Dear Kenya,
After a long week of tests and assignments we finally
reached the weekend again! Saturday we climbed Mt. Longonot. Mt. Longonot is an
inactive volcano. On this volcano there are wildlife, vegetation and an
incredible view. On our way, we had the chance to stop at the Great Rift Valley
to take some pictures and enjoy the view. The view was gorgeous and peaceful.
We then hopped back on the bus and headed for Longonot. When we arrived we all
mentally and physically prepared ourselves. We paired up with hiking buddies
and we were off. The hike to the top took us 2 hours. All up hill, I realized I
have never REALLY hiked. Breathing was extremely difficult with the dust in my
lungs, the altitude, and the inexperience of how to properly breathe when
hiking. On our way up we got to see some gazelles, and a carcass of some
animal. We were warned about the buffalos that live on the Mt. Apparently they
are very aggressive and they have injured people. So we were on the look out.
We eventually got to the top and celebrated. The view. Unexplainable. No words
could explain nor describe the view inside the volcano and the view outside of
the crater. Inside of the volcano all you can see is greenery and the beautiful
vegetation. Outside, we can see all of Lake Navashia, and miles of land. There
were no clouds in the sky, therefore, we could see extremely far and clearly.
After a lunch break and some picture taking we started to walk around the rim.
It was said that the hiking along the rim would take 2 hours. So off we were.
At first it was very simply. Then that all changed. Rocks and pebbles made it
difficult to walk, the sand would make us fall to the ground or grab onto tree
branches, or the ground. We finally got to the highest point of the volcano. We
took pictures and with the knowledge we still had a long way to go we prepared
to leave.
As we were leaving something happened. A girl who had just
arrived to the top fainted. People rushed to her and tried to wake her up.
People were shaking her and calling her name. Because I have a lot of
experience with people fainting, (more like me fainting) I knew what needed to
be done. I realized that the people who rushed to her aid had no idea what they
were doing. So I immediately looked into my bag to find my hand wipes. Because
the smell of alcohol helps regain consciousness, I knew my hand wipes had a bit
of alcohol, I ran to her and made her smell it.. Other people were crowding and
trying to give her water. I pushed it away telling them she would choke but
they did it anyway. So I turned to my friends and asked them to find hand
sanitizer that has no fruity smell. I felt like my hand wipes were not strong
enough to make her conscious. I talked to her trying to see if she could hear
me. People were talking and getting closer so I loudly said could everyone take
a step back please. Unfortunately the people I want to step back wouldn’t. One
of the girls I was with gave me her shirt poured water and we used it to cool
her down. Again people were asking me to give her things like bananas. This
time I told them stricter no. When she is conscious she can have a little but
right now we need to regain her consciousness. Fortunately enough there was a nurse
at the top. So she ran to us and asked us to make shade for her. Then I
realized that the nurse went away and it was just me, the annoying European man
trying to help and her friend. People were still talking and I was getting
annoyed. I shushed everyone and whispered in this girl’s ear and said “can you
here me?” She moved her head yes. People screamed, “She can hear us!” “She can
hear us!”. I got closer to her and asked her if she could smell the alcohol.
She said yes. Again people repeated what she said. So I shushed them and told
her to try hard to come back. “You are going to be ok, but I need you to open
your eyes. You cannot fall asleep.” She moved her head and she opened her eyes.
The annoying man who kept repeating what I was saying and screaming the obvious
screamed “SHE OPENED HER EYES!” I looked at him and as he tried to take the
hand sanitizer from me I shrugged him off and started to dab her with the cool
shirt. The nurse came back and said she had glucose she could put in water. So
she mixed it and gave it to the man….Big mistake. He tried to give it to her as
she was lying down. This time I didn’t say anything and pushed him away from
her. The nurse and I said the same thing at the same time. She needed to sit up
to drink it; she will choke if she drinks it in this position. The movement
will help her fully regain consciousness. Once she was up and looking around
the man gave her the water. At this point the nurse got more water and talked
to the girl. I asked her if she still felt weak. She didn’t answer me but
answered her friend in Swahili. So I asked her friend to ask the girl if she
felt completely conscious or still a little faint and weak. The friend told me
that the girl felt better and no longer weak. Feeling better to leave her now I
talked to the nurse and told her that if the girl felt faint again, make her
smell this and she will regain conscious. I told her that it may take a while
since its not straight up alcohol but it will work. She said “ok I didn’t know
that, and said thank you”. Knowing that we were on a time limit I turned around
and apologized for delaying the hike and we were off.
This incident made me realize that not everyone can be calm
in a serious situation like that one. Although at the time I thought to myself,
this was nothing and no big deal. But after thinking about it on the drive
home, before I went to sleep, and writing this blog, I realize that if the girl
could not regain her consciousness she could have died from dehydration. Having
the experience and knowledge on what to do when fainting is something I never
really though would be helpful. I have seen many incidents similar to that, and
always there is someone that is there that knows what they were doing. Today, I
was that person. I was surprised that no one knew what to do and could not be
calm enough to truly help her. Even the nurse did not contribute that much. She
left to get glucose water and came back when the girl regained consciousness.
It even surprised me more when the nurse didn’t know that the smell of alcohol
would help her stay conscious. Before starting the hike from the rim, I was
contemplating going. I was tired. But I went anyway. We got to the top at the
right time. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time I guess.
I am grateful that the girl is ok and that it was nothing more serious than
that.
The rest of the hike was tiring. The hike down from the top
was the worst part. It was scary and dangerous. My ankles were killing me, my
thighs burning and I was covered in dust and dirt. There was one moment that I
knew that I was going to fall head first and really hurt myself. On a steep
side I slipped down some rocks and tried to grab something to hold to. There
was nothing. But I soon realized I had stopped sliding because something saved
me. There were big bags of dirt scattered on this trip. Their purpose was to be
like steps. A place we can use to balance ourselves. This bag was ripped but on
both sides of the bag they were still connected to the whole bag. My foot
slipped and fell into this ‘harness’ and held me back from falling further. I
looked down at my foot and saw how this harness saved me. I looked up and
thought could this be karma? Could this be someone looking out for me. Did this
have to with the girl I helped literally 2 mins before? I stopped and thought
to myself. Could this be something more than a coincidence? I looked at the
sky, thanked whatever it was and continued down the mountain.
After we got past the hard part the rest of the hike was
easier. We were kind of on leveled ground and hurried as much as possible. At
this point the sun was beating on us, we were running out of water and our
bodies were just about to give up. We kept pushing and finally got back to
where we started. But then we had to go back down. So after a little water
break and ate a snack to keep some sugar in us we headed down. We managed to
get to the bottom in 30 mins. We ran most of it because we knew we were the
last ones to complete the hike. We arrived to the bottom and mounted the bus
and we were off to drop of the group who was camping around Lake Navaisha.
Tired and hungry the rest of the group not camping returned to Nairobi.
The hike was incredible. The view on the highest point was
something I have never seen before. Complete beauty. Complete peace. Greenery
everywhere. I felt so small on the top. The world is a beautiful place. Today
we got to experience something many people do not get to see. I am grateful for
the trip we took this day. It was the right day at the right time.
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