Simba Returns - 3. Sim Ret Chapter 3

“Simba, do you think that this is…” Jimbali started to say softly in Swahili but didn’t finish the sentence, as I smiled and nodded my head. I slowly held out my hand before saying in Swahili, “Hello my old friend, it is good to see you again,” just as the elephant smelt my hand, and let me run my hand up his trunk, as he lowered his head, and rubbed against me, forcing me to fall to my side, and he ran his trunk along my side, and rolled me over, which made me laugh and I managed to sit up once more.

I felt the trunk wrap around my waist but in a gentle way before I felt myself being lifted into the air. “Don’t worry, they are very old friends. They first met up here when he was just a baby, and with his mother watching close by,” Jimbali explained to my friends, who were busy snapping photos of the whole event.

I soon found myself standing on my feet right next to his trunk, which was now down low, and very carefully I sat down on his trunk, and I was lifted into the air and pulled in close to his face, where I gently rubbed his face and ears. “It is good to see you again, I am glad you have not forgotten me,” I said in Swahili, and he swayed from side to side, and nodded up and down which made me hang on tight to his big tusks so I wouldn’t fall off.

Once back on my feet on the ground, I gave him another rub on the head and trunk, and I thanked him for coming to see me again and wished him a long and happy life. Just as quickly as he arrived, he was gone again, disappearing into the bushland. “Wow… That was just amazing…” Chris said in a loud whisper. “Yes, it was. It was great to see him again after so many years,” I responded smiling broadly at the wonderful experience.

We ended up camping just a few kilometres short of the top hut that evening, as I was shown all the photos and video footage that was taken for my experience, and I suggested that nothing be posted online or sent to anyone, until after we leave the country, just in case the authorities want to make an issue of it, since he is a wild animal and that it happened in the National Park.

Three days later in the late afternoon, we finally arrived home, and we got to work right away to do our laundry and sort out our backpacks before we could start to relax. We have a full day and a half before we board our first flight for the journey home to Australia, where we would be going via Frankfurt, Germany and Singapore, before arriving in Adelaide.

We assisted Afya with cleaning duties for the remainder of our stay, and on the morning of our departure, we had our luggage packed and loaded into the van in the evening before, carrying with us just one backpack that we would have onboard with us for the whole journey.

When we arrived in Nairobi, Kenya after the short flight from Kilimanjaro, I noticed a large gathering of officials as we entered the transit lounge area, where we would stay before our next flight to Southern Europe. When the officials started to approach us, I quickly whispered to the lads to hang back and stay clear of me, as I may be the person whom they wanted to speak to.

Soon after they did as I suggested, I stopped and pretended to retie my shoe, allowing my friends to move well away from me, and as I stood back upright, I was surrounded by four officials. “Mr Jacob Blackwood? Can you please come with us,” one of the officials said to me. “Certainly sir, which way are we going?” I replied in a calm and steady voice, even though I was getting rather nervous.

A few minutes later I was sitting down in an interview room and left on my own for about twenty minutes. In the time that I was waiting, I sent a quick message to Will and Chris. “Keep going home, I will be fine. Just let Uncle N know that I am being asked to stay for an interview. I am not sure about what yet, but I have a good idea of what it is about. Have a safe trip home, see you soon, Jay.”

“Hello Mr Blackwood, we have been asked by the Tanzanian Government to hold you until such time they can get you back there, to question you about an incident that took place a few days ago near the peak of Kilimanjaro,” the police officer who entered the room asked before sitting down opposite me.

"Can they do that sir?” I am on my way back home to Australia after a few weeks' holidays in Tanzania and in Europe,” I replied respectfully, “That is what we are checking at the moment, do you have residency in Tanzania?” the officer asked me. “I do, as I lived in Marangu for the first five years of my life from two months after my birth in Australia,” I replied.

“Do you have any Tanzanian documents of any kind?” I was asked, “Yes sir, I have a Tanzanian Driver’s license and Residency Card. Our family, that is my Parents and Uncle own two properties at Marangu, where we provide local employment for about twelve people,” I replied, just as another officer walked in with a folder in hand which he handed over to the first officer, who spent a few minutes looking at what was inside.

“Are you known by the name Simba?” the first officer asked me, “I am, it is the pet name given to me by my Nanny Afya, when I was little, and close friends and family still call me that,” I replied. “Are you the young man who’s known internationally for climbing many mountains all around the world?” I was asked.

“Yes, I am he. But I have had to restrict my climbing to easier climbs these days, as I had an injury while hiking in Tasmania, and I lost my lower leg, after delays in getting medical help, due to me being in a very remote location at the time,” I replied.

“I see. From what I read here, there are some quite big achievements, including Everest Base Camp in Nepal, the Matterhorn in Switzerland, Mount Kosciousco in Australia, Mount Bellemy in Papua New Guinea, Mount Cook in New Zealand, Thunder Mountain in Canada, Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. That is quite an achievement for such a young man,” the officer said to me.

“I had an excellent teacher and guide my Uncle Nathanial to assist me through all of that, and much more, unfortunately, he wasn’t around when I did the hiking trip in southern Tasmania, which resulted in my injury,” I responded, as I leaned down and tapped my artificial foot, before lifting the trouser leg a little to reveal my artificial foot.

“Do you have any idea of what it is that they want to hold you here for, as we have not been briefed?” the second officer asked me, “Most likely it is about the reunion I had with an old friend of mine, who I have not seen in quite a few years, which took place at the peak of Kilimanjaro a few days ago,” I replied, as I pulled out my mobile phone, unlocked it and after a quick search I pressed a button before placing it on the table for the officers to view the video clip, that Jimbali had taken.

Once the video clip ended, I pocketed my mobile and smiled at the stunned looks on the officer’s faces. “You look surprised? After I had recovered from my injury, I returned to our family holiday home in Marungu and my adopted friend and I hiked up to the peak to prove that I could still climb mountains. While resting at the peak, a baby elephant came out of the bush and approached me, with his mother watching from close by.

After seeing that I would not harm her baby, she too approached and checked me out. What happened the other day, was that same baby elephant all grown up, having sensed that I was back, came looking for me, and found me at the same location as before.

He initiated the interactions and as you can see, he left on his own at his own pace, so I did not harm him at all,” I explained, as I retrieved my phone again and after a bit of searching, I found the original video clip of my first meeting of the elephant, which I showed to the officers. “Well, you are a lucky young man to be able to interact with wild animals like that, and after seeing this, and seeing the background information about you, I am reluctant to accept the Tanzania Government’s request to hold you.

You have already missed your flight, but we will see what we can do to get you on the next available flight out of here,” the officer said to me, as he indicated for me to follow him out of the room. After some discussions with several airlines, I was booked on a flight to London, and a direct flight to Perth, and since most of my luggage was already on its way home, I was taken to the boarding gate to catch the flight to London, where I would have a seven-hour layover.

I managed to send a quick message to Uncle Nate, before boarding the flight, just to let him know that I was released and put on a flight to London and onwards to Perth, Australia. When I did arrive at Heathrow, I received a reply from Uncle Nate. “Glad that you are ok. I received a message from your two very worried mates, that you didn’t make the same flight as them, but I have updated them on where you are heading now. I will arrange your flights from Perth to Adelaide. See you when you get home, Nate.”

While at Heathrow, waiting for my next flight, I bought a few clothes, and toiletry items, before going and having a nice hot shower, followed by a light meal, and I was feeling a lot better after that. Before boarding the long flight to Perth, I sent a text message to Mum and Dad, to let them know that I was about to board the flight and that I would be arriving in Perth tomorrow local time.

“Your Uncle Nate has informed us that you had to catch a different flight, have a safe flight, and I will be collecting you from Adelaide airport when you arrive. Love Mum.” I received a quick response, before placing my mobile on Flight Mode, with just a backpack which was now cramped full of gear, after the additional purchases that I had to make.

Luckily I was given a business class ticket for the long flight, which I was very grateful for, and I was able to relax for the whole trip, even managing to get about six hours of sleep. Once I stepped off the plane, I took my mobile off Flight mode, and I received two text messages. “Hey you, I am glad you are ok, your Uncle Nate told us that you were questioned and then put on a flight to London. Was it all about what happened at the peak the other day? I guess you will tell us all about it when you arrive home. Will.”

“Hey mate, glad that you were not been detained for too long at Nairobi, I am guessing it was about your experience at the peak the other day. We have both arrived back in Australia, just one last flight home to Adelaide to go. We have your checked-in luggage with us, so all is good there, although we did mention that it was yours when we arrived in Singapore, after explaining that you were delayed for questioning, they allowed us to continue with your luggage. Chris.”