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.
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