Where on earth do I start.....? (Part Three)

Thursday 18th September

So far today I got emotional when I woke up and realised we only had 5 miles left of our 188 mile journey. I cried when I got off the boat for the last time. I couldn't hold it together when we said goodbye to our excellent guides. Corey and Steve were so generous in sharing their knowledge, wisdom and passion for the Grand Canyon. I cried when taking my last look at the river, our constant companion for 7 days, I cried when the helicopter flew me out of The Canyon, and we soared over the ridges that had hemmed us in, and I cried when I had to say goodbye to those of our group who headed back to Marble Canyon.

And now here I am at Bar 10 Ranch, a few miles from our extraction point. There is grass under my feet, flushing toilets, proper showers, and a tiny slice of civilisation. But I am not sure that I am ready to go back to city life and mainstream. Whilst we all wanted a shower and a proper bed I think we were also very jealous of the new group who were being flown in for the last four days of the river! whilst we were being flown out. We were in a rythm and knew what they had coming their way. They did look very clean though!

What a trip. I was so nervous at the beginning. It has been physically demanding, mentally challenging and created an emotional meltdown. All comprehension disappears, what you see, hear and feel is beyond understandable, sensory overload, and ultimately there is no option but to give yourself over to your surroundings, surroundings that whilst on the face of it are inanimate, but you finally realise they have soul, spirit and life.

So the river will no longer be my companion, my bedroom walls will no longer scale 100's of feet beside me, and I may never see the stars shine again so brightly. And that makes me so sad, but also privileged to know that I have accomplished a journey that has not been taken by many others. I have seen a part of this world which is not easily accessible to the masses, and the memory of those stars and the sights and sounds of the river will keep me company. They are now my heaven.