Twin Lakes of Muanenguba

SO many of our patients are progressing and going home! It's so exciting for them! When they get discharged we sing songs and do a discharge dance the last day. Recently we discharged Maeva! I've written about her before, she had a burn contracture of her foot and just wanted to wear pretty shoes! She got her wish- I think she wore a different pair of cute shoes each time I saw her last week. It's such a blessing to watch them go through their surgeries and healing process. They are with us so long that they grow up before our eyes! Maeva has lost teeth, grown new ones, and she seems to have grown so much taller! I sure will miss her!

Maeva before

Maeva at Discharge- looking ALL grown up

This Past weekend four friends and I went on a weekend trip to hike the twin crater lakes of Muanenguba. We took a car service to Nkongsamba, then drove a little further up to Villa Luciole. The villas were so cute! We were given the option to stay in the main house or in a traditional little hut. We obviously chose the hut!

Our hut

The hut across the path

The Villa cooked us dinner, then we headed to bed. The next morning we woke up early and hiked into the crater. It was so beautiful! We hiked through small villages, lush fruit and coffee farms, through goat shepherd's fields, through the jungle, then finally to the edge of the crater!

Sunrise on the way up

small village on the way

Through some corn fields

Someone's pet goat. Oh HI friend

The twin peaks of Mount Muanenguba

Really remote school yard

Goats!

Cookie break!

This was called the doorway to the stars, it was a hole in a tree in the jungle. It was close to the  border between the Littoral and South West regions of Cameroon.

Terraced hills along the way.

Taking a breather!

Jungle

Resting at the edge of the crater. 

The edge of the crater

Once at the edge of the crater we ate lunch. Then walked to the twin lakes in the middle of the crater. The middle of the crater was mostly barren grasslands and it was HOT!

Panorama of the two craters

Female lake

Male lake

We hiked to this little hut where we took pictures and met some of the local people who live in the crater.

It's not an adventure unless there's a jumping photo

Us with our guide Alain, there were so many twists and turns we would've  never made it without him.

Alain with the local guys

I convinced the local guys to take a jumping photo

Some of the local kiddos

I realized when I took this photo that these kids aren't used to having their photo taken so they don't know what to do! 

Such sweet, shy, adorable guys, they really enjoyed seeing their photos. 

This week I printed off these photos and laminated them. My roommate on the ship is going to do this same hike next weekend and she said she would take them their photos! So much better than getting a carrier pigeon to drop them.

We went to bed early that night after HOT showers, what a luxury! We woke up the next morning to go home and stopped at Ekom Falls on the way home. It was the filming location of Tarzan. It is dry season but still so beautiful, and since it was dry season we were able to get pretty close to the falls without getting drenched. 

Ekom Falls

The group!

 We got home early in the afternoon after a crazy car ride home! The drivers here don't follow any rules and seem to think that oncoming traffic is merely an inconvenience.

One of the rehab day crew is leaving Douala to return to school to finish her nursing degree. I'm extremely happy for her but she will be missed! Tonight we went out to ice-cream tonight as a farewell to Cristabelle.

Group Selfie!

Only two short weeks left. Geez how time has flown. I'm not ready to leave yet, but I do miss my family and friends and I'm excited to see them again!!