SoulBoosters

This post has been read  To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here . All you can reap when you let go of excuses This week, SoulBoosters would like to inspire you through the hiking journey of MaryLiza (I fondly call her ML) - my dedicated and consistent hiking friend. Despite residing two hours away from Nairobi city, the epicentre of most popularly organized hikes in Kenya, she's an evergreen enthusiastic hiker. When I am looking for an extra push to keep it going, I lean in on her for some of her inspirational spirit to rub off on me, and SoulBoosters would love to introduce and share the same with you. Let's get started! Who is ML? I allow people to have their own version of who they meet in me, but I am sure I am an awesome person 😊. Professionally, I am a research scientist majorly working on plant breeding and biotechnology. I guess this is the background that has fueled my interest in exploring nature in the lab and beyond,

This post has been read To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here . I first got to hear about Lets Drift hiking group in 2019 while on holiday where I shared the hotel with a bubbly and well-travelled adventurer - now my friend. One thing that stood out for me from narrating their many travel adventures was how they spent most of their weekends hiking. I had to ask - how do you afford to go for hiking every other weekend? You see, for me, I considered hiking to be an expensive hobby  - one that you do a few times in a year - not every other weekend - and also a cumbersome affair given all the planning involved.  My friend described Lets Drift a bit, and I left it at that … that was October … in December, when I went for my annual health check, I sadly found out that I had Vitamin D deficiency (thanks to COVID-19 related indoor lifestyle) and my weight had skyrocketed. The solution? Walk outdoors for at least 10 km twice a week and while at it

This post has been read  To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here .   Buxton tunnel is Kenya's oldest and longest railway tunnel. It is located in Limuru town, which is about 30km from Nairobi Central Business District. While too short to narrate a detailed itinerary, this miniature but transformational trail  mimics the literal tunnels we sometimes need to navigate through in life. Thus, one can draw  out  some valuable life lessons from this gentle walk - here are the ones that resonated with me:  1. Trouble is temporary - it doesn't last long. Did you know the Buxton tunnel is only less than 2km long! Switch from a 'forever' to a 'soon' mentality - you will make it to the other end sooner rather than later. This too shall pass. 2. And if you know the down moments are temporary, you will enjoy the ride. Stay in peace and relax. 3. There really is light at the end of the tunnel -keep hope alive. Friends, let's com

To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here . Happy New Year dear reader!   Thanks for visiting SoulBoosters and welcome on board!  This is a second part series that builds on from the first reflection  post  on Mount Kenya - this read drives you through the logistical route this time round -  enjoy the ride!  This post aims to add more insights to both new and seasoned hikers by taking you through the what, how, who and cost considerations - what do you look out for if you're a newbie? What can you do differently or additionally if you're a seasoned individual hiker and/or a hike group leader?  With Mount Kenya as a goal (and return) destination for many, and probably it is in your bucket list this year too, this article takes a deep dive into this mountain as a case example and sheds more light on the logistical details you'd be wise to loop in - I start by sharing details on the overall and daily routes and statistics for the hike

This post has been read   To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here .   Emily Dickinson’s famous ‘I dwell in possibility’ poem encapsulates my Mt. Kenya hiking experience from  20th to 24th December 2021 from all angles. The key lessons that hiking Mt. Kenya taught me was (i) the trail is very doable, to the point where one of our hikers inspired us with a 40-day to Mt. Kenya successful summitting mission, and how to navigate with varied emotions and fear of heights on summit day (ii) there are simple antidotes to zero altitude sickness (iii) seeing opportunities in your valley life seasons.   Besides the amazing itinerary (more details shared on this post ), what stood out for me at Mt. Kenya was the serenity, simplicity and magnificence of the expansive area. I had thought it would be one huge climb from bottom to top (this only happens on summit day on your way up to point Lenana)…turns out Mt.Kenya is its own national park, and with q

This post has been read  To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here . A challenge to consider - could you show yourself and others some good waiting while you're in your in-between life seasons?  One phrase that stood out from hiking Mt.Kipipiri, a unique Aberdares ranges trail in several ways, is 'enjoy the wait'. Let's talk about why .  For starters, Mt. Kipipiri is quite a simple and a great maiden hike if you're keen to embark on the Aberdares ranges.   Mt. Kipipiri distance and likely time at a moderate pace You are likely to notice that Mt. Kipipiri is isolated from the other members that make up the Aberdares ranges. From Mt. Kipipiri peak, one can see some of the other members of the Aberdares ranges from afar Another unique feature of Mt. Kipipiri is that the walk is quite  long  before reaching the summit. This long stretch is compensated by  t he beautiful landscapes along the  journey.  You go through a rich blen

This post has been read   To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here . A vividly human spot (be on the lookout for it while on the Rurimeria trail), as if checking "are you speaking to or about me''😀 This has been a tough post to write, and it's taken long to gather my thoughts. You see, Paul Muchene , who was my  close hiking friend, passed away two weeks ago, on 6th August 2022, from a tragic fall off a cliff while hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro. This time, he was using the most difficult route on Africa's highest mountain, the Arrow Glacier route, just metres away from the summit. To add salt to the injury, he had already climbed the same mountain twice before (albeit using other 'easier' routes) and he passed away just three days shy of his 42nd birthday...I guess he'd hoped to mark his birthday in a unique way.  While he met his death while on a solo hiking mission with his own guide and porter support team (rat