Miles traveled: 8.9
Mile marker: 1027
I’m not sure you can fit five beds in this room, but someone made it work. I feel like I’m in a children’s home bedroom when I look around and see my entire group curled up in their beds.
Although the night was hot, fortunately the morning has cooled down.
Our backpacks are somewhat contained as we go down to breakfast. The coffee I drink is probably the best coffee I’ve ever had in a restaurant, which isn’t saying much.
I still find the back of Rafiki’s hand on my forehead checking for fever… something to do with the fact that I complain about the coffee at every breakfast place I go to these days.
“Christmas in Prague!” say. «I can’t wait, guys.»
«Let me call my mom and ask her if she wants to join. You guys would love that. She’s fun, brave, and likes spending time alone if we would like to do something just with us.»
“Hi, honey,” Mom says on the other end of the phone.
«Hi mom. Do you want to go to Prague next Christmas?»
«What? Really? Yes! I’ll start saving now!»
“Luxy is from the Czech Republic and can show us around!”
«How much do you think I’ll need?» Mom asks.
«A couple of grand, but it’s for next Christmas anyway.»
Christmas in Prague! If I can teach English abroad, in France, this would be the perfect time to visit Luxy. I always wanted to live in Europe!
I leave the red and white checkered plastic table and continue with my day.
Soon we are all behind the building (a shop, a lobby and a restaurant) and we join the others under a white tent to rest for the next four hours when our ferry arrives.
The sun begins to melt us like chocolate left in the sun. We filled the time with a game of Guess Who and a serious arm-wrestling competition. Luxy and I draw, but she grew up chopping wood and has arms of steel.
What is the proper way to arm-wrestle again?
Rafiki fights all the girls, some of whom cheat in an effort to beat him. The biggest challenge by far is his fight with Luxy. She is strong!
Finally 2:00 arrives and we pile into a 15-passenger van. It’s a winding road and a hot car, so most of the group feels nauseous as we wander the mountain roads.
When we return to the trailhead, the magic of the trail is still there. I turn around and find Rafiki lying on the ground. He’s never been motionless and dizzy from a vehicle before, but he is today.
We look for leftover hiker food and I buy some pop tarts and ramen.
The hike begins uphill through a meadow that looks like what you might find in The Sound of Music.
We continued along a path of wildflowers, giant rocks and snow-capped mountains. The sky is a bright blue with puffy white clouds and feather-like clouds.
We’re all lined up down a hill on a dirt road with big rocks to step on as we discuss where we’ll meet after Prague.
«Okinawa or South Korea,» Rafiki says. «In Okinawa, it is a highly valued place for diving and snorkeling. I love the people there! They are very warm and friendly.»
I think it’s fun!
A mosquito gets into my throat, and as a result, I spend the next twenty minutes coughing violently and hiccuping. Oh boy. My eyes are watery and they ask me if I’m sick.
No! No, I’m not! It was just a mistake!
We ended our hike with a small swarm of mosquitoes. It’s not the worst I’ve ever been to, so I eat the leftover steak with some cilantro-lime rice at the dining room table with the others; at the dining room table we are sitting on platforms of gauze or bear cans.
Tomorrow we have a big day with lots of elevation! I walk into my store and am ready to close my eyes.
For some reason, Luxy is brushing her teeth next to my tent! Bumper, Savannah and I are sleeping here, but Luxy wanted a better place, so she moved into the space with other backpackers.
«Luxy! What are you doing?» I yell jokingly.
«I need to leave the smell here so the bears don’t come to my tent!» she says.
Good. Maybe I’ll have a surprise visitor tonight.
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