Dave Vs the Volcano - days 14-15

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I was up bright and early, despite having a hangover, not the best prep for what was in store!

I left my big pack at the Auberge and set off with my day back to catch a boda-boda, to the border I had to wait a bit for my visa as the man with the stamp wasn't there. Once I had this I was walking off to get another boda-boda when I heard someone hissing at me (they don't whistle here), I knew this was trouble so I quickened my step but the guy started running and grabbed my arm. I looked round with a "Oh, you meant me expression" and he asked for my yellow fever certificate. I immediately knew I was doomed - I had left my form in my big pack - doh.

Anyway he took me into his office and said I could go back across the border to get it (incurring another $35 visa charge) or he could do me a favour and let me through if I gave him $20. Obviously I started arguing with him but it was pointless. This was my first taste of Congo corruption that is widespread throughout this country. I was more mad with myself for not bringing the certificate with me!!

Anyway I then went up to the motorcycle taxis (boda-bodas) and eventually explained where I wanted him to take me. The roads in Goma are unpaved-potholed death traps with no laws in force at all, I realised this all too late and spent the next half hour clinging on for dear life. On several occasions I went flying off the seat, thankfully I landed back down on it instead of the road. Eventually we got to the start of the walk in Kinige and there I waited for another tourist to arrive, the trek was due to start at 10:00.

Shortly before ten By new chum Bruno (from France) arrive as usual on my trips he was the obligatory foreigner in extremely inappropriate attire very short shorts- at least they weren't speedos:-) At one point when he sat down he had some nad showing - why me I cried at the heavens. Anyway to top it all he had socks and what could be best described as Moccasins!!

Bruno turned out to be an eccentric amateur volcanologist who gave me an explanation of how volcanoes were formed in his own inimitable way.

We had 4 soldiers for protection, (2 soldiers had been killed the previous month in this area) and 2 porters.

Shortly after 10:00 we set off for what turn out to be a 6 hour hike to the summit, it srated off pleasant enough ascending slowly through rainforest. Then after and hour a stop and I was already literally soaked with sweat, it didn't help that I had one a full day sack with my warm clothing and water, thankfully the porter had the tents.

After we had cleared the rainforest we came across vents down the side of the volcano from which steam was escaping - these vents were around 2 metres in circumference.

From here the ascent got steeper and by now I was ruing that extra beer I had the night before!! We soon came across a huge gash in the side which was caused by an explosion in 2002. Out of this chasm flowed lowa which continued all the way down to Goma some 20KM away destroying half the town.

Further up was a crater which had erupted from the side of the mountain many thousands of years ago.

When there was about 800metres left to climb the vegetation thinned out and it got even steeper - the last 200 metres was at approx 45 degree angle and it was killing me. My heart was pounding like a jackhammer and I couldn't breathe properly because of the altitude. Near the top I had to keep stopping to catch by breath - constantly under the watchful gaze of the soldiers who never left my side. Obviously they were hardly even sweating and I was panting there like an asthmatic pug.

Finally I reached the top after 6 hours and it was all covered in mist, the summit is at cloud level and much of the time is enveloped in a surreal mist which is enhanced by a nearby vent belching out sulphur!

Looking down in the crater is a vertical 700 metre drop to a ledge and then below that is a further drop to where the lave lake is. It was oval in shape and around 80 metres across and you could hear it boiling away, the crust was constantly solidifying and then it would disappear under the surface and then a great fountain of molten lava would be thrown into the air - very impressive. All this I could see at night when the cloud had gone and you could clearly see the lake. At night when you were looking at the rim of the crater it emitted this orange glow when combined with the sulphur reminding me of something Dante would write.

Even though it was nearly a kilometre below you could still feel the heat from the lave but as soon as you stepped back it was freezing it couldn't have been much above 3 degrees C during the night. Bruno and I and one of the soldiers (to prevent up from falling into the crater as several others had done) stood at the top for some time watching the lave until I couldn't take the cold any more and had to retire to my tent for an uncomfortable sleep - I didn't have a mat and was lying on sold rock. During the night I had a really bad case of cramp in both legs and was hopping round my tent trying to get out to walk and yet the zip was stuck, the porters came to my aide in hysterics.

I probably had around 4 hours kip and no beers in the night!! and the next day woke up to a glorious sunrise and a 2.5 hour walk down the volcano. I had arranged for my boda-boda to come back and pick me up but he didn't, so one of the soldiers rang a guy up to come and pick me up and he took me back to the border at Goma. He kept following trucks and the dust thrown up on them covered me with grime and dust and by the time I got back to my Gisenyi I was so filthy that nobody was calling me Muzungu any more.

My walking was not over though as when I crossed the border there were no boda-bodas about so then I then had to walk another 3 miles back to the Auberge.

After sampling their delicious buffet again, I caught a Virungu express bus back to Kigali for a well earned beer. My legs would be very sore for the next 3 days - going down stairs was a nightmare!



Boring bits
To hire a tent - $10
To hire a sleeping bag - $5
To hire a porter - $24 for the 2 days
Volcano permit - $200
Boda-boda to volcano - $5

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