Beginning
The year was 2021, and I was in my third year of University. The class representative of K24, the unit code for the cluster of students undertaking a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Statistics, in collaboration with the Kenyatta University Economics Association (KUESA), organized a trip to Menengai Crater. He was an outspoken and confident man who influenced hundreds of students to join his school of thought. This influence was not limited to the trip alone but the overall operation of the School of Economics or, may I say, the entire University, for there was a time he campaigned to be the school president under the coalition name "The Wave."
Aside from the noise of politics, the class representative was well-connected and informed. He had a massive share in KUESA and worked with other stakeholders to organize a fun event for students. The trip was not limited to students from the School of Economics only, though we thought that way at first. The charges were fair, and the hype was high.
My friends and I saw an incredible opportunity to travel outside the school vicinity and spend time exploring the world. We were excited for the trip ahead. And so we prepared our gear and organized how to take pictures, eat, sweat, and come home exhausted. Our expectations were over the roof.
Fun Facts about Menengai Crater
Menengai Crater, located in the Great Rift Valley, is a gigantic volcano shield with the largest calderas in Kenya and the second largest in Africa. The crater is assumed to have the second-largest calderas in the world. A caldera is a hollow that forms after the emptying of a magma chamber during a volcanic eruption. Menengai Crater is relatively young, with an approximated caldera formation running eight thousand years back. Myths surrounding the crater include its habitation of demons and ghosts, which locals believe cause suicide and the disappearance of people. I do not know the truth of these claims. There are numerous activities one can undertake in Menengai Crater, including bird watching, hiking, camping, and viewing the incredible sites of Nakuru County.
Eve of the Hike
On the eve of our long anticipated journey, we gathered as a group of three and two mutual friends. We gathered in my house to cook and prepare for the trip the following day. We talked and laughed in anxious anticipation for an exciting time ahead. The girls prepared the gear they needed along the way, including comfortable shoes, light clothes, capes, jackets for the early morning of departure and late nights of arrival, bags to carry, snacks, water bottles, sunscreen, and other necessities. The boys only had their phones and whatever clothes they were wearing.
For the first time, I slept in a bed with two people. It wasn't comfortable, but it was exciting. From a young age, I was used to sleeping alone and thus developed bad sleeping habits, including turning and tossing like a comb of maize roasting. My sister always complained about how I would kick her, pull the blanket all to myself, uncover myself, scooch over, punch, and all sorts of things. I was used to sleeping facing north and waking up facing south, and when you ask me in the morning, I am utterly shocked at such claims. I have yet to discover how my subconscious mind works when I am asleep, but I find it fascinating.
D-day
Anyway, my friends survived the night, thankfully, and we woke up at four in the morning to prepare for departure. We showered, put on our gear, and set out for an adventure of a lifetime. This was my first time walking at such an early morning hour. We ordered an Uber, which dropped us off at school, where the bus awaited. Our initial expectation was that the school would give us a comfortable and luxurious bus for the trip. This expectation added to our excitement. Also, it eased my anxiety about going to unfamiliar places without supervision. Deep down, I always wanted someone to be responsible for me. This need comes from my parents and siblings' protection all my life. I always knew there was someone who would protect me. This time, I knew the school would be responsible if anything happened.
When we arrived at school, I was utterly shocked, bamboozled, in fact. The hiking poster stated that KUESA was in charge of the trip. But why did they deny us the school bus and instead give us some old trucks for public transport? These buses, "manyangas," were beaten and bruised by life. They were old and unpleasing to look at. But I decided to look at the bright side of life and not allow my frustrations to get in the way of the most exciting trip yet.
Departure
We quickly boarded the buses, looking for the window seat at the back where we would goof around all the way to our destination. The trip started a few minutes to seven in the morning, and it was looking like a good day. The road was not unfamiliar to me, given I used it several times going home (Narok) and back to the city. I felt rather proud to narrate stories to others who were new in the area. I wore my brown tour guide hat and explained the landscape, the latest developments, and incidents that occurred, and gave alternative routes. The most exciting part was when we reached the Rift Valley escarpment, and everyone stood to look over the depression. In my heart, I said, "Such amateurs, look to me, and I will reveal the secrets of this mystery." In truth, that escarpment scares me to death, given the enormous trucks that pass by, the narrow road, the sharp turns, and the dropping caldera.
Hiking
We arrived at our destination before noon and started hiking. I was surprised that we didn't get a guide or given instructions on how to behave. We took off excited to conquer a new frontier and climb another mountain. The first section of the hike was easy, and I was sure we were done for the day. We reached the peak and celebrated our accomplishments by taking pictures, dancing, shouting, and anything else you could imagine. Those on social media updated their followers, and the rest of us took pictures as memorabilia. As we returned, the first group decided to descend the crater. At the time, the sun was blazing hot. And, oh, did I forget to mention I did not have sunscreen? But I had a huge brown hat that substituted for my lack of sunblock. The reason I decided to forgo sunscreen was because I had an awful first experience with sunscreen when I went hiking Mount Longonot. This mountain is in the same locale as Menengai Crater. There are rumors that the area's ozone layer is destroyed because of Olkaria geothermal. I studied in Naivasha for High School, and truth be told, I got severe sunburns during my entry years of school. It was worse for a German kid whose skin was peeling when we joined. That alone convinced me that the ozone layer is destroyed. I am literally laughing at my misinformation.
Down the Caldera
So we battled the sun and, combined with our adventurer's spirits, went down the crater. That was the beginning of my problems. The journey down was so steep that we could not stand straight but supported ourselves on slippery, sharp, and hot rocks. At that time, I realized I had worn the wrong shoes. The sole was hard, and my toes were pressing against the front part of the shoe as we descended the caldera. I was hopeful that when we arrived at the base, the ground would be plain and the journey smooth back to camp. Oh, how I was deceived!
We reached down the crater and began running to beat time. The first group had disappeared among the shrubbery. We had to stick together lest we got lost and encountered wild animals. I was scared at this point but did not allow the fear to paralyze me. My mind calculated ways to survive, and anxiety was not one of them. I was exhausted but had to keep moving. We reached a point where there was no going forward or backward. I knew I had to overcome every fear I had at this point. Be it fear of heights, snakes, or chameleons. I always wonder why God saw it fit to create snakes. Those things creep me out. Like is it even necessary to have them around? And that is why I have vowed never to live in a snake-infested place. I'd rather travel miles to work than live there. This phobia has reduced over the years as my mind has found safety and security in God and as I acknowledge His sovereignty over all creation.
Ascension
Now, back to the boiling pot I put myself in. My friends and I were stuck at the base of the crater. At that moment, I hoped the president would send us rescue jets to get us out. The time was ticking, and that's when animals came out of hiding. Going back was not an option. It was impossible to climb up those rocks. One tiny mistake, and you'd be on your way to the ancestors and the dinner of some happy hyenas. One "brilliant" human, I don't recall who led the way up the mountain. I am not kidding when I say we were standing at the bottom of a vertical road. The vegetation was burned, I assume to chase away animals, and the soil was loose. We began going up, one after another, in a straight path. At this point, everyone was trying to survive; It was no longer a matter of fun. You could not overtake the person ahead of you. All you did was hope and pray they don't slip and fall on you, which would cause a dominos effect. You had no time to rest because the crowd behind was impatient and needed you to get out of their way. You had no time to hydrate; otherwise, you'd receive the scorning of others. Your only option was to move and hope nothing came out of the wild to interrupt the trail.
I don't remember a time I was alert like that day. My hands were filled with coal from the burnt vegetation. My mouth was dry, and my teeth colored with dust and coal lifted by the people ahead of me. We continued, and when we were about to reach the top, we saw a huge hole. God knows my heart almost failed me. I knew without a doubt that hole was home to a giant snake. But my elements could not think of doom at the time. I did not dare look behind me because I knew that would be the death of me and many others following my tracks. I pressed on like I am right now towards the goal of the upward calling.
Glory to God, I made it to the top, and so did my friend. The other three friends had made the wisest decision in their lives. They decided to return to camp after the first trip and not follow the crowd down the caldera. I applaud them for that decision. They had saved themselves from the trauma of climbing a vertical road. However, I was sorry for them because they missed the most incredible adventure of their campus life. They missed the adrenaline rush of encountering death and the many thoughts that flood your mind at the time.
Journey Back
Anyway, we arrived at the top and served our lunch around five in the evening. We waited in victory for the rest of the students who were still conquering their mountains. Everyone emerged with a smile full of coal-black teeth, sweaty armpits, dirty shoes, and victorious minds. You could feel the excitement in everyone's voice as they narrated their stories. We watched the magical sunset and felt like we would conquer any challenge.
The journey back started slowly until events turned around. Our very “prestigious” buses started malfunctioning. We had two buses. The one that began malfunctioning was the one I had boarded. First, it lost speed, and then the engine started smoking. The smoke filled the entire bus. No one seemed concerned about the malfunction. Everyone was calm, as though it was a familiar occurrence. The driver said he could not stop the bus for some reason. As we continued, the bus hit a truck, which broke the window opposite me. I was sure we were going to die. As if that was not enough, the front lights started blinking and lost their power. So we were literally in a moving car at night that did not have lights. When I thought of all the possible ways we could die, I froze. The worst part arrived when we reached the escarpment, and I knew we would fall over. My friend ran away from me and went to sit next to another. That was the worst case of betrayal. The broken window directed all the cold winds towards me.
I called my sister and told her about the situation. As I mentioned, I was always a child that needed protection. I knew she had a solution, so I called her, and she advised me to call an Uber. Yes, an Uber in the middle of nowhere! That's right. I naively looked into my app, and as would be the case, Uber does not function outside the city. I decided to sit still and wait for my demise. I know it's dramatic, but well, that's that.
Our dying bus dragged itself slowly but surely. It was already night, and given the COVID-19 curfew, the first bus was arrested. I am unsure whether it was because of the curfew or they had broken some traffic law. Be it as it may, the arrest increased the tension. The information stated that the students were already in jail and the bus was packed in the police station. We speculated that we would soon join our fellas and spend the night in jail until the following day. That idea excited my youthful mind for some reason. At least we would not die.
A few moments later, we heard that the first bus was released and was headed to school. We followed them in our slow and dying truck until we arrived in Nairobi at midnight. We were shoved into the first bus and transported to school. At some point, we encountered patrol officers who ensured no one broke the curfew. We alighted and showed our student identification before we were released. We arrived at school at around one in the morning and went our separate ways.
Aftermath
My friends and I walked home with mixed feelings. No one talked about anything. We were exhausted and frustrated. The day had been eventful and contrary to our expectations.
A few weeks later, the nail of my big toe started turning color and eventually came off. It was horrifying. I could not wear open shoes for months, but it eventually grew back.
In hindsight, that experience is worth laughing about and brings back unforgettable memories I could not trade for anything. I still haven't learned my lesson, and I look forward to my next dangerous adventure. Adios!
By Maureen Naini