Climbing, the mountain seems to have no top

Looking up no stop ahead

The dry Sun staring down on us like a lion eyeing its prey

The loose gravel below, small lizards walking at our feet watching each step carefully.

My eyes wander to the top not seeing anything but more mountain and the birds flying high above

Loops and turns 

Widely swing back and forth instead of straight up

Having a handrail still not helping carry me all the way up this mountain.

The metal on the handrail scorching, like the feeling of hot sand on your feet.

My feet feeling as though they are on fire.

The birds above seeming to get closer

Feeling the wind blow from the distance.

Finally, finding a cool wind path of long and straight uphill stairs

Maybe this is the peak.

With the top possibly in reach, we want to get up the stairs as quickly as possible

But thinking, we may want to stand here for a while

The dry Heat of the sun hits us again, like its was playing peek-a-boo with us for just a second

Finally reaching the top of the eighty stairs and looking out 

A longer path still to come but looking up and the birds get closer flying in circles

The top, the best view I can see the birds only meters above my head.

Seeing the whole island, even the smoke from the lava that is nature at its most destructive.

The whole family looking, peering, and smiling as the journey on the way up was worth the Wait.