No lye in for us! 6am rise and shine. hot chocolate and coffee brought to us in bed by the porters. the porters were all hovering around everyone, hinting at stuff they fancied in the hope that we would leave pieces of kit for them as a thankyou. After breakfast the porters sung and danced for us one last time and we all joined in, able to exert our energy now that the altitude didnt leave us breathless! We left camp and headed down the final part of the mountain to the Marangu park gates at 1900m. It was a long 7 hour walk that took us down back through forestry. where we stopped for lunch we saw Columbus monkeys fighting and swinging from trees. The temperature became hot again and our pace had really picked up. my toe nails became black from walking downhill.
In the distance we could see the gate...the exit to this mountain. we were all fantasising about having a shower...a toilet...clean clothes that were all waiting for us back at the hotel. one by one we made it through the gate and to our delight, tara waited for us...looking clean and fresh as she had spent the past few days in the hotel.
All 23 of us had gone from a group...into a family. We each helped each other get to the top and i am so lucky to have shared the most amazing, yet hardest experience of my life with such fantastic people. It is definitely something i will never do again if you paid me a million pounds but i have the memories that will last me a lifetime. if any one ever has the chance i will say DO IT, CLIMB KILI...but just be warned, ITS DIFFICULT!!!
Sunday, 24 October 2010
Wedneaday 13th October
It was midnight. Well below freezing. We were all tired yet excited, scared, nervous...a mixed bag of emotions. i couldn't help but look up at the sky outside our tent...as we are close to the equator, there were lots of satellites orbiting in the distance. ive never seen so many stars lit up so brightly in the sky. it was amazing. everyone stood round the tent in anticipation to get going, donned our head torches and clung tightly to our trekking poles, constantly moving our fingers so as not to loose feeling in them. we stuffed biscuits and other snacks into our pockets. rich head counted us and split us into groups. i was up in the front group, but avoided being first in line as i wanted to pace myself. i had filled my camel pack with 3 litres of energy drink...big mistake! i dont advise putting anything other than water in there.
the summit had begun. it was a single file trail of POLE POLE'ness up a steep incline of scree. i could see only the persons feet in front of me and worryingly as we got higher, he would stop and rock backwards towards my face and id have to catch his rucksack and push him forwards so he could regain his balance. i dont really know what i was thinking...it was a mix of positive thoughts and visions about myself getting to the top, thoughts about loved ones at home and what they are up to, thoughts about how mum was getting on behind me somewhere....yet somewhere amongst all this, negative thoughts of worry and doubt would creep in - 'am i feeling ok? is my head ok? i think my head hurts? that rock looks like a dead body? maybe it is a dead body *squints* nope its a rock'...the mos timportant thing i kept thinking was about all the people that had donated money to help me get this far..i didnt want to let people down and i was determined to get to the top. we stopped every hour for a 5 minute toilet break. the first stop, i couldnt pee...i was annoyed at myself because i couldnt go and i knew if i didnt go, i would be desperate to go whilst we were walking and i wouldnt want to stop. it was sooooo cold up the mountain, my hands had gone numb, i couldnt feel the tips of my fingers, yet i had been tinkling my fingers the whole way. i felt sick. we were walking and i felt sick. i though i mustnt be sick, they will send me down. i tried to hold it down. i felt my stomach churning, i kept swallowing...it wasnt working, i could feel it in my throat, i tried so hard......too late. i turned to the side and projectile vomit that must have travelled at least a metre came pouring from my mouth like something off the exorcist. the porter was immediately by my side and checkin gi was ok. he let me continue...infact i felt great after! but one thing was for sure, that glucose drink in my camel pack made me want to throw just thinking of it! uch!
6 hours later we were 2 minutes from the top of kilimanjaro. we stopped and watched the sun rise over africa. we sat on the rocks, high above the clouds, the view was breath taking - or was it just the lack of oxygen from altitude? no camera could pick up how amazing this sun rise was, but i will always have the memory imprinted on my skull like a cave painting. one of the best moments in my life and i knew the torturous 6 hour had all been worth it.
20 of the 23 of us made it to Gillmans point. 14 of us carried on further to Uhuru peak. I was a little bit ahead of mum so i didnt see her until i was on my way back from Uhuru but im really glad she did it. On our way back to Kibo, one of the guys we were with was exhausted. he fell off the path and luckily landed on a rubble of rocks...if he had fallen anywhere else he would have been straight over the mountain!!!
We got back to camp and waited to clap everyone else in. the Dr couldnt believe that myself and Fliss had been all the way to Uhuru as we were back by 11.15am..and we werent even trying to rush back! We ate lunch and then it was time for a 6 hour trek down the mountain to Horombo camp (3700m). It was the worst walk ever. i had been sick again at camp and the dr was concerned tha ti hadnt drunk enough. i think we were all dehydrated. mum was feeling ill too. we reached the next camp just as the thunder and rain came down. mum didnt have dinner that night as she was really ill so i went and ate for the both of us...for the first time in days, i got my appetite back and my head was no longer pounding! unfortunately by the time i got to bed mum was asleep and snoring again.
the summit had begun. it was a single file trail of POLE POLE'ness up a steep incline of scree. i could see only the persons feet in front of me and worryingly as we got higher, he would stop and rock backwards towards my face and id have to catch his rucksack and push him forwards so he could regain his balance. i dont really know what i was thinking...it was a mix of positive thoughts and visions about myself getting to the top, thoughts about loved ones at home and what they are up to, thoughts about how mum was getting on behind me somewhere....yet somewhere amongst all this, negative thoughts of worry and doubt would creep in - 'am i feeling ok? is my head ok? i think my head hurts? that rock looks like a dead body? maybe it is a dead body *squints* nope its a rock'...the mos timportant thing i kept thinking was about all the people that had donated money to help me get this far..i didnt want to let people down and i was determined to get to the top. we stopped every hour for a 5 minute toilet break. the first stop, i couldnt pee...i was annoyed at myself because i couldnt go and i knew if i didnt go, i would be desperate to go whilst we were walking and i wouldnt want to stop. it was sooooo cold up the mountain, my hands had gone numb, i couldnt feel the tips of my fingers, yet i had been tinkling my fingers the whole way. i felt sick. we were walking and i felt sick. i though i mustnt be sick, they will send me down. i tried to hold it down. i felt my stomach churning, i kept swallowing...it wasnt working, i could feel it in my throat, i tried so hard......too late. i turned to the side and projectile vomit that must have travelled at least a metre came pouring from my mouth like something off the exorcist. the porter was immediately by my side and checkin gi was ok. he let me continue...infact i felt great after! but one thing was for sure, that glucose drink in my camel pack made me want to throw just thinking of it! uch!
6 hours later we were 2 minutes from the top of kilimanjaro. we stopped and watched the sun rise over africa. we sat on the rocks, high above the clouds, the view was breath taking - or was it just the lack of oxygen from altitude? no camera could pick up how amazing this sun rise was, but i will always have the memory imprinted on my skull like a cave painting. one of the best moments in my life and i knew the torturous 6 hour had all been worth it.
20 of the 23 of us made it to Gillmans point. 14 of us carried on further to Uhuru peak. I was a little bit ahead of mum so i didnt see her until i was on my way back from Uhuru but im really glad she did it. On our way back to Kibo, one of the guys we were with was exhausted. he fell off the path and luckily landed on a rubble of rocks...if he had fallen anywhere else he would have been straight over the mountain!!!
We got back to camp and waited to clap everyone else in. the Dr couldnt believe that myself and Fliss had been all the way to Uhuru as we were back by 11.15am..and we werent even trying to rush back! We ate lunch and then it was time for a 6 hour trek down the mountain to Horombo camp (3700m). It was the worst walk ever. i had been sick again at camp and the dr was concerned tha ti hadnt drunk enough. i think we were all dehydrated. mum was feeling ill too. we reached the next camp just as the thunder and rain came down. mum didnt have dinner that night as she was really ill so i went and ate for the both of us...for the first time in days, i got my appetite back and my head was no longer pounding! unfortunately by the time i got to bed mum was asleep and snoring again.
Tuesday 12th October
Mum was up AGAIN three times in the night. she cant handle the diamox! shes also snoring really really loud and its doing my nut in! We got up at 6am and to everyones excitement, it was porridge. my headache had gone and i was feeling great, much more positive about the day ahead! From Mawenzi Tarn we were to trek for 6 hours across the saddle of the mountain amongst the alpine desert landscape, heading 4700m to Kibo camp. Kibo is the base camp for the peak of kilimanjaro and kibo is where the finale for summit night would begin. The walk to kibo was very boring. As we left Mawenzi, we had our closest view of the top of the mountain yet. The blue sky complimented the white ice caps that clung to the left side of the peak. it was a breathtaking view and gave everyone a kick of motivation to want to get to the top! during the trek through the saddle, we had a marie curie group photo, holding the MC banner with the mountain in the background. rich set the timer on the camera and ran back to the group before the 10 seconds were up...but at this altitude, the most sudden of movements left you breathless, and rich was wishing he hadnt just done that!
The walk through the saddle was starting to take its toll. the oxygen was getting less, and my headache was beginning to come back. The only interesting part about the walk was a plane crash. there were many rumours about the story behind this plane crash so i have since looked up what really happened...
8th november 2008, 4 italian tourists and a pilot took a tour of kilimanjaro. at 11am the 6 seater Cessna 206 hit Mawenzi. All 4 tourists were killed but the pilot survived.
A lot of the plane wreck is still around today. i felt it disrespectful to take any pictures but the door of plane is present, along with the tail end of the plane and much of the upholstery from the chairs and floor. it is very eerie.
On a different note the toilet stops were awful as there were no shrubs at all to hide behind and the rocks had become small...however by this point in the trip, everyone was more than comfortable about doing ones business in front of others. We could see kibo camp in the distance but it didnt seem to be getting any nearer...so near yet so far!
When we arrived at Kibo around lunch time, i really did not feel like eating. i felt so sick and my head was going to explode. All i wanted to do was curl up in my tent and go to sleep but i knew i had to eat something to keep up my strength for the summit night ahead. i therefore forced down some spaghetti, retching as i tried to swallow it. We were all sent to bed after lunch to try and get 4 hours sleep before dinner at 6pm. unfortunately our tent was situated right by the main path at Kibo and it was very noisy...mixed with the fact mums snoring had become a fog horn but i didnt have the heart to wake her anymore as i knew we both needed rest to prepare for the summit. the toilets werent much better either, i couldnt even go in the long drops as they too made me retch...i therefore had to settle for some nicely positioned rocks.
At 6pm we were woken for dinner. my headache had gone after taking 2 paracetamol and i was feeling more positive about summit night. i forced some food down me, again not feeling hungry at all and looked over at mum who didnt look so great either. i think altitude was having its effect on everyone in the group. the conversation had got less and less as we had got higher and higher. after dinner we were sent back to bed. the sun had gone down and it was well below freezing. mum spilt some water int he tent so i mopped it up with a towel - within an hour of it hanging up outside the tent it had frozen. at 11pm we were woken up and it was time. - the finale.
The walk through the saddle was starting to take its toll. the oxygen was getting less, and my headache was beginning to come back. The only interesting part about the walk was a plane crash. there were many rumours about the story behind this plane crash so i have since looked up what really happened...
8th november 2008, 4 italian tourists and a pilot took a tour of kilimanjaro. at 11am the 6 seater Cessna 206 hit Mawenzi. All 4 tourists were killed but the pilot survived.
A lot of the plane wreck is still around today. i felt it disrespectful to take any pictures but the door of plane is present, along with the tail end of the plane and much of the upholstery from the chairs and floor. it is very eerie.
On a different note the toilet stops were awful as there were no shrubs at all to hide behind and the rocks had become small...however by this point in the trip, everyone was more than comfortable about doing ones business in front of others. We could see kibo camp in the distance but it didnt seem to be getting any nearer...so near yet so far!
When we arrived at Kibo around lunch time, i really did not feel like eating. i felt so sick and my head was going to explode. All i wanted to do was curl up in my tent and go to sleep but i knew i had to eat something to keep up my strength for the summit night ahead. i therefore forced down some spaghetti, retching as i tried to swallow it. We were all sent to bed after lunch to try and get 4 hours sleep before dinner at 6pm. unfortunately our tent was situated right by the main path at Kibo and it was very noisy...mixed with the fact mums snoring had become a fog horn but i didnt have the heart to wake her anymore as i knew we both needed rest to prepare for the summit. the toilets werent much better either, i couldnt even go in the long drops as they too made me retch...i therefore had to settle for some nicely positioned rocks.
At 6pm we were woken for dinner. my headache had gone after taking 2 paracetamol and i was feeling more positive about summit night. i forced some food down me, again not feeling hungry at all and looked over at mum who didnt look so great either. i think altitude was having its effect on everyone in the group. the conversation had got less and less as we had got higher and higher. after dinner we were sent back to bed. the sun had gone down and it was well below freezing. mum spilt some water int he tent so i mopped it up with a towel - within an hour of it hanging up outside the tent it had frozen. at 11pm we were woken up and it was time. - the finale.
Monday 11th October
I didnt sleep very well last night as mum woke up 3 times to go for a pee and made a racket rustling around to get dressed every time! We were up at 6am and today ate breakfast outside, basking in the heat of the sun that shone down on us. The group left camp in high spirits and were ready to do battle with the 5 hour climb to 4295, to take us to Mawenzi Tarn (the sister mountain of kilimanjaro). One of the guys had brought an ipod and speakers with him which he could charge using a solar powered disc - very clever! so we jigged along to music as we walked. we played musical statues whilst trekking and i started a mexican wave which worked its way, single file to the back and then from the back to the front again. simple things are so entertaining when your surrounded by miles of baron land! at times the path disappeared and we were on hands and knees clambering over big rocks. the sun was beating down on us and we had started to wonder why we had been told to wear wooly hats and dress warm...however 2 hours later, the sun disappeared and the cold hit us. No singing and dancing for us at todays camp...there has been a drought up the mountain so a lot of the porters had been sent back down the mountain to get water supplies ready for our next camp.
After lunch Dr Dom and our group leader, Rich, gave us a briefing about summit night. to be honest, they scared the crap our of me...quite literally coz this was the first time i had been able to go in ages! (too much info?) They took us through what was going to happen summit night...so the top of kilimanjaro is called Gilmans point (5680m). Most people aim to get to this point, and this is an achievement in itself getting this far. However, as kilimanjaro is a volcano, you can walk around to the highest point (which is an extra 2 hour walk there and 2 hour walk back) to Uhuru Peak (5895m). They were talking about signs of alitiude sickness - hallucinations, feeling drunk, vomiting, headaches etc etc. if this was to happen at any point, we might risk being taken back down...for our own safety. they pulled out a pressure bag thing that you could be put into and they could pump oxygen in to pring the partial pressure down to 1500m or something in 15 minutes. they asked if any one was claustrophobic but i kept quiet as i thought if im dying, im not going to put up a fight about getting into this bag! we all left the meeting feeling very shaken up about everything we had just been told...they had drummed it into us that this is not an easy stroll in the park. people die up here. we mus tbe honest with ourselves and know when its time to go back down.
After the de-brief we had an acclimatisation walk up Mawenzi for 2 hours...just to get used to walking on scree and also to get us used to this damn altitude. on walking back to camp, my head felt like someone was pushing my brain into a tiny jar. my headache had got so bad, i was feeling very down and negative about my success of reaching the top. Kerry gave me 2 paracetamol and the headache soon went but i couldnt handle eating much dinner. at this altitude no one was really hungry, it was all about forcing the food down you just because you know you need to keep your strength up. Unfortunately Tara didnt make it to Mawenzi, her sickness had got too bad and she had been taken back down the mountain before leaving Kikelawa camp. it was a big wake up call to everyone that not everyone on this trip is going to make it to the top and we mus tbe realistic in just how far we can push our bodies. morals were low over dinner until rich pulled out his ipod and we sang songs in the dinner tent and the porters moon walked to MJ. At 8pm we retreated for bed, cold but tired. One of the porters pulled me to one side and asked why i was sad. i said it had just been my head hurting...he said i must not have a negative attitude and i must think positive. I felt much better.
After lunch Dr Dom and our group leader, Rich, gave us a briefing about summit night. to be honest, they scared the crap our of me...quite literally coz this was the first time i had been able to go in ages! (too much info?) They took us through what was going to happen summit night...so the top of kilimanjaro is called Gilmans point (5680m). Most people aim to get to this point, and this is an achievement in itself getting this far. However, as kilimanjaro is a volcano, you can walk around to the highest point (which is an extra 2 hour walk there and 2 hour walk back) to Uhuru Peak (5895m). They were talking about signs of alitiude sickness - hallucinations, feeling drunk, vomiting, headaches etc etc. if this was to happen at any point, we might risk being taken back down...for our own safety. they pulled out a pressure bag thing that you could be put into and they could pump oxygen in to pring the partial pressure down to 1500m or something in 15 minutes. they asked if any one was claustrophobic but i kept quiet as i thought if im dying, im not going to put up a fight about getting into this bag! we all left the meeting feeling very shaken up about everything we had just been told...they had drummed it into us that this is not an easy stroll in the park. people die up here. we mus tbe honest with ourselves and know when its time to go back down.
After the de-brief we had an acclimatisation walk up Mawenzi for 2 hours...just to get used to walking on scree and also to get us used to this damn altitude. on walking back to camp, my head felt like someone was pushing my brain into a tiny jar. my headache had got so bad, i was feeling very down and negative about my success of reaching the top. Kerry gave me 2 paracetamol and the headache soon went but i couldnt handle eating much dinner. at this altitude no one was really hungry, it was all about forcing the food down you just because you know you need to keep your strength up. Unfortunately Tara didnt make it to Mawenzi, her sickness had got too bad and she had been taken back down the mountain before leaving Kikelawa camp. it was a big wake up call to everyone that not everyone on this trip is going to make it to the top and we mus tbe realistic in just how far we can push our bodies. morals were low over dinner until rich pulled out his ipod and we sang songs in the dinner tent and the porters moon walked to MJ. At 8pm we retreated for bed, cold but tired. One of the porters pulled me to one side and asked why i was sad. i said it had just been my head hurting...he said i must not have a negative attitude and i must think positive. I felt much better.
Sunday 10th October
Having woken up in a piled heap on one side of the tent (damn that gravity), mum and i repacked all our equipment into our backpacks and left them outside the tent ready for the porters to come whisk them away up to the next camp. we had hot water supplied to us by one of the porters to wash our faces in and hot chocolate, tea, coffee sat waiting for us on the breakfast table - this was more luxurious than being at home! Breakfast consisted of porridge, omlette, bacon and toast - yum yum! Having filled our camel packs with 3 litres of water, we were ready for the 9 hour hike from Simba camp to Kikelawa camp (3678m). The first 4 hours was through moorland and the views of Kenya to the North could be appreciated. As we trekked higher, the environment changed to shrubbery to eventually very rocky, narrow paths which made it very difficult to tread. the toilet situation also got a more difficult as the shrubs offered little privacy from the views of all the men. After 3.5 hours, the weather took a turn for the worse and the rain began pouring down. luckily i was walking at the front of the group and we had just reached our lunch spot inside one of the lava caves. mum, unfortunately, was about half hour behind us as she had opted to stay at the back with one of the women, Tara, who was feeling very ill with D and V. When mum eventually arrived, soaked but thankfully protected by her waterproofs, they tucked in to the left over spag bol which the rest of the group had devoured in minutes. there were other backpackers in the cave with us, mainly french - the arrogant, rude, ignorant so and so's! they glared enviously at our banquet that had been set up for us...tables, chairs, cutlery, hot food....whilst they munched on their packed lunches, sat on rocks. mwahaha.
After lunch, we prepared for a nother 4 hour trek over the rocky path. It was this point in time when everyone started to feel the strain of all the walking and the altitude was just beginning to take effect. the rain had eased off to fine spits but it made everyone a little bit cold and damp. i turned to admire the view from the land below and could see the sun beating down, heating the land at the bottom of the mountain. unfortunately we were in amongst the clouds now. it was cold up here!
When we made it to camp, the porters were there, yet again, to greet us. singing and dancing. their energy and high spirits amazed us all and really boosted our attitudes to a more positive outlook! Dr Dom even joined in with the male voice choir, dancing like a little monkey on ecstasy. Tara lagged behind by a few minutes, she is not in a good way. Mum and i were getting a little more organised at this unpacking me-larky and we got changed out of out waterproofs, into our warm evening clothes ready for dinner. Zookinie soup (i dont think ive spelt that right) and rice with beef sauce - again, another delicious meal. By 8pm we were all knackered and getting tucked up in our 4 season sleeping bags ready for bed. it was a little colder tonight so some of us slept with our thermals on...mum had her silk liner out for her sleeping bag. I like many others in the group was suffering from a tension headache - one of the early signs of altitude sickness. mum was also feeling the effects of a sore head and was starting to feel the cold.
After lunch, we prepared for a nother 4 hour trek over the rocky path. It was this point in time when everyone started to feel the strain of all the walking and the altitude was just beginning to take effect. the rain had eased off to fine spits but it made everyone a little bit cold and damp. i turned to admire the view from the land below and could see the sun beating down, heating the land at the bottom of the mountain. unfortunately we were in amongst the clouds now. it was cold up here!
When we made it to camp, the porters were there, yet again, to greet us. singing and dancing. their energy and high spirits amazed us all and really boosted our attitudes to a more positive outlook! Dr Dom even joined in with the male voice choir, dancing like a little monkey on ecstasy. Tara lagged behind by a few minutes, she is not in a good way. Mum and i were getting a little more organised at this unpacking me-larky and we got changed out of out waterproofs, into our warm evening clothes ready for dinner. Zookinie soup (i dont think ive spelt that right) and rice with beef sauce - again, another delicious meal. By 8pm we were all knackered and getting tucked up in our 4 season sleeping bags ready for bed. it was a little colder tonight so some of us slept with our thermals on...mum had her silk liner out for her sleeping bag. I like many others in the group was suffering from a tension headache - one of the early signs of altitude sickness. mum was also feeling the effects of a sore head and was starting to feel the cold.
Saturday 9th October
Mum didn't sleep too well last night as ironically she said she was cold...your in Africa, few miles off the equator and your cold?...yet you have a four seasons sleeping bag in the backpack but the thought of unpacking it is too much effort and therefore would rather stay cold. I was woken up at 5am by the wailing sound from outside calling people to prayer at the mosque. At 6.30am the MC group were all up and stuffing themselves with their last proper breakfast for the week. We all boarded the minibus which took us on a 4 hour drive to around the mountain to the start of the Rongai root. We had 3 toilet stops (everyone busting to go from the mix of water and diamox). One stop was in a very dodgy night club, one in a farmers crop field (beggers can't be chosers) and once was...well in a brothel. 3 young ladies ushered us into a courtyard with 3 open rooms...consisting of a double bed, a tv locked in a cage and a coffee table laden with condoms...oh and a smelly onsuite bathroom (this was no honeymoon suite). we were just grateful to see a toilet! we tipped the women dollar bills and they were over the moon.
Unfortunately we didnt see any safari animals on the bus ride through Kenya, however we did see how the locals live. The land was dry and dusty, with no signs of rivers or lakes. Where crops grew, the land was irrigated but god knows where the water source came from?! The men sat on their porches, the women were hard at work in the fields...picking sugar cane, washing clothes, balancing baskets of bananas so carefully on their heads to sell them at the corner fruit and veg stalls at the side of the road. The woman were beautiful...their hair short like a bloke, their hair braided or their hair wrapped up in a clothe on their head, these woman wore no makeup but had stunning facial features. Many of the buildings dotted around the roadside were half finished. i dont think they use foundations for their bungalows...a lot of the buildings were falling down or sinking...the beams were never straight. they were all one story buildings with tin roofs and porches. the area was very poor and made one appreciate just how lucky we are at home to have driveway with nice cars on it and windows and doors. We passed a field of children playing football...they looked happy kicking this wired grass ball around bare foot. somehow, amongst all the dark browns and yellow dust, a magnificent purple blossom tree grew every now and then adding life to a dying landscape. Cows were tied up by their noses, lying depressed in the sun. goats and skinny chickens were being hearded around. i didnt see any sign of sheep or lambs...which is why i am skeptical as to what exactly we were eating when lamb was on the menu :S.
On arrival, 75 porters whisked out backpacks away up the mountain to set up camp ready for when we arrived. After a quick bite of lunch, our ascent began from Naremoro gate (1950m) and took us through farmers fields and into forestry. We walked for 4 hours along a well trodden path, 'pole-pole' (swaheli for slowly slowly). it was a nice gently, relaxing pace underneath the cool climate of the shaded trees. We didnt see any wildlife but the group had high spirits and it was nice getting to know one another, askin what has influenced them to climb the mountain and where they are from, what they do etc. After climbing 700m to simba camp (2650m), we were greeted by song and dance from all the porters who had already managed to carry water, food, tents, luggage, toilet rolls, seats etc etc up the mountain and got it all laid out ready for us. Everyone commented on how easy the walk had been...but we were not disillusioned as we knew it was going to get tough and they were breakin gus in gentley. For dinner that night we had soup for starters and fish and chips! the chef even baked a cake (up the mountain) for one of the guys (Bens) birthday!!! it was amazing!
When the sun had gone down around 6pm, the temperature also went down, probs to around 5 degrees...mum and i had our warm down jackets on so we were toasty. the toilet was a long drop...a nice big hole in the ground. i was busting for the loo but somehow just hovering over the hole gave me stage fright and it was difficult to go. i wont go into too much detail!!! but thank god for antibacterial hand gel. Everyone was in bed by 8pm...stupidly mum and i chose a tent on a rather high incline slope. by the morning, we had slide down to one end of the tent...not the most comfiest nights sleep!
Unfortunately we didnt see any safari animals on the bus ride through Kenya, however we did see how the locals live. The land was dry and dusty, with no signs of rivers or lakes. Where crops grew, the land was irrigated but god knows where the water source came from?! The men sat on their porches, the women were hard at work in the fields...picking sugar cane, washing clothes, balancing baskets of bananas so carefully on their heads to sell them at the corner fruit and veg stalls at the side of the road. The woman were beautiful...their hair short like a bloke, their hair braided or their hair wrapped up in a clothe on their head, these woman wore no makeup but had stunning facial features. Many of the buildings dotted around the roadside were half finished. i dont think they use foundations for their bungalows...a lot of the buildings were falling down or sinking...the beams were never straight. they were all one story buildings with tin roofs and porches. the area was very poor and made one appreciate just how lucky we are at home to have driveway with nice cars on it and windows and doors. We passed a field of children playing football...they looked happy kicking this wired grass ball around bare foot. somehow, amongst all the dark browns and yellow dust, a magnificent purple blossom tree grew every now and then adding life to a dying landscape. Cows were tied up by their noses, lying depressed in the sun. goats and skinny chickens were being hearded around. i didnt see any sign of sheep or lambs...which is why i am skeptical as to what exactly we were eating when lamb was on the menu :S.
On arrival, 75 porters whisked out backpacks away up the mountain to set up camp ready for when we arrived. After a quick bite of lunch, our ascent began from Naremoro gate (1950m) and took us through farmers fields and into forestry. We walked for 4 hours along a well trodden path, 'pole-pole' (swaheli for slowly slowly). it was a nice gently, relaxing pace underneath the cool climate of the shaded trees. We didnt see any wildlife but the group had high spirits and it was nice getting to know one another, askin what has influenced them to climb the mountain and where they are from, what they do etc. After climbing 700m to simba camp (2650m), we were greeted by song and dance from all the porters who had already managed to carry water, food, tents, luggage, toilet rolls, seats etc etc up the mountain and got it all laid out ready for us. Everyone commented on how easy the walk had been...but we were not disillusioned as we knew it was going to get tough and they were breakin gus in gentley. For dinner that night we had soup for starters and fish and chips! the chef even baked a cake (up the mountain) for one of the guys (Bens) birthday!!! it was amazing!
When the sun had gone down around 6pm, the temperature also went down, probs to around 5 degrees...mum and i had our warm down jackets on so we were toasty. the toilet was a long drop...a nice big hole in the ground. i was busting for the loo but somehow just hovering over the hole gave me stage fright and it was difficult to go. i wont go into too much detail!!! but thank god for antibacterial hand gel. Everyone was in bed by 8pm...stupidly mum and i chose a tent on a rather high incline slope. by the morning, we had slide down to one end of the tent...not the most comfiest nights sleep!
Thursday 7th October
It is hard to believe that 18 months ago mum and i were sat filling out forms to climb a big mountain in aid of Marie Curie. Over the past year we have been purchasing all the needed equipment for the climb which filled a whole room in the house...yesterday was spent trying to pack this whole shop worth of goods into our 75 liter backpacks. We packed our bags, couldn't fit everything in so had to re-pack, rearranging everything to find it still wouldn't all fit...so packed again...and again. we got there in the end...just about.
Dad drove mum and i to the bus station so we could get the national express bus to heathrow terminal 4. whilst waiting for the bus to arrive, a young gentleman sitting opposite had spotted our Marie Curie T shirts and commented that he too was climbing the mountain...but for a different cause. Mum and I boarded the bus, ready for the 3 hour drive to Heathrow...what we werent ready for was the idiot behind me on his phone the whole way whilst some woman coughed her guts up.
On arriving at the airport, we didnt really know where we were going but we spotted a sea of blue in the distance and headed in that direction. The blue marie curie t shirts were a bit of a giveaway as to who was on our trip with us. we were introduced to our reps - kerry and richard and once we were checked in, mum and i headed for some lunch. our last proper meal :(. The t shirts brought much attention and admiration from the public so much so that even sitting eating our lunch, an old guy next to us, who mus thave been in his 70's began asking us about the trip and telling us stories of when he climbed the mountain 25 years ago.
We soon made our way through customs, successfully not managing to set off the detectors and joined the group in a bar next to duty free. Mum steered clear of the wine and accepted the pint of wate ri forced into her hands. It was here that everyone on the trip gathered, all 23 of us...mixed feelings of anticipation of not knowing what lay ahead of us, frustration that we werent there already, excitment at meeting all these new faces and a sense of pride that we were about to participate in a challenge for a very good charity. Also a sense of fear among the group whilst hearing stories and thinking to yourself, hav ei done enough training, do i have the right equipment, am i ready for this? what on earth am i doing here?!
The 8 hour flight on the plane ride to Nairobi dragged..but the food on kenya airways was surpisingly ok! i did my usual trick of starting to watch a film, then falling asleep...then waking up and going back to the beginning to then fall asleep again. i think mum was watching sex and the city 2...but the japanese subtitles took up half the screen. Once landed in Nairobi, we had to change planes to a 56 seater rickety old propeller plane to take us to Mount Kilimanjaro airport. It was only an hours flight (thank god) but ive never felt so unsafe int he air! the plane bobbed up and down, making your stomach churn and making mum flinch every time. Mum and i were sat on the left hand side of the plane which was great as we had great views of the snow capped mountain that was kilimanjaro. worryingly, the plane was flying lower than the summit of the mountain itself. mum commented 'it doesnt look that big' ...i just starred at her with a blank expression...having climbed mountains in canada i know it isnt until ur standing at the bottom of them looking up that u realise ur screwed.
We collected our baggage and threw it up to a little man on top of the minibus who strapped the bags down to the roof. we were to have an overnight stay in Marangu at hotel Impala which was a 2 hour bus ride from the aiport. that damn diamox made me want to pee so bad that everytime we went over one of the many speed bumps, i thought i was going to wet myself. The driver pulled over to give us a glimpse of kilimanjaro...unfortunately its so big, we couldnt see the top of the mountain as it was hidden by the clouds. Once reaching the hotel, we re-organised our backpacks ready for the adventure ahead. People in the MC group congregated around the pool side, being careful not to get burnt, and exchanged tips and stories about the mountain. the question on everyones lips were...do you think you will get to the top? of course no one knew the answer...at the end of the day it doesnt matter how fit you are, if you get altitude sickness, chances are you wont make it. Mum and i said to each other all along we would make it to the top, so i think its good to have a positive mental attitude and to know from the start what you are aiming to achieve.
After dinner we had a group talk from our leaders and we were introduced to Dom the doctor. Bit like tom cruise he was...same height too unfortunately but seemed like a nice guy who for the next week will have to put up with everyone whinging at him. Mum and i had to change rooms at the hotel as we didn't have mosquito net...we moaned about having to lug our luggage up the extra flight of stairs and then realised we probs should be grateful of the extra training for the week ahead. Everyone was in bed by 8pm, full to the brim with water to stay hydrated...yet peeing for Britain from the diamox. roll on 6.30am wake-up call!
Dad drove mum and i to the bus station so we could get the national express bus to heathrow terminal 4. whilst waiting for the bus to arrive, a young gentleman sitting opposite had spotted our Marie Curie T shirts and commented that he too was climbing the mountain...but for a different cause. Mum and I boarded the bus, ready for the 3 hour drive to Heathrow...what we werent ready for was the idiot behind me on his phone the whole way whilst some woman coughed her guts up.
On arriving at the airport, we didnt really know where we were going but we spotted a sea of blue in the distance and headed in that direction. The blue marie curie t shirts were a bit of a giveaway as to who was on our trip with us. we were introduced to our reps - kerry and richard and once we were checked in, mum and i headed for some lunch. our last proper meal :(. The t shirts brought much attention and admiration from the public so much so that even sitting eating our lunch, an old guy next to us, who mus thave been in his 70's began asking us about the trip and telling us stories of when he climbed the mountain 25 years ago.
We soon made our way through customs, successfully not managing to set off the detectors and joined the group in a bar next to duty free. Mum steered clear of the wine and accepted the pint of wate ri forced into her hands. It was here that everyone on the trip gathered, all 23 of us...mixed feelings of anticipation of not knowing what lay ahead of us, frustration that we werent there already, excitment at meeting all these new faces and a sense of pride that we were about to participate in a challenge for a very good charity. Also a sense of fear among the group whilst hearing stories and thinking to yourself, hav ei done enough training, do i have the right equipment, am i ready for this? what on earth am i doing here?!
The 8 hour flight on the plane ride to Nairobi dragged..but the food on kenya airways was surpisingly ok! i did my usual trick of starting to watch a film, then falling asleep...then waking up and going back to the beginning to then fall asleep again. i think mum was watching sex and the city 2...but the japanese subtitles took up half the screen. Once landed in Nairobi, we had to change planes to a 56 seater rickety old propeller plane to take us to Mount Kilimanjaro airport. It was only an hours flight (thank god) but ive never felt so unsafe int he air! the plane bobbed up and down, making your stomach churn and making mum flinch every time. Mum and i were sat on the left hand side of the plane which was great as we had great views of the snow capped mountain that was kilimanjaro. worryingly, the plane was flying lower than the summit of the mountain itself. mum commented 'it doesnt look that big' ...i just starred at her with a blank expression...having climbed mountains in canada i know it isnt until ur standing at the bottom of them looking up that u realise ur screwed.
We collected our baggage and threw it up to a little man on top of the minibus who strapped the bags down to the roof. we were to have an overnight stay in Marangu at hotel Impala which was a 2 hour bus ride from the aiport. that damn diamox made me want to pee so bad that everytime we went over one of the many speed bumps, i thought i was going to wet myself. The driver pulled over to give us a glimpse of kilimanjaro...unfortunately its so big, we couldnt see the top of the mountain as it was hidden by the clouds. Once reaching the hotel, we re-organised our backpacks ready for the adventure ahead. People in the MC group congregated around the pool side, being careful not to get burnt, and exchanged tips and stories about the mountain. the question on everyones lips were...do you think you will get to the top? of course no one knew the answer...at the end of the day it doesnt matter how fit you are, if you get altitude sickness, chances are you wont make it. Mum and i said to each other all along we would make it to the top, so i think its good to have a positive mental attitude and to know from the start what you are aiming to achieve.
After dinner we had a group talk from our leaders and we were introduced to Dom the doctor. Bit like tom cruise he was...same height too unfortunately but seemed like a nice guy who for the next week will have to put up with everyone whinging at him. Mum and i had to change rooms at the hotel as we didn't have mosquito net...we moaned about having to lug our luggage up the extra flight of stairs and then realised we probs should be grateful of the extra training for the week ahead. Everyone was in bed by 8pm, full to the brim with water to stay hydrated...yet peeing for Britain from the diamox. roll on 6.30am wake-up call!
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