I learned another new word today. Pole. (Pronounced po-lay). When used once, it means “sorry”, but when used twice, pole pole, it translates to “slowly slowly”.

I was reminded today how amazing life is when we go “slowly, slowly”, simplify things, and enjoy each moment.

I woke up slowly this morning to the sound of birds chirping outside of my window. Such a familiar and beautiful sound. It made me feel at home and as I laid in bed, I smiled big as I listened and welcomed a brand new day.

The only plan I had for the day ahead was a meeting with our trek leader, Freddie, and the rest of our group at 9:30 AM. I figured the rest of the day would unfold exactly as it should from there and WOW…did it ever!

After a slow, quiet, solo breakfast filled with toast, bananas, potatoes, beans, and coffee, myself, Daryl, Jeff, Colin, and Vinti joined together in the lobby as Freddie welcomed us once again and let us know what to expect over the next two days. There would be an orientation/overview of the climb and a gear check on the 14th, but for today, we had the choice of relaxing at our hotel and/or exploring the small town of Moshi or we could take a cultural tour. Myself, Jeff, and Colin chose the tour.

Since before arriving here, I have felt hungry to explore, to get curious, and to learn and the tour sounded like the perfect place to start.

Freddie let us know it would be about 40 minutes before our boxed lunches were ready to go and then we would leave and so I gladly took the time to relax in my room and journal some more before heading off.

Before I knew it, the Embark driver and a new guide, Frederick, were here to take us on our adventure.

The moment we stepped outside to the vehicle, I noticed again the air filled with an ashy, smoky scent. Were there fires? Was someone cooking somewhere in the streets? What was this smell about?!?!

As we drove along for about 45 minutes, we passed through several villages and here and there I noticed smoke wafting up from them. It was then I asked Frederick, “what is the smoke I keep seeing and smelling?” He informed me it was from the fires the villagers had started along the roadside and near their homes to keep warm and to cook their food.

Bingo.

Frederik pointed out a Baobab tree along the way. This is one of the coolest trees I’ve ever seen! These trees are GIANT and are known for their spiritual significance as well as their medicinal and nutritional properties. The trunk of this tree was GINORMOUS!!!

We passed villages, shops, churches, schools, farms, cattle, goats, dogs, food stands, more motorbikes than I could count, villagers, women dressed in beautiful, vibrant dresses carrying baskets on their heads, children playing, and most notably, despite the poverty surrounding us, so many happy people. It was like happiness was in the air. Smiles were everywhere. And almost everyone was moving “pole pole”.

When we arrived to the town of Marangu, Frederick explained we would stop first to see the Chagga Caves.

We were greeted by a young lady named Dayana (Diana). She handed me a book with a small section underlined and asked me to read it for the group. And so I did.

As I read, I realized I was reading aloud about the Chagga and Messai tribes. The Messai tribe, one of now 53 tribes in the area, had tried to invade the Chagga land 200 years prior. They came because they believed that all cattle belonged to them. They wanted nothing from the Chagga people other than their cattle, and they were willing to kill families for it.

As we descended into the Chagga caves, Dayana explained that families dug these caves to hide underground during this time of war. The families lived in the caves with their cattle. Dayana showed us where the men would hide along the way to attack the Messai should they try to invade, wooden weapons that were reminiscent of baseball bats that the tribes hand carved for protection, tunnels leading up to open air above to allow for air and to allow for smoke to escape when they would cook their meals in the caves. These tunnels were also used as a way to spy and hear voices or footsteps on the ground above so the Chagga people would have fair warning when the Messai tribes came. They even carved out escape routes that would lead them to the ocean and rivers if needed. Lastly, we learned that the cattle were given salt water because it calmed them and kept them quiet in the caves.

Who knew? Did you?

When we emerged from the Chagga Caves, we were given a tour of the Chagga land. Dayana showed us the inside of a traditional hut, where, post war, families lived with their animals. They surrounded the outside edges of their huts with pineapple bushes which kept animals like snakes from entering the hut.

The interior of the hut had a small fire pit used for cooking and warming the family. Frederick told us that as a child, he would sit around the fire on the ground with his family. He explained they had to stay low to the ground because the smoke from the fire would rise and fill the hut above.

There were handmade kitchen items to hand-make butter from fresh milk and even beer mugs, the one for “Papa” always the biggest and the one for “Mama” much smaller.

There were tree stumps about used for sitting and for visiting guests and beds made out of sticks covered in animal hides to lay on, one bed for Papa and another for Mama and all the children. When Papa wanted Mama to come to his bed, he would use the wood that separates the beds to make a clicking sound as a means to call her over.

Lastly, all huts had a piece of wood with carved out foot holds that was used as a ladder leading up to a small square opening in the ceiling where there was a storage area for food and supplies. Frederick shared that as a child, his family would gather green bananas from the trees just outside and place them up in the storage area. After three to four days, the bananas would be ripe and perfect for eating.

Surrounding the hut, Dayana showed us potato mounds, avocado trees, bananas galore, tobacco plants, and coffee plants. Everything the Chagga tribes needed, they had on their land.

As we learned about the Arabica coffee trees, Dayana explained that the white flowers we were seeing come first, followed by a small bud like round ball (called a carpel) that eventually turns into the fruit which contains the coffee beans which eventually are turned into the coffee we drink. Those same beans also need to be planted to once again grow the coffee trees and so the cycle/circle begins again.

I have no idea why, because I understand this cycle and am an educated human, but as I stood there listening, I was struck by the magic that IS the cycle of bean to tree to fruit to bean to tree to fruit and so on…and my mind immediately went to the magic that IS the circle of life. The magic that IS we are all connected in someway. And I once again had the feeling that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Before we sat for lunch, we got the gift of making our own coffee together from scratch.

The beans were peeled using a machine handmade by the Chagga people. Then, we took turns using a large stick to pound the beans in a wooden bowl made from what seemed to be a tree trunk or something similar. As we did this, we sang together the “Pounding Song” …Twanga Twanga…

Next, the pounded beans were poured into a straw bowl which was shaken so the excess peel flew away and only the beans remained. The beans were then roasted in a clay pot over an open fire and we took turns stirring them so they didn’t burn.

After about ten minutes, they had turned from light brown to dark brown and roasted and they were once again poured into the straw bowl which Dayana shook to remove any excess that remained.

Oh. My. God.
The smell of those freshly roasted beans!!!

After the beans were poured back into the wooden tree trunk like bowl, we began to sing the “Grinding Song” as Dayana and Frederick took turns grinding the beans to powder which was then strained so that only clean, smooth, beautiful brown coffee powder was left. Dayana then added boiling water, almost like an instant coffee, and we gathered together around an outdoor table and enjoyed quite possibly the best cup of coffee I have ever had and ate the most delicious, most beautiful lunch.

All I kept thinking was…if this much love and care was put into every cup of coffee we drank, it would be simply the best every. damn. time.

The most simple ingredient, direct from the Earth…from the clay like, red soil that we stood on. No chemicals. All natural. Given so much love and care. Pure magic. The most amazing gift.

After leaving Dayana and this beautiful experience at the Chagga Caves, we made our way to the Ndoro Waterfall. The road was muddy and extremely narrow, just about as wide as the vehicle. We were driving through thick, lush green rainforest, surrounded by trees and plants on all sides when I heard a voice yelling. Come to find out, the road was closed. And so our driver put it in reverse and slowly maneuvered us backwards (because there sure as shit was nowhere to turn around) and that’s when we felt it…the left rear tire slipping…and slipping…and slipping off the edge.

Frederick kindly asked us to get out of the vehicle and so we quickly did, but not before I grabbed my small bag of gifts that I had purchased at the caves.

I left my poncho and my fleece, both of which I need as gear for our upcoming climb, but I was sure to grab the gifts! We all had a good laugh about that as we made our way off the road and down toward the waterfall.

A local man handed us each a walking stick and then proceeded to guide us down a steep series of steps and rocks leading to the falls. There I was, walking stick in one hand, bag of gifts in the other, Jeep somewhere in the distance being hauled out by the locals and our driver.

You can’t make this shit up!

“Pole Pole” our guide kept saying as we descended down and down, the wet, slippery Earth beneath our feet.

As we got closer and closer, the falls got louder and louder and the temperature moved from hot and humid to refreshing and cool. And as we turned the final corner, butterflies and birds all around us, lush green landscape as far as the eye could see, my eyes locked in on the most gorgeous, most amazing, most magical sight. The Ndoro Falls.

I swear my mouth dropped open, my eyes welled with tears, and I was frozen in that moment in time.

Thank you Universe. Again, I am EXACTLY where I am meant to be.

We walked in the cool water. The mist from the falls sprayed on us and I swear, it was like a mini soul cleanse as I looked around in awe of my surroundings.

After making our way up “pole pole”, we arrived to our driver and our vehicle, waiting for us as if nothing at all had gone wrong…because it hadn’t.

I woke up with only one plan…to attend a meeting at 9:30 AM. The rest of my day unfolded exactly as it was meant to.

As I lay here writing this now, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this day. For this day so full of beauty, happiness, connection, simplicity, magic, and love.

And for the reminder that we could all likely use in this life… Slow down and take in all the magic that this Universe has to offer.

…Pole Pole.