I was slightly reluctant to add photos because I didn’t feel they did the experience justice but a few people have asked so here you go …
-
- View from Gilmans Point
HELLO
So it seems my meager first attempt at blogging has actually turned out to be quite popular and what started out as merely a bit of fun has in fact done very well and my site has had over 7000 views. To be honest after returning from Tanzania and recovering from my Kilimanjaro hangover I had no real intentions of completing the blog however due to growing interest and pressure from strangers who, by some way or another, end up reading it and due to a recent itch to return to the Kili my love/hate relationship with the mountain has been rekindled and I feel obliged to finish what I started.
I’ve decided not to bore anyone with stories of my last few days in Tanzania or my trip back to the UAE and rather focus primarily on answering a few of the questions that have been sent to me and give a bit of advise to would be Kili climbers. Please remember I don’t have a climbing back round nor do I claim to be the mountain guru. I climbed up once. That’s it. I did however learn a few basics in doing so and hopefully the rest of this entry will help you to not make the mistakes I made.
To begin I would like to make it clear that you can not take your dog with you. Laugh all you want but its true someone sent me an email enquiring about canine facilities on the mountain. Honestly, sometimes I believe some people have been left behind by evolution. I did however use the opportunity to insult his intelligence, as he did mine, and replied that yes dogs could certainly be taken along. Good luck Snoopy. I hope you are smarter than your owner.
Anyway all that aside some people have sent me some really relevant questions mostly concerning equipment. I’ve decided to therefore start at the top and end at the bottom going from head to toe discussing clothing and accessories as I go. Ill try make it as simple as I can. Snoopy’s owner has cast some serious doubts into my head regarding the average intelligence of our society and I’d hate for anyone to get left behind. Again please bear in mind that the following is based solely on my personal opinion and not years of experience and research.
All jokes aside lets get started …..
HEADGEAR
For the first few days get a full round hat to keep the African sun off the back of your neck. Especially you Poms. Remember although its cold at the summit the first part of the climb is hot so make sure your hat is well ventilated to get rid of some of the sweat that builds up. As you climb obviously the temp drops and you’ll need something considerably warmer. Beanies and that sort of thing are a personal preference so get what suites you but remember if the weather turns bad during your summit attempt its going to be very cold up there. Some people prefer headgear that covers their nose and mouth.
When deciding on sunglasses go for something rugged that fits well and offers significant protection against UV rays. It gets very bright up there and it would be very uncomfortable on your eyes without something protecting them. Get one of those straps that fit onto your glasses so you can hang them around your neck when you aren’t using them. I found that when I had a beanie on it was difficult to put them on my head when I wasn’t using them and it was too much of a hassle to take my pack off each time to put them away.
Lip Balm is your best friend. Keep it very close.
SHIRTS AND JACKETS
Don’t take any cotton shirts. They absorb sweat while you walking and can get very cold if you stop and the wind starts blowing. Look at stuff from the Nike Dri-Fit ranges or find something equivalent. In the first few days you’ll find your back will sweat heavily under your pack and this just helps get rid of it quicker.
When looking to keep warm I found that it was easier to regulate my body temp by having more thin layers rather than only a few thick ones. Thermal shirts and jerseys are brilliant. Remember you’ll be wearing more that one at a time so get one or two bigger ones to fit over the others. You will constantly be adding and removing layers to compensate for changes in temp. Get used to it.
To cover your under layers you’ll need a decent jacket. When looking for any outer layer clothing items I recommend anything that is made from GORETEX. I simply went and bought a set of snow boarding kit and it was brilliant however quite costly. Just remember what ever you get must be waterproof and a bit of advice make sure if it has buttons or zips that they are big and easy to use when wearing gloves. A hood to keep rain off your head is also recommended.
GLOVES
Two pairs. Inner and Outer. Easy
Also if you are planning on a watch make sure it has a strap big enough to fit over a few layers of clothes on your arm. When its cold and you have gloves on the last thing you want to do is try moving away layers so you can see the time.
DAY PACK
Your day pack is important because it’s the one you are expected to carry. Go for quality. I personally suggest something with a camelbak and loads of little pockets and storage areas. The last thing you want to have to do is dig through your bag looking for something. Big easy to use zips are a must.
MUST BE WATERPROOF
If possible make sure the waist belt on your pack fits through the belt loop on your camera bag so it can always be ready.
Additionally, my camelbak froze during the ascent which left me with no water. A trick I have learnt since then is to remove the camelbak from your bag and hang it around your neck using a long sock or a camera strap. This keeps it close to your body and prevents it from freezing. Run the tube down one of your sleeves so it can keep warm. It’s the first thing to freeze up.
Pack carefully each day putting things you are most likely to use on top.
SHORTS AND LONGS
Starting with the most important make sure you get decent underwear. I don’t usually wear underwear however I was struck down with a massive case of chaff in the first few days and I was forced to. To clarify I class chaff in the same group as I do nuclear war, terrorism and single ply toilet paper. I HATE it. Prevent it at all costs.
I took shorts with me but I never walked in them. Again it’s a personal preference so it’s up to you.
Long-johns are essential. Jeans are not. Only an idiot would take jeans to the mountain.
Try getting one pair of thin longs and one thick. Make sure they are both water proof and rugged. Columbia make some good thin pairs but again when looking for a thicker pair go for something made of GORETEX making sure they are big enough to fit over the others. Again big zips are helpful. I can’t begin to explain how hard it is to open three zips and a belt with gloves on when you need to pee. You always inevitably leave it too late and end up jumping up and down trying to get them open without pissing yourself. It’s not pleasant.
Make sure you get a good belt and that your pants have strong belt loops. You are expected to carry your own water and although your average camelbak carries around two liters of water you will need considerably more for each day. I took some thermal bottles with me and attached them to my belt loops using carabinas. Made it much easier than taking my pack off each time I needed water.
SOCKS AND SHOES
I wore two pairs of socks at a time. One thin covered by one thick. If you buy new socks just for your climb make sure you wash them before you use them.
Shoes are something that I worried about far too much before my climb.
Just get a pair that are waterproof and cover your ankles just in case. The paths are so well maintained on the way up that big hefty hiking boots aren’t really necessary. I personally prefer GORETEX to leather and make sure you wear them in before.
Gaiters are helpful but don’t go buy a pair. They keep dust and stuff out of your shoes but more importantly keep your feet dry if it rains. You can rent them on the mountain.
ACCESSORIES
I’m not going to explain. I’m simply going to list a list of things to remember.
Toilet paper (2ply obviously)
Batteries
Headlamp (straps must fit over your beanie)
First aid kit
Lip balm
Electrolyte drink
Sweets
Playing cards
Diamox
Water purification tablets
Cash
A book
Vaseline
Chances are if you booked through anyone decent your guides will have all the medical stuff you need but take it along just in case.
It gets very boring at night so take something to keep you entertained.
Anyway that’s all I have for now. I’m sure anyone who has ever climbed a mountain probably had their palm in their face the whole time they were reading this but hopefully some people who are to new to climbing might pick up a few hints.
If you are planning on booking a trip up the mountain I suggest you check out www.climbmountkilimanjaro.com . They are brilliant in my opinion. I saw a lot of other groups on the mountain and none of them seemed to be getting looked after like we were.
They also send you a book (written by professionals) with all you need to know before you climb which is pretty helpful.
Ill try get some photos up soon.
If you have any feed back or feel that I’ve left something out please let me know.
db.murray@yahoo.com
Over and out
So after a few days of putting it off I have decided to get off my lazy ass and update my climb. I have decided that I would be easier to write on long entry for the entire week so here goes. Apologies for any spelling mistakes I’m writing this from my iPad and the auto correct is shit. Also sorry if I don’t seem humorous. I’m chilling next to the pool in the sun with a beer at the moment so I’m more relaxed than anything else. No more excuses. Here we go …
I climbed the mountain following the Unique Rongai Route which is slightly longer than other options however considering my entire holiday was centered around climbing the mountain this seemed to be the best choice. Also the extra days allowed for more time to acclimatize to the altitude something I would learn was invaluable to a successful climb. I booked my climb through www.climbmountkilimanjaro.com however they were just the agent and the actual operators were Team Kilimanjaro. They were excellent as you will come to understand as you read about my experience. There are cheaper options to complete your climb but I would suggest that you have a much better chance of summiting and will much more enjoy your experience if you pay the little extra and get the professionals to help you. It is after all a long way to come and a lot of money to spend to not make a successful summit bid. The shame of being unsuccessful would be unbearable to me and so anything that could be done to enhance my chances seemed worth it no matter the cost. I would recommend this to anyone.
So without more diddle dadding let’s get on with it…
DAY 1.
Day1 began with an early breakfast followed by a bus transfer to the Marangu gate for registration and then further on to Nalemuru where we would begin.
At the pick up we were introduced to our main guide who’s name was Jonas. He weighed and checked our luggage and ushered us off to the bus waiting outside the hotel. I felt strong and ready and just wanted to get on with it however there was a 5 hour bus ride to the mountain to get out of the way before I could do so. Entering the bus I was a little confused. There were 15 locals already seated and I thought perhaps it was just a general public bus that we had jumped on headed for the mountain. It turned out that these guys were actually our porters. It seemed so exorbitant at the time but when we set up our first camp I realized why they were all necessary. Anyway we were all finally aboard and our journey was soon underway.
I spent most of the trip chatting to Skip and Lindsey. It was good getting to know them and to be honest they were great people. Skip was a surgeon in the states and Lindsey was working in Ethiopia as a consultant for the World Bank. I found them both very interesting and it made me feel more comfortable now that I knew that the people I was going to be camping with for the next 7 days were in fact really nice people. Considering it was their trip to start off with and that I had just latched on to it like some sort of parasite meant that I also had to be nice in return. It wasn’t difficult. I really liked them. Relief.
At the Morangu gate Jonas herded us through the registration process effortlessly and I began to realize that he was well experienced on the mountain. It made me comfortable to know I had someone who knew what they were doing leading us. We were after all heading to the summit of the worlds highest free standing mountain. Anyway we got back in the bus and headed straight for Nalemuru.
Nalemuru (1997m) was the starting point for our climb and from there we would trek 7km to our first campsite First Cave (2635m). First though we were given lunch. I was immediately impressed by the quality of the graze. This couldn’t carry on all the way up could it? It did.
Anyway fat and full we got underway.
We were so eager that we basically ran the whole distance the first day. Passing through the mountains rain forests it was fairly humid and warm however I don’t remember being physically challenged the whole distance. About half way we caught our first glimpse of the mountain. It was beautifully boring. Hardly what I expected. There were no distinguishable peaks and it was so clear I could see to the summit. Where ever it was. It was huge though and from where we were it seemed miles away. We had a lot of walking to do.
We stopped briefly for a drinks break and Jonas was at last able to introduce us to his co guide who’s name was Leo. He wasn’t as intimidating as Jonas being smaller in size however I could see he was a fit little bastard. Together Jonas and Leo complimented each other as a team and my confidence was further strengthened. We were in the hands of experts. Looking again towards the mountain I was glad they would be the team to drag us up there.
Now and again our porters would come scuffling past us. Each of them had their own pack on their backs as well as additional luggage packed in a canvas sack which they carried on their heads. I noticed the shape of my pack in one of these bags as one of them came passing by. Shit. Turns out a duffle bag would be more appropriate to be carried on someones head. I was sure my packs frame and all it’s bits and pieces where only offering as a nuisance to the porters head. Nevertheless it wasn’t on my back so I felt spitefully happy.
Lindsey and Skip were in great form and we were all happy keeping the same speed. I kept thinking about Skip. The bugger was 63. How was he doing this? Respect. He had travelled to Africa to visit lindsey and they seemed to enjoy catching up and chatting away. At times I distanced myself from them a bit so they could do this but I inevitably got bored and got straight back into their conversation.
Soon enough we reached the camp site and our crew seemed like ants running around putting up tents and preparing food. I was impressed at how quickly this all happened. They had obviously done this before. What a team.
It was still light so I got a few photos and Lindsey even figured out how to use my new cameras panoramic function. Yippie.
Once again dinner was really impressive and after sitting around talking shit we all headed to bed. All the crew slept in a tent the same size as the one which had been afforded to us as a mess tent. It seemed unreal. Skip and Lindsey shared a two man tent and I had the same size tent to myself. A last little upright looking tent was put up slightly away from the camp and it served as a toilet tent. I looked inside it once and saw a little box with a lid on it. I couldn’t bear to shit in it and expect someone to clean it each morning so i instead decided to use the long-drops. The guides introduced us to the rest of the team and they sang a little song for us. It felt kinda festive.
What a day it had been and I still had some pre game butterflies however I managed to get in a good nights sleep nonetheless.
DAY 2.
Day 2 from First Cave (2635m) to Kikelelwa Camp (3675m) was a total of 11.75km. It was much the same as day 1 however the greenery got much lower as we climbed higher. It was also considerably colder.
Jonas and Leo had decided to control our pace and improve our acclimatization by herding us the entire way like sheep. Leo was in front setting the pace and Jonas was behind making sure no one was left behind. This was unlikely due to the fact that we were all still so excited and just wanted to run. I realized how important it was was to take your time as the trip went on and our guides seemed very well experienced at knowing what pace was best for our group. Being a small group we were kept together and slowly adjusted ourselves to meet the pace set by our guides.
The day seemed long and boring and once again I wasn’t challenged by any part of it.
Annoyingly after lunch at Second Cave we headed away from the mountain towards another peak somewhat shadowed by Kilimanjaro called Mawenzi peak. This was all part of the acclimatization process however it still made the day slightly harder knowing we were walking in the wrong direction.
One thing that became very apparent was the fact that we were indeed climbing a mountain. I often found myself looking up checking wether the trail was going to level out or drop. This never happened however the slow pace set by our guides meant I was never really tired during the days walking. I drank almost 7 liters of water during the day 2 and this would become somewhat of a norm during the rest of the trip.
Eventually we reached our second campsite and our porters who had hurried ahead of us had already set the tents and i could smell the food cooking. This truly was the laziest form of camping I had ever done however after just under 12kms of walking I certainly wasn’t complaining. It doesn’t seem to be a long way to walk but factor in the altitude gained and it becomes more difficult. Lindsey and Skip were still managing very well and their company and conversation made the walking easier.
Again we were given a top class meal and were soon off to bed. I was amazed by my appetite but the quality and quantity of the graze meant I went to sleep every night with a satisfied tummy. Eating and drinking I learnt were vital parts of our climb as well was getting a good night sleep in every night. So far I could tick all three boxes.
Good night day 2.
DAY 3.
Day 3 was the shortest day of the trip starting from Kikelelwa Camp (3675m) and traveling a total distance of only 3.75kms to Mawenzi Tarn Hut (4302m) gaining only 627m elevation.
Waking on day three I was amazed by the views. It seemed everywhere I looked the view was more beautiful than the previous. Behind me Kilimanjaro lay covered in snow from a storm during the night and in front of me I could see the sun rising above the clouds below us. I don’t usually get taken by views however what I was looking at would have been amazing to anyone. I got some amazing photos.
Breakfast was again amazing.
I felt confident going into today knowing it was the shortest however the altitude was finally beginning to take it’s toll. It wasn’t really hard but any over eagerness would result in me being out of breath and panting. The slow pace set by the guides kept us in check and I noticed for the first time that we weren’t as chatty during the ascent.
It was again much colder than the previous days and I was happy with my gear which was holding up very well. The trail had become more rocky and walking suddenly became more labored. I spent a lot of my energy concentrating on my footing and this slowed us down even more. Behind me I could hear Skip sniffling and Lindsey had become gradually more grumpy.
I felt good when we reached our camp and although we were at altitude I still had some excess energy. We had lunch and resided to our tents to rest until 3 when we would be taken on an acclimatization hike up Mount Mawenzi. I wished I had taken something along to keep myself entertained. Boredom overtook me and I began to sleep. Haha.
At 3 we were awoken and we headed off up the side of Mawenzi on our afternoon hike. It was flipping steep and took us to an altitude of about 4452m which was much higher than I had ever been before. Again I didn’t really struggle but I could definitely feel the affects of the altitude. Mawenzi was much more intimidating than it’s higher brother Kilimanjaro. It had big steep slopes covered in loose rock and peaks which seemed to mock the clouds below it. Its upper slopes were covered in snow and it had the look of your more conventional mountains as you would imagine them as opposed to Kilimanjaro which reminded me of a big camping table covered in a brown table cloth scattered with some snow. This opinion would later be shattered when I reached the summit 3 days later however we will get to that.
After allowing some time at the end of our climb to acclimatize we headed back down to our camp. I immediately felt the effects of the gradient going down the side of Mawenzi and i dreaded the looming decent off Kilimanjaro.
Once again the views from the camp were amazing and I snapped up a few pics and relaxed before dinner. We lay on the rocks like lizards trying to gather the last of the suns heat and looked over clouds below us taking it all in. This is the last time I will mention how good the meals were. They were amazing during the whole trip.
During the night I noticed my legs involuntarily contracting fighting for the limited oxygen that was being delivered via my lungs. For the first time I noticed my labored breathing and I didn’t sleep very well at all. Poo.
DAY 4.
Day 4 was a long 11.6kms from Mawenzi Tarn Hut (4302m) traveling upwards along the Saddle to 4614m before descending to Third Cave at a much lower 3936m.
Having not slept well I awoke a very grumpy Derrick however for the first time it seemed we were finally walking in the right direction. Towards the mountain. With the altitude we had gained we also seemed to be at Kilimanjaro’s base when we had finally crossed the Saddle and this made me feel much better. Looking up at Kilimanjaro I was amazed at how small it looked. It was so easy to forget how high we already were and being surrounded by huge waving hills the mountain wasn’t at all as I’d expected it. That being said I was still shitting myself looking at it’s step slope rising up to the summit which was something I couldn’t really notice at a glance. I must remind you that Kilimanjaro is a volcano and so it has no distinguishing peaks as such. Instead it’s summit looks rather flat and featureless therefore making it hard to point out it’s highest area. Our guides sort of pointed it out to us as we passed Kibo which was the the more conventional starting to point for summit attempts however I couldn’t really make out where exactly it was.
The terrain had changed severely during the days trek and there was almost no green at all. It seemed we were walking along the mountains crumbling bones as erosion forced rocks and pebbles downwards on its slopes. It was flat though and that was enjoyable for a while before we started our decent to Third Cave. Again I was disappointed to be traveling away from the mountain however I was happy we were going down. The decent served helpful as an aid to acclimatize and by the time we reached the campsite I was feeling much better and convinced I would get a good sleep in.
Going down the guides increased the pace and it felt good to stretch my legs a bit. We could see the campsite in the distance however it looked considerably closer than it actually was. When we arrived I was tired and my legs got stiff after resting for a while. I could immediately notice that it was easier to breathe and I lay down to rest before dinner.
The drop in altitude had left us all feeling a bit more chirpy and we were a lot more active during the night before bed. We got some graze in a headed for bed feeling much better than the night before.
One thing I have forgotten to mention is that each night and morning our blood oxygen saturation and heart rate was measured and recorded to monitor our progress on the mountain and to give Jonas an idea where we were physically. It was interesting to note the differences as we climbed and descended.
Again I felt bored sitting in my tent however I was tired and quickly fell asleep.
Good night day 4.
DAY 5
Day 5 was tough climbing from Third Cave (3936m) to School Hut (4722m) a total distance of 4.9kms. It wasn’t far but it was relentlessly steep which made it a bitch to complete.
Our good tempers slowly degraded as we marched upwards along the base of the mountain. The porters amazing whisked passed us at a somewhat unbelievable pace leaving us following behind once again being herded by our guides. The route was tiring and never-ending but eventually we rounded a corner and saw our camp in the distance above us. I wished I had never looked up. The camp seemed so close but after walking and then walking some more it didn’t seem to get any closer. It only took us an hour to reach the camp but it seemed a lot longer. The one dimensional trail and featureless hillside had left me bored and I was ecstatic when we finally arrived and dropped our packs.
School Hut was a most precarious campsite. Above the tents and on hills surrounding them there were massive boulders resting patiently almost waiting to fall and squash anything on their path to the bottom. We rested in the shade until lunch where we were given our pre summit briefing.
I had often mentioned my lack of appreciation for Jonas’s briefings which seemed to be aimed more in the direction of fear mongering than anything else however when he stepped into out mess tent I realized he wasn’t there to talk shit. He was there to prepare us for the summit. I felt my body suddenly get cold and my anticipation was replaced with urgency as I realized how serious the climb was going to be. We still had a long way to climb and I already felt slightly out of breath. He stood towered above us as we sat at our lunch table and he rattled off instructions and tips for preparing for the summit attempt. Warm clothes blah blah lots of water blah blah headlamps etc etc. I have never paid more attention to anyone.
As soon as he left we scattered to our tents to prepare. It was 1pm and we were given the afternoon to prepare for the climb and to rest until midnight when we would be woken up to start trekking to the summit. For all my anxiety it didn’t really take me long to pack my clothes and get the ones I would be wearing out and ready. Having done this I felt much more confident and I had returned to my usual somewhat arrogant self. What do you know Jonas? Huh? BOOM!!!
I left my tent to try soak up some rays and warm up and found Lindsey chilling on a rock so I went to talk to her. We compared clothes and equipment for a bit but eventually resorted to talking shit as we usually did. We were as prepared as we could be. How hard could it be? Put on as many clothes and socks on as you could and walk up the highest mountain in Africa. Easy.
I remember saying to Lindsey that Kilimanjaro was a lot less intimidating without snow and I wished that some would fall to make it seem like all the other mountains in the worlds. I was expecting a scene from Lord Of The Rings up the and to tell you the truth it wasn’t at all like that yet. We jumped back into our tents as some clouds blocked the sun and I wanted to sleep but couldn’t. Each breath felt like a yawn and my legs were up to their old tricks of moving without being told to. I lay down and imagined all the challenges ahead of me and pictured how I would feel passing each one. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy but I was going to make it. I had decided that before I even got to Tanzania. These were just pre game nerves. I was over reacting.
I am going to make it !!!
I am going to make it !!!
I am going to make it !!!
It was as simple as that. Easy.
Every night the mountain would suddenly get consumed by clouds and mist and tonight was no different. Before i knew it it had started raining. At least I though it was rain however it was actually sleet. It seemed I had got my wish. The sleet turned to snow and in a few minutes everything was white. Shit I was excited, I jumped up and down and ran outside. This was stupid and I was soon out of breath and returned to my tent to recover. Dammit.
Dinner seemed to come around all to quickly and I wasn’t really hungry however I had read about the importance of eating before the summit attempt so I forced a meal down. When I was done I was actually amazed at how much I had put away and sat back with a cup of tea watching the snow fall through one of the tents windows.
A word of advice: if you are going to climb Kilimanjaro don’t wish for snow.
I’ll explain later.
Below in the distance I could see Kenya covered in sunlight as the storm passed over it and once again I got some good photos before slipping into my tent for a few hours rest.
Surprisingly I got some sleep. Goodnight Day 5. For now …
At 23:30 I woke up to get ready. It’s not really hard to explain. I just put on as many layers as I could. Seven to be exact. Easy.
Bring on day 6.
DAY 6.
Day 6 was the hardest day of my life trekking from School hut (4722m) to the summit called Uhuru peak (5895m) and then back down via Kibo Hut to Horombo Huts (3705m) a total distance of 20.4kms. It’s not a real long way to walk but add Africa’s highest mountain peak as a waypoint and you have a much more intimidating scenario.
Now I’m sure hardcore mountaineers or even people who have climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in ideal conditions might laugh at my rendition of the the summit climb. That’s fine. You can all make a 10 story high bonfire and sit around it telling mountain stories. I don’t give a shit. I’ll even come and listen to them.
This is my story…
We head off just after midnight and the first thing that hit me was the cold. The wind was fierce and it was cutting through me as I climbed. The second thing that was noticeable was the steepness of the trail. It was almost monotonous however we kept going nonetheless around the side of the mountain climbing till we met the trail rising up from the Kibo Huts.
My headlight lit the way and I concentrated almost entirely on Leo’s shoes in front of me. He was sure footed and I selfishly took up a position behind him. I don’t think the Americans minded but I felt more comfortable there. I just had to look down and put my feet where he had put his and I would be fine. The gradient made it very dangerous to be falling and it was something I was avoiding at all cost.
Up and up we climbed.
The snow had made the slope slippery and although we were traversing I still found half my stride being reclaimed, slipping beneath my feet as the snow and scree crumbled below them. This drew even more energy. I walked for a while with my hands in my pockets but after a few close calls I realized it was better to have them out in case I fell. The wind continued to cut through me as we ascended. It seemed to never end but eventually we reached Hans Meyer Cave (5243m). I reached to drink from my camel bak but it was frozen. This was a concern because it carried 2 liters of the water I was carrying but I also had a thermal bottle. Surely it wouldn’t be frozen? It was. Shit. We rested for a while then continued.
Below us I saw the headlights of other teams slowly working their way to the top and I decided to push hard for the top. I wouldn’t have been able to deal with being overtaken by another group. Screw that. Head down I continued. I had developed a sway and a rhythm taking a breath each step as I went on. Behind me Lindsey and Skip were doing well. It seemed their diamox was starting to work.
Breaking away from the climb for a while let me tell you what diamox is and why it was helping the Americans and not me. They were feeling good because they had taken it and I wasn’t because I didn’t. Diamox, as I understand it, helps to increase the amount of oxygen absorbed by the body by acidifying the blood. I had read about a few side affects from the drug and decided from the beginning not to take it. Jonas had tried day after day to convince to take it but I stubbornly refused. How fucking stupid of me. If you climb the mountain take diamox. End of story. You can’t tell how the altitude will affect you unless you have been there before and again coming that far and failing would be indescribable. Take the drug.
Back to the action …
Relentlessly we carried on upwards. It was almost full moon and the light reflecting off it was enough to lead the way upwards so we turned off our headlights and fought our way upwards. The trail had become more rocky and keeping your balance hopping from rock to rock was energy sapping. Looking down it seemed and eternity to fall and I was constantly surprised at how high we had come. That being said looking up I felt we had gone nowhere. The lights below weren’t getting any closer so I was happy. On we went.
Slowly we made our way closer to Gilmans Point (5708m) and about 10m from it I found myself having to stop and rest. I simply couldn’t carry on walking. After a short break I carried on and soon enough we were there. Gilmans Point is on top of the mountain but not it’s highest point. We all rested there and Jonas handed us each a surprise Redbull. It was disgusting but I swallowed it. I needed to hydrate and all my water was frozen. Soon after we headed off to the summit via Stella Point. It was only 187m elevation to the summit.
It was still dark and I couldn’t see a thing around me. The wind had picked up even more and although it wasn’t snowing anymore it was picking up ice off the mountain slopes and seemed to be concentrating entirely on driving it into my face. Shit it was so cold but we carried on nonetheless. It was at this point that our guides experience proved invaluable. They ushered us upwards signing as we went. I couldn’t believe it. How could they possibly have energy left to sing? I was exhausted. They were completely dedicated to getting us up. Without them I don’t think I would have made it.
Reaching Stella point the altitude was beginning to take a much stronger hold on me. I felt drowsy and my steps became less and less educated. The wind was blowing so strong that each time my steps failed me I stumbled and took a few steps to regain myself. The wind was literally blowing me over. Soon after this Jonas stopped and took my pack from me for the remaining part of the ascent. I felt much better and pushed on. I don’t know how Lindsey and Skip were doing to be honest I never once looked back. I just put my head down and went forward.
A little while after we reached Uhuru peak. The summit. 5895m above sea level. Finally. Suddenly I forgot about being tired and sick from altitude and a sense of complete pride and absolute joy took over. I was ecstatic. The others were there right behind me and the guides having done it all before realized that untrained brains don’t work very efficiently at such altitude ripped into our camera pouches and readied them for the famous summit photos. They pushed us close to the summit sign and began snapping away. It was so cold my camera didn’t work properly and most of my photos were shit but it didn’t matter I was there. I can’t explain the emotions I was feeling. It was still dark and the wind was still pumping but we were all glowing. Skip and Lindsey were over the moon. I had grown to like them and it was good to be with them there on the real roof of Africa.
Shortly after we put our packs back on and head straight down. It was still so cold. -20 degrees Celsius with strong wind. It was by far the coldest I had ever been and I wanted off the mountain. The sun had started coming up and for the first time I could see what was going on around me.
It’s so hard to describe with words what I saw when I finally took the time to look around. To my right were the mountains dangerous slopes falling away to the bottom only disfigured occasionally by the glaciers that covered them. The snow still covered the trail at my feet and was ankle deep in some places. It squeaked as I walked and I looked up and to my left into the idle volcanos crater and around its outside boundaries. I had to stop walking. The mountain seemed to take on a new shape and appeared much more violent from one of its highest peaks. Jagged cliffs lead down into the snow covered crater and it’s peaks became much more noticeable. It was fierce. I could hardly believe where I was. It was almost more fulfilling than being on the summit itself. The sun gleamed on top of the snow and turned it an off red color and wind drove I’ve over the top of the cliffs making white waves as it passed over them. It truly made the whole journey worth it. I couldn’t stop smiling. I took as many photos as I could but my camera was still not working properly. It didn’t matter. I was there.
Jonas suddenly appeared and he forced me down the path back to Gilmans point where we continued our decent. Shit. I had forgotten that our trip was only half way done and I still had to make the trip down to Kibo Huts before I could rest. In the light the descent became much more terrifying. I couldn’t believe I had walked up there. Down we went agonizingly slowly still overjoyed from our success but irritated by the dreadful walk down. Our pace was border line slow motion until Jonas came flying past us taking massive meter at a time steps straight for the bottom. We tried to copy him with some success and this straight line option worked much quicker. The snow and scree felt almost like sand and we descended in a similar fashion that one might fly down a sand dune. It worked for a while but our legs soon grew tired and we were forced to slow down. The last portion of the descent was painful and almost as slow as the beginning.
Eventually we reached Kibo and we were allowed to sleep for an hour and a half before we would have to continue. I was so tired I fell into my tent and took off my shoes before falling, fully clothed, asleep. It was the best nap I had ever had.
It was 10am when I was woken for breakfast and I wasted no time in getting ready for food. I had force fed myself a meal and gotten ready to continue before Lindsey and Skip had even made it to the kitchen and I really wanted to sleep so I grabbed Leo and pushed on the further 9kms we had to cover before we reached our camp for the night. I surprisingly kept good pace during this part of the walk and before I knew it I was at Horombu Huts and ready to rest. I threw myself on the grass and just lay there but I couldn’t sleep. Emotion was still pumping through me and I simply just lay there.
About an hour later the Americans arrived and we sat a shared stories of the day and compared photos. We were told the guy who ran the camp sold beers and we went for what turned out to be one of the most satisfying beers of my life. We sat in the sun and drank watching other tourists who were heading up the trail to begin their climb. Did they know what they were in for? We did and felt we deserved the right to laugh at them as they passed us. HAHAHA!!!
Satisfied I head down to the campsite for dinner and some much needed sleep. I got both.
Goodnight hardest day of my life. BOOM!!!
DAY 7.
Day 7 was an irritating 20.8km from Horombo Hut (3705m) to the Marangu gate (1905m).
I started the day walking with the Americans however after about 4km i had lost my sense of humor for mountain and decided to run the rest of the distance. I had blisters from the previous days descent so I tightened my laces, removed a few layers and started running. The porters came past and I followed the 2 of them that were leading the way. I didn’t see anything, think anything or photograph anything. I simply ran. I was exhausted but I never stopped till we reached the gate.
My trip was over and after a few hours lindsey and Skip arrived and we got into the bus and headed home. We only stopped once to get some lunch before getting back in the bus to the hotel.
At the hotel we had our first showers for 7 days. It was an indescribable feeling.
We had dinner and drinks together and spoke more shit. We had got really good at that. We had become friends and I enjoyed them. They are really great people.
As you can probably tell I’m not interested in writing anymore so I’m not going to for now. I might come back and add to this some other time.
Goodnight …..
Day 5 started off fairly uneventful however it ended up driving me into a ball of nerves something until now I had been avoiding with great success. Here’s what happened.
I started off devouring a breakfast a compulsory couple of beers. This had long become the norm however i wasn’t worried. The local beer was called Kilimanjaro and that is what I had come to conquer wasn’t it? Knowing my climb started the next day I had decided to take the day off and had planned to do nothing but relax however after a slow start I ended up chatting to some American guy who was also in Tanzania to climb the mountain. I didn’t remember his name but we sat next to the pool talking shit for hours and of course this was impossible to without sucking down ice cold beers in the process. Before I knew it I was pissed which was better than could be said for my new friend who was absolutely shit faced. Good prep for my climb I’m sure you’ll agree.
Anyway eventually lunch time came and went along with a few more beers and all of a sudden the peace was broken by Peters unmistakable screeching. The Americans had arrived. Goodie.
I battled to contain my inquisition however I managed to stay seated and not run off screaming like a little girl. I had had a shit load of beer so running really wasn’t an option so I composed myself and waited for them to inevitably get hungry and come to the bar. This didn’t take long and before I knew it I had met Skip and his daughter Lauren. (I think that was her name. I’ll confirm later)
Skip was a dude. The guy was 62 years old and looked fit. He seemed pretty active for an old buck and I was sure, if anything, he would be dragging my lazy drunk ass up the mountain. Just to make him even more awesome he was the only yank I had met who liked rugby. He had even played back in college. I was sure we would get along. To top it off he was wearing a shirt from a marathon he had run. Shit.
Now up until now I had been happy, confident and relaxed however that all changed when I met Lauren (again I’ll have to confirm her name later). This is why …
She reminded me of my mom. Do I need to explain in more depth? Yes? Really? Ok. Now before I start remember I had just met her and most of what I’m about to write is pure speculation and more than likely not true. Nonetheless here is my first impression. She was organized, intelligent, completely in control and prepared for the climb. She knew everything about the meds, the conditions and seemingly everything else I should have known. She laughed a bit when I mentioned I hadn’t taken malaria meds and had no water purification tablets. Shit.
This suddenly filled my mind with doubt and fear however after 5 minutes I managed to overcome this with one simple fact. She was AMERICAN. Of course she was prepared. Americans are shit scared of Africa and rightfully so. I’m South African. I didn’t need to worry. Full stop.
Anyway our guide suddenly popped up and introduced himself to us in preparation for our climb briefing (Again I forget his name. Apologies).
Now if I thought Skip was a dude I was sure our guide was. The guy had climbed the mountain over 200 times. Need I say more?
So we began and as expected it was all blah blah blah keep dry blah blah altitude blah blah. Boring. Lauren kept showing how organized she was by asking questions about things I had never even heard of. We were going to climb a mountain. In my opinion all we needed was boots and warm clothes. According to her I was wrong however again she was american. Shame. I did get a bit of satisfaction when she inquired about hand warmers. “I’ve got some” I quickly replied. Boom!!! Not just a dumb South African after all.
Afterwards, during dinner, we were all surprised by a performance by a local acrobatics team performing on the concrete alongside the pool. They were incredible. Jumping around doing hand stands on each others heads and doing backflips and shit. I was impressive and tipped them heavily. I also got some cool photos. It all seemed extremely precarious. Guys doing stunts on concrete next to a pool however I was impressed nonetheless.
Fat and happy I head to bed in preparation for my big day tomorrow.
This has come along so quickly. I’m really excited.
Day 4, today, was very relaxing. Sunburn, a hangover and rain prevented me from doing my planned trip to the Arusha game reserve however I wasn’t really bothered. My climbed starts in two days and I appreciated the rest. I spent the day next to the pool eating and drinking and all that I really achieved was updating this blog and drinking more beer. Remember I’m also here on holiday so it’s ok to just relax.
Still no signs of the Americans which is a worry considering I may be expected to share a tent with them.
My climb pre-briefing is tomorrow and it all seems to be coming up pretty fast. I can’t wait.
Day 3 was undoubtably the best day for me so far. I slept in till ten and then headed off for breakfast. After the previous breakfast experience I decided to go for something off menu. Much better. Just to top it off I swallowed a beer and sprawled out on the couch feeling very relaxed and content. Luckily Peter showed up and I was able to arrange motorbike to rent for the day. I was strongly advised against this but I chose to ignore the locals intuition and do it anyway. So with an I can’t wait to say told you so face on Peter head off to do as he was told. Get me a motorbike. This was something I would later be very grateful for.
15 minutes later I heard a motorbike drive into the hotel parking and I head out to meet my steed. Now after owning and riding a CR450 I can’t say I was impressed with the Sunto air-cooled 125 however I was sure this was probably the best I would get remembering I was in Tanzania and with seemingly reckless abandon I head off on a journey to nowhere. Literally nowhere. I had been given a map and spent about 30 seconds looking at it before I realized I was just waisting my time. I didn’t really have a plan at the time and it was only after I had filled up with petrol that one suddenly came to me. Tanzania didn’t really seem like a good place to be stranded without petrol for a little suburban white boy and being somewhat at the base of Mount Meru I decided to ride over to and up the mountain. This seemed utter genius at the time. I would ride as far as I could up the dirt tracks through the villages and if by some chance I ran out of petrol it would be all downhill and I could free wheel easily to safety. I had learnt already that the locals where very helpful although they wouldn’t lift a finger until you lifted a dollar. I was sure that if I did need to get help pushing the bike it would come at a big cost. Anyway this all made perfect sense to me at the time so off I went heading straight for the mountain.
The locals where a little too interested in a white boy holding a camera on a motorbike with obviously no idea where he was heading so I soon realized it was utter suicide to stop for any reason. I did try a few times and each time without out fail I was crowded by kids wanting money and people expecting lifts. Yes expecting lifts. It seemed every time I slowed down enough or stopped a local would jump onto the back of my bike and point up the mountain as if I was a taxi. This was annoying to say the least. One guy, even after I had thrown him off, waited for me to get going and just ran and jumped back on. WTF. Anyway after realizing I couldn’t shake the little parasite I decided to just go with it even taking his directions and dropping him at home.
This good deed left me feeling good however I was also very very lost and I had stopped again. Shit.
I decided to do a little experiment and gave ten dollars to some youngster to see his reaction. What happened after moved me a little. The little shit started crying, hugged my legs and ran off with all the other little whipper snappers. I kinda felt good.
This left me alone for a little while and that meant I could have a look around.
The hills where cluttered with small veggie, banana and maize fields with small huts next to each one of them. Below in the distance I could see Arusha and a few buildings. The dirt road I had come up on winded down the mountain and I suddenly realized how far I had ridden.
All this sightseeing and charity had left me thirsty and I decided it was time to head back to town for a cold beer and some graze.
Along the way back to the hotel I stopped in every place I could get a beer. Unfortunately with all the hotels in Arusha this meant I had had 8 beers and still wasn’t home. Considering I was in a foreign country with disgusting traffic and no rules this was a bad idea. Oh well. I decided to not to stop again till I had reached the hotel but I got distracted by a sign. Yes a sign. It said “Kilimanjaro Breweries”. How could I not be? I headed straight off and after paying a few bribes and being really nice to a security guard I was given a personal tour of the facility. I wasn’t allowed to take photos though. That upset me. Oh yes all the walking around the breweries meant i was thirsty so had another beer before heading off to the hotel.
When I eventually got back Peter was there and I enjoyed handing the bike back full of mud and with no damage although i couldn’t say the same about me. I had somewhat sobered up and realized how sunburnt and dehydrated I was. Shit the sun is strong in Africa. I had a shirt tan. Brilliant.
Anyway I had a shower, downed two bottles of water and a sneaky beer and headed off to sleep. What a day. It was absolutely incredible.
Luckily I had managed to keep my balls chaff free
Day 2 was slightly more eventful purely because I was so anxious to get my holiday underway. I jumped out of bed at 7 curious to experience the hotels breakfasts which were included in the fee. So far the Outpost seemed fun, colorful and lively and I had hoped the breakfast would be the same. I was so wrong. As it turned out the spread was shit and reminded me of being in my school hostel. I was disappointed and still somewhat tired so I headed back to my room for a two hour nap.
When I woke up I felt somewhat refreshed and had forgotten the disappointment of the mornings breakfast so I headed out to find the hotels activities manager and without any hassle at all organized my first excursion through the local village. I quickly thrashed down a lunch from the menu (which was considerably better than the breakfast) and swallowed two beers before heading out on foot into the village with my guide Peter. I had been advised to take a guide along to prevent the locals husseling me out of money and ruining my trip. This turned out to be good advice.
The village market literally took my breath away for two reasons. Firstly I could believe the poverty and conditions the locals lived in and secondly the fish section of the market smelt so bad I wanted to heave. It was still interesting nonetheless and I was amazed that my first experience of the Masai people was a few men standing around dealing uncut and unpolished tanzanite. Seems they don’t just roll the Serengeti killing animals with spears and digging up plant roots to eat. Everything from the fruit to the meat seemed very fresh although I couldn’t say the same for the locals. Arusha as it turns out makes Soweto seem like the Cape Town waterfront. It was still an experience though.
Next we headed to the souvenir market which was the most interesting part of the outing however at the same time it was the most irritating. In the darker corners over the alleys were the craftsmen carefully sculpting Masai warrior and animal replicas out of wood and woman stringing beads together making bracelets and necklaces. This was amazing to witness. I’ve often seen these wooden sculptures for sale at home in South Africa however I’ve never seen them being made first hand. It was really impressive watching them at work cutting shapes out of blunt pieces of wood with even blunter tools. I suddenly felt quite thankful for my toolbox I got to use at work. The more irritating part of the market were the annoying stand owners pulling on my arms and clothing trying to guide me into their stall. I quickly adapted an aggressive attitude towards them and made an effort to only go into stands who’s owners where otherwise occupied. Peter, my guide, noticed I was getting irritated and moved forward to guide me through brushing off annoying salesman. I did manage to make it through without killing anyone and I even managed to pick up some gifts for friends back at home.
Bear in mind I was doing this whole trip on foot and it didn’t take long before my beer low level alarm started sounding. I asked Peter if he drank beer and if he knew anywhere appropriate to satisfy my craving. “Yes and yes” he replied however I soon found out he was lying with at least half of his answer. Peter did know a decent bar and he quickly whipped me off and before I knew it I had an ice cold beer in my hand. Well done to him on his bar choice although I quickly realized that he could not drink. As he reached the bottom of his bottle I noticed he started slurring and spitting. This was a problem because I was still relying on him to get me back to the hotel. I slugged the rest of my beer down and convinced him it was time to head back. We did eventually make it back however my guide who until now seemed to be knowledgable and educated turned into a drunk bull shit talker.
When we got to the hotel I savaged a burger and downed a couple of beers before heading to bed.
On an important note the days walking had left me rather worried. Although we hadn’t walked all that far I had developed a massive case of chaffed balls. I would need to take precautions in a few days time on the mountain.
All in all day two was a success
