Planning a 5 day hike in Namibia’s Fish River Canyon stretched my comfort zone to uncomfortable proportions.  It became a real dilemma of “should I stay or should I go”.  I was fairly fit, had a back pack and sleeping bag.  I should go?

I went.  I came back a better person albeit a battered person.  The journey to Hobas – the departure point – was long and exhausting.  Being July, it was still very cold.  Even more so when you sleep outside.  Thank goodness I changed my mind and took a tent.  It would have been unbearable without the tent and the mattress.  The real winner was my gas pot and mini stove.  Impressive what that little cooker could do.  The group was amazing and us 17 individuals got on jolly good.  The jokes and chirps were awesome but the camaraderie was just off the scale.  What a team of supporters! Sharing and caring to limits where wine was passed around, Hug-in-a-Mug hot chocolate was shared, baggage was carried… unbelievable.

Every day had its challenges and although I was warned about the first day of descending into the canyon the next 3 days each had their “moment” when I had to pull myself towards myself and have a little pep talk with self.  We finished together at Ai-Ais.  Just like the team we were for the previous four days.  We shared our last supper together and reminisced about the walk before saying goodbye and driving back to our homes.  Our Whats-App group is still going and I am reminded of the great time we had when messages come through.  Namibia and the Fish River Canyon changed me.  I just have to figure out how.