The start of the week saw a change from mangos to bananas, which has been a much better source of energy. Unfortunately they haven’t lasted that long as we started going uphill, and this has been the main focus point of this week- the 3000m climb. Not fun. Not fun at all. Ive come to realise that I really despise pushing a heavy bike with 4 panniers and a trailer up a mountain. The slightly depressing point is this is the first and by no means the last. We went from doing 50-80k to 7k which increase to 8k the following day.
The indigenous people aren’t quite as friendly as I had hoped, I was at wits end one evening and i started balling my eyes out, Cho asked a lady if we could sleep in her garden and she said no and then proceeded to watch me cry for about a minute before walking away, the following day is was freezing and raining, I was cold to the bone, 2 people said we couldn’t stay with them and then finally god answered my prayers with a lovely family! They lit a fire for us to warm up and dry our clothes so I gave the mother a pair of winter gloves and we have been working for them today in return they have given us the use of there outhouse and they have been feeding us well. Being at wits end through a relentless climb, rain, cold and then being taken in… wow. Its a blessing and a half! We have had a lovely day felling trees and chopping wood with them- it feels good to be able to help in return.
The views have been wonderful up here though- I must say. We get from 8am-1pm to view it until the mist and fog comes in or the rain. Im really looking forward to the downhill bit!!!!