Am on a mission to lock in 12 walks/hikes in 2026
This one is the 6th one - so Aug 15 we trooped off to Ngong Forest Sanctuary for what was to be a 15km walk. This was as part of the parent child event under ROPES program- the entrance has been changed since the last time i visited. And the imposing and impressive Talata (Raila Odinga) Stadium seats right next to it!
The facilitators gave us some questions to reflect on after the walk - which is considered similar to journey in life and hopefully the young Ropers also reflected on this deeply
1. What felt heavy and what felt light?
The bag was heavy -I had packed some water, juice, phones etc
2. Where did you see God?
In the old trees in the forest - the wonder that these trees hold secrets of this area and how we can tap into this rich history?
3. Who did you rely on?
I relied on my spouse through out the walk, am a very slow walker so often am the last one walking at my own pace
4. When did you want to quit?
I wanted to quit at the 10km mark since mentally that is my limit..but i had to soldier on since the route had no way of turning back - and also we had walked for too long to go back!
5. What did the pace teach you?
That to each their own - run your own race
6. What did you pack that you didn’t need, and what did you forget?
I was ok...didnt forget anything! value of experience in doing walks...careful to pack all the essentials - the weather was favourable, so i ended up using my hat at the very end
Oh actually I forgot some sunscreen - even if the sun is not out fully- being outdoors requires some protection!
7. How did we handle obstacles together?
We leaned on each other, spoke about the obstacles and in some cases anticipated them and spoke through the various options before making a decision
8. What part of the hike was worth the journey?
The feeling at the end! ended up doing 19km instead because we fell back from the crowd so took a wrong turn
9. How did nature shape your worship?
The silence is amazing -the trail is really not crowded. Apart from this large group I was in, we hardly passed people who were walking - many on bikes.. but simply walking or jogging - very few - note to file..dont come alone! there could be safety concerns
10. What’s one step we’ll take this week because of this hike?
Put this trail in my list of hikes for 2026!
Footnote
ROPES - Rite of Passage Experiences is an excellent program by Tanari Trust that offers a curriculum for 13-14year olds as they transit into adolescence. Its a year old program that is offered by churches, youth centers etc and supports young ones to be more aware of various aspects of their life as they grow up
