic Istanbul. Istanbul is more than just another big city. A mecca of Byzantine churches, colorful bazaars, Ottoman mosques and historic spice markets, Istanbul is a sensory overload of culture and history. Its vibrance is totally infectious and once again we have fallen in love, oh how easily we fall. Who is coming along for the journey?

24/08/2023

We had a wonderful time at the Iguana sanctuary in Belize. The Green Iguana Conservation Project is a continuous effort that aims to conserve and look after the endangered Green Iguana species in Belize. The Project uses interactive exhibits and programs to help educate visitors and create awareness among the general public. We had wonderful opportunities to mingle with these wonderful reptiles and, also to learn the about the incubation, hatching, rearing and releasing process.
[24/08, 17:40] Rachael Parker: Despite their forbidding appearance, iguanas have been hunted as a delicacy in Latin America for thousands of years. But the herbivorous lizards have become one more victim of the deforestation and overpopulation that are ravaging the region's rain forests.
Green Iguanas are amazing swimmers! If an iguana sleeping in the tall trees senses a predator nearby (such as a bird of prey flying overhead) they may drop down out of the tree into a river below & swim to safety! Iguanas are very defensive animals due to being prey for many carnivores in the rainforest, & if cornered or grabbed may use their teeth, claws & even tail (as a whip) for defense! Detaching their tails is an escape mechanism used by iguanas when attacked by predators. It will grow back regardless of the number of times it gets trimmed. However, it is usually relatively darker than what is lost, and its shape may differ completely. Occasionally, they result in losing their tail when scared.Iguanas, like most lizards, have an additional eye apart from the visible two. If you watch closely, you will see it sitting on their heads. It’s in the form of a retina connected to the pineal gland in the brain. It serves a different purpose as opposed to recognizing objects. Even though they don’t use it to see, it is an integral part of their existence.

The third eye helps the magnificent lizard to control its sleep pattern. Additionally, it helps detect airborne predators and regulate body temperature. Their prominent eyes work exceptionally because it catches color and movement from several miles away. We absolutely loved every second spent with these wonderful creatures as they did us. They were constantly jumping on our heads or running up our arms to share body heat. There were some really special moments.

24/08/2023

I will miss the peace and noise of the jungle all at once. Praying it lasts forever but the reality is it won't. The howler monkey has now been added to the list of endangered species. Grateful that Reu has experienced all these things whilst the world remains as it is, for now at least.

24/08/2023

Today we leave Belize to cross back over the border into Guatemala. Local bus all the way for us backpackers. No tourist shuttle's for us. We are sad to be leaving Belize. Have loved our stay. This little guy even came to say goodbye.

24/08/2023

Deep in a cave in Belize’s interior jungle is a sacred Mayan burial site, where the remains of human sacrifices have been found. Our journey into the Mayan underworld at Actun Tunichil Muknal, was one of the most enlightening, epic, and unique experiences of our life. (Yes another one) We ventured into the heart of the ATM Cave, recently deemed as the number 1 Sacred Cave destination in the world by National Geographic. The ATM cave is not only geologically absolutely beautiful with its crystalline stalactites and stalagmites, but also historically as it is a natural museum of ancient Mayan artifacts and a sacred burial place. The ATM Cave was considered a sacred site by the Mayans, who often used caves for their religious rituals. This is the final resting place of 14 skeletal remains which includes men, women and children. Their skeletons and remains lay exactly where they will have been sacrificed. The Cave was an important spiritual site as it was believed to be the door to Xibalba (the Mayan underworld). When drought, infertility and famine ravaged the population, many sacrificial ceremonies and rituals took place here.
Out of respect you have to wear proper clothing and not bathing suits and walk barefoot at the points you are walking over the fragile burial sites.

When we arrived at the beautiful Tapir Mountain Reserve, and strapped on our helmets before we began our jungle hike to the cave entrance. All the way Reu chatting about the kids in Thailand that got stuck, making himself more anxious all the time. The challenging hike had three stream crossings waist high before we even reached the mouth of the cave. What we could see was a great big mouth of a cave entrance, covered with hanging vines and foliage with a river gushing out of it into a pool of deep clear water. We had to jump into the pitch-black hole in front of us, to enter the Mayan underworld. Helmet lights turned on and we jumped into the pool of water outside the cave swimming against the water current and into the mouth of the cave.
The next few hours were a constant mix of swimming, clambering over rocks and scrambling through ravines or down little waterfalls. Another full on workout! We witnessed giant shimmering rock formations surrounded by thick, calcium-carbonate stalactites dripping from the ceiling and stalagmites growing from the cave floor. It was incredible and looked like a film set. After carefully navigating the labyrinth of tunnels, we finally came to a 12-foot steps that led to "the cathedral " where 14 Mayan skeletons could be seen. Many of the human remains, all victims of sacrifice, were children - believed to be pure and innocent and they were of most value to the gods.

Cameras are no longer allowed after a tourist dropped his camera on one of the skulls, putting a large hole in it. I was gutted to begin with as I love my photos but actually it was really liberating to be free of the camera and fully appreciate every moment inside the cave, surrounded by its history and natural beauty.
All these photos are courtesy of the park rangers and guides.

What we didn't realise until afterwards was that as recently as January this year people were trapped inside this cave as the water started to rise unexpectedly. When the rescue units went to the entrance of the cave it was already cut off by the floodwaters, and by then darkness had already fallen.
The rescue group waited through the entire night until dawn when the water levels receded and they were able to enter the cave system and successfully locate the stranded tourists. I'm extremely glad that I didn't know this before, although I suspect I would have still gone in, I'm not sure I would have got Reu in. What I can say with certainty is that such a trip would never ever be allowed in the UK given the risks involved.

23/08/2023

Waking up to this...

23/08/2023

Reus first time behind a wheel on a public highway and I speak from experience when I tell you these roads are not easy to drive! The potholes and bumps in a golf cart are horrendous. My body has aged about 10 years.

23/08/2023

23/08/2023

We have all loved island life in San Pedro Belize, waking up to gentle coastal breezes and breathing in the salty air from the balcony of our thatched beach hut. The palm trees sway in harmony with the Caribbean Sea and we have been totally seduced by this mesmerising island paradise full of tropical joy and millions of miles from our worldly worries.
The vibrant hues of happiness saturate the tapestry of life here and we have fully embraced the relaxed pace of island life, although time seems to have flown by. We have Indulged in the simple pleasures of reading a book and spending quality time together, many games of Uno and late night swims, basking in the warm sunshine under swaying palm trees. I feel like we have immersed ourselves in the island’s rhythmic atmosphere, where laughter abounds, and worries fade away. San Pedro has rejuvenated our spirit and nourished our soul with its enchanting ambiance. It has been a sensory voyage through the island’s sights, sounds, and flavors. We have wandered through vibrant streets adorned with colorful buildings and bustling local markets, engaged in conversations with the cheerful locals while savoring the delectable fusion of Caribbean, Maya, and Central American influences in Belizean cuisine.

San Pedro’s laid-back attitude and strong sense of community has made it an easy and welcoming place to explore. Hopping on and off our golf cart and journeying from one breathtaking scene to another, relishing the warm breeze on our face. The island was full of hidden gems, from secluded coves to secret lagoons, cozy cafes, and vibrant street art.

We certainly lost ourselves in San Pedros allure and loved the freedom to explore at our own pace creating lifelong memories.

It was also the first place Reuben (illegally) drove on a highway. Blame the irresponsible parent, I'll let you figure that one out!

22/08/2023

Not forgetting these fun, fragile little creatures with their long snouts and miniscule fluttering flippers. It is an evolutionary wonder that they’ve survived, as they are basically at the mercy of the currents. Ineffective swimmers, they mainly use their tails to cling to the shelter of coral formations or roots on mangroves, and pluck plankton from the passing current. They graze continuously and do not have proper stomachs but rather a digestive tube. Seahorse couples are monogamous and will hold one another’s tails for hours at a time. How sweet!!

22/08/2023

Today we had the kind of day dreams are made of, a day snorkelling the Belize Barrier Reef, part of the second largest reef in the world!

As soon as our head was under the water,we entered an almost-magical underwater animal kingdom. I wasn’t prepared for just how much sea life there would be! At times, surrounded by sharks, fish, and coral covering all colours of the rainbow!

There are more than 500 different species of marine life that can be seen here. These are just some of what we saw (what I can remember) nurse sharks, black coral, manta rays, eagle rays, parrotfish, trumpet fish, octopus, harlequin bass, vase sponges, sea feathers, crabs, baracuda, sea horses and angelfish. I wasn’t prepared for just how much sea life there would be!

As soon we got in the water, the first thing we saw was a huge manatee and I felt like I was dreaming! I cried! Probably the most unusual mammal I have ever seen. A playful and gentle giant often referred to as a seacow. Unfortunately, these endangered mammals are declining. Yet again their main cause of death is pollution and human activity. Motorboats and ships are especially dangerous for these curious sea mammals. It's heartbreaking to think they may not be around much longer.

The day just got better, the day we gave another huge tick on our bucket list. The day we swam in "shark infested" waters and with the majestical and endangered manatee. Today was probably one of the most incredible and memorable moments of our life and certainly Reus.

The special snorkeling spot of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve where huge numbers of nurse sharks and also stingrays gather, affectionately known as shark ray alley was incredible. Sharks accumulate here naturally, local fishermen clean their daily catch here throwing the morsels in the water, so technically feeding the sharks and that’s why they are so concentrated here. Although these sharks are harmless, it took a good few deep breaths and digging deep to jump off the side of the boat. But once in, only a few seconds when in the water to get used to the feeling that they swim close and their skin is touching yours and cherish every moment.

The coral was vibrant,
(although not as vibrant as I remember from years ago) the water was crystal clear and the marine life abundant.

After snorkelling we fed the tarpons (huge fish) and frigates (birds) with fish. Both of these made for lots of screaming as they grabbed the fish whilst we held fish over the side of the boat and waited for the tarpons leap from the water to grab the fish or a frigate to swoop down and grab the fish in its beak, in one swift movement.
Reu was injured by a frigate as it caught his finger. (His version is it's a shark wound)
It was an absolute honor to snorkel here with everything from sea urchins , sea cucumber, damselfish, angelfish nurse sharks and stingrays. In those few hours we spent along the Belize Barrier Reef, we felt like we had been transported to another world.

20/08/2023

Next stop Belize...
The journey from Flores to Belize City should take around 6 hours (including all immigration checks and passport control). Leaving Guatemala was quick and easy, entering Belize took forever im sweltering heat. As a result we missed the boat over to San Pedro delaying us further. The final journey taking around 10 hours. San Pedro is the capital of Belize’s largest island. San Pedro island culture may be laid back and low-key, we love the island vibe where shoes are optional, curly, non straightened hair obligatory and the only dress code for dinner is a beach dress thrown over the top of a semi damp bikini. Oh and not forgetting where the only transport around the island is a golf buggy.

19/08/2023

We had a lovely time chilling in Flores and enjoying the epic sunsets and £2 cocktails. Just what we needed after an overnight bus journey that weirdly started with the driver preaching and blessing passengers before the journey. It was bizarre.

19/08/2023

Seeing Mayan ruins was on the top of the itinerary for Reu, having learnt about them in school. The ancient site of Tikal in northern Guatemala is one of the best. It has not only incredible Mayan temples, but also an atmospheric jungle setting that feels excitingly remote. Reu just loved wandering discovering wildlife and ancient temples. Tikal was a major city of the Mayans in its time. The history of settlement at Tikal stretches back as far as 1,000 B.C., but the earliest parts of the site date back to the fourth century B.C. The temples are hidden deep within the jungle so we saw many hives of stingless bee (affectionately known as the new with no fire in its ass), heard howler monkeys aplenty and spent a delightful hour watching spider monkeys. I was also very excited to spot the vibrant toucan in the trees.

We were also lucky enough to witness what looked like a complex Mayan ceremony and made some lovely new friends. Another long but wonderful day wandering.

18/08/2023

I'm not sure I've ever fallen in love with a city as quickly as I did Antigua. After a strenuous few days we really enjoyed just soaking up city life. Antigua's beguiling beauty starts to seduce the moment you arrive.
The colorful colonial town of Antigua, Guatemala boasts cobblestone streets, cute cafes and volcanoes looming in the distance. This city is unarguably charming and easy to fall in love with, we certainly did.

17/08/2023

The final descent, another two to three hours back down the way you came to the trailhead. We had hoped that this would be much easier, yep you guessed it we were wrong. It was incredibly tough, steep slippery and I awoke muscles that I'm not sure had ever been used. Reubens altitude sickness continued. I had wrongly thought that like sea sickness it would subside as we lost altitude. It didn't and continued to the next day. It was as relentless on the way down and we fell several times. I've never been so happy to see a road and believe me there have been many many times in our life together when we have been so pleased and very relieved to see a road.
[17/08, 08:55] Rachael Parker: Getting to the top was a physical and mental challenge but so worth tackling, especially pushing yourself to the limits of endurance. The experience of nature in its raw glory, and climbing higher than the clouds.
Would we do it again, us probably not, me erm maybe (not) but seriously it's made me hungry for more peaks. Reuben got to the bottom and said "well thats it for this adventure until the next stupid idea you have. This sums it all up really. On to the next stupid idea we go ....

15/08/2023

Before it all began, before we knew what lay ahead ...

15/08/2023

From the summit

15/08/2023

Within an hour we were up and ready to summit for sunrise. Reu was physically very sick and Anne felt very sick. But they both were troopers and despite dreadful altitude sickness were still game. The guide had told us that it would take another 2 hours to get to the top, but he didn’t tell us that this part was the steepest and without doubt the hardest most challenging thing I have ever done. The worst part, we had to hike through unstable volcanic ash, the most unpleasant type of soil of the entire trek. Every step you took your foot would sink a good 30/40 cm and you would have to drag it out.The ground is just loose volcanic soil, which means that for every two steps taken forward, you slide 1 step down. The incline is incredibly steep and we increased massively in elevation, so the altitude sickness just kept getting worse and breathing felt impossible.
We were Climbing and scrambling in almost total darkness. The last stretch of the hike left us completely exposed to the elements and battling them left us exhausted, it was difficult to stay standing.
Reu and Anne made it within a stone's throw but reu was just to sick and to continue would be dangerous. She knew it was my dream to summit and so sat just below watching the same eruptions and sunrise. The sense of achievement when you reach the top is immense you can’t even begin to compare the views to anything you’ve seen before. You’ll see the nearby Fuego volcano spewing ash and lava into the sky every 15 minutes and the whole valley light up below you. It’s a once in a lifetime experience. We had made it, now we only had to get back down, easy surely (surely not)

15/08/2023

We never really left the tent as Reu and Anne felt terrible. Reuben was very sick. We would simply shuffle down in our sleeping bags if we heard Feugo erupting or shouts of "no cloud no cloud" The Fuego volcano usually erupts once every 15 to 30 minutes, although it can sometimes be much longer intervals but each eruption was enormous. You certainly hear it long before you see it. The eruptions sound like bombs going off, and you can feel the Earth rumbling under your feet. It's incredible. The tent was cold, and the mattresses were uncomfortable. We were freezing and slept in multiple layers and hats coats and gloves. At 3am we were awoken to a tremendous boom at Feugo eruptted shooting ash and fiery red hot lava into the sky in a rare and thrilling spectacle that made every ounce of pain worth it. We were all in awe. I'll let the photos speak for themselves of what we witnessed.

15/08/2023

To give you an idea

15/08/2023

'Hard but not impossible" was what we were told when we, ok I decided we could summit mount Acatenago whilst im Guatemala. My thinking was, we live bordering the peaks, those mountains are our playground and Reu has grown up climbing trails and mountains as has Anne for that matter and I'm the fittest of the 3 of us so this is entirely doable. Standing at 3,976m (13,045ft), the Volcan Acatenango is the third-highest volcano in Guatemala and a rite of passage for adventure travelers ( is this what we are now?) in Central America. The two-day hike is the most challenging volcano climb in Guatemala and a genuine test for your fitness and endurance.
From the top, you can see the nearby Volcan de Fuego. Both are collectively known as “La Horqueta,” and the Volcan de Fuego is active. Every 10-15 minutes, it spits out ashes, gas, and lava – creating a mind-blowing nature spectacle.

On climb day, we joined a group of 14 people and had breakfast in a tiny village at the base of the volcano. Despite bringing technical shoes, jackets and hats and gloves and many many layers of clothing it quickly became apparent that we would need to rent more gear, specifically walking poles and warm (sadly non breathable) coats.

All our very heavy backpacks were loaded onto the roof of the jeep and we were driven to the base of Acatenango. We were dropped off on the side of a road and our guide pointed to a muddy path. That doesn’t look too bad, I thought to myself. We can do this. .... but after about
5 minutes (at most) of shuffling up the trail we were ready to collapse, certain one of us was going to vomit. The altitude sickness had already struck. I began to dread what was to come. What had we/ I gotten us into?
Instantly the hike was hard. There is no build up or breaks, with relentless steep inclines through muddy paths. There are no flat parts, and the hike becomes more difficult with every 100 meters due to the increasing altitude. It became clear almost instantly that Hiking to a 4,000m (!!) summit, Acatenango is an epic, adventurous and once-in-a-lifetime experience which was certainly not for the faint-hearted. It’s incredibly tough, gruelling and totally relentless.
Acatenango hits you with an elevation gain of 5,150 feet in only 4-6 hours, depending on your pace. For comparison, the largest single-day elevation gain on a Mount Kilimanjaro Trek id only a 4,045 foot gain in about eight or nine hours.
We went slowly but surely one step at a time. As we climbed the landscape changed quickly, from lush farmland to humid jungle, eventually evolving into a barren landscape scattered with few trees.
Our group was mainly silent (breathing was hard enough) while climbing. It felt meditative to stare at the boots in front of me. I fixed my eyes on them and focused on keeping a rhythmic pace. The steep terrain was never-ending and I constantly dreamed of when it would flatten. It didn't. There were many words of encouragement spoken to is from those descending who were very good in not telling us what lay head but speaking words such as:

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger"

"Your mind has to complete this trek. Your body won’t give in, but your mind might. It's not the mountain you must conquer but yourself"
" Don't let your mind give up and it will get you to the summit"

After five hours of intense hiking, we reached base camp at over 3,700m. It was an immense relief. We were climbing in rainy season so just as we arrived the clouds and rain came in and we saw nothing. This couldn't be happening. There were people trekking with us who had attempted 3 times and had not been successful. Please don't let all this be in vain.
Reu had done incredibly well and after the initial shock of altitude was in the first 5 climbers all of the way, he summited quickly and with confidence perhaps to quickly and with to much confidence because as we reached base camp he became very sick and was asleep by 2.30pm after numerous vomiting episodes. Anne and I also felt very rough as we climbed into our cabin and fell fast asleep in the middle of the afernoon. Would we see Mount Feugo erupt, would we reach the summit Would we make it back down ? You will have to wait and see ... TBC