So after a false start and a cancelled airbridge on Tuesday, today was Chris' actual last day on Ascension.
So until now I has yet to experience Green Mountain properly. I mean I've been to our climate station there to collect data, but haven't done any of the Green Mountain national park letter box walks. They sound difficult and hilly, but all the hard work is done in the car. You park up and then start the level 1 difficulty walks at the top. Brilliant.
Chris has told me when I arrived that Elliott's Pass is a great walk to do first, and last. First because it's easy - it's a flat walk on a well weathered path around the summit of Green Mountain. And good to do last as you can look down at the whole island, and see all the letter box walks and piece it together.
Chris had finished all 42 of the walks before I had arrived, and always planned on spending his last afternoon doing this special walk one last time.
We arrived at the starting point, and I swear it was like we had been transported to a completely different island. The rocky lava fields and barren land scape was replaced by lush green vegetation, beautiful flowers, and banana trees. It's amazing what 2500FT can do to a place.
It was beautiful. The walk in itself was only just over 3km, and it was really nice to have spent the afternoon with Chris. We went through tunnels and pushed back overgrown shrubs. Each corner revealed a different view of the island, and it was lovely to watch Chris point out all the various letter boxes with nostalgic reminiscence.
We went to the Volcano Club for dinner, which is an American diner on the American air base. It's all fast food type stuff, not the healthiest but ok once in a while, and it's something of a fair well tradition. After that we went to the terminal to wave him off, and that was that... Another good bye over.
:'(
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