Wow I am so very excited at how close Mount.Kilimanjaro climb is now! 43 days and counting down, we still have to sort out our visa's and need to get on with this now. I've been posting the link for virgin money - I'm hoping to raise lots of money for Alopecia UK. I will add the link and please take time to click on the page to read why I've chosen this amazing charity.
I'm sure lot of you are wondering why I'm not trying to raise money for cancer - especially as I'm a survivor myself.....well Alopecia doesn't get anywhere near the same exposure and for all sufferers there is currently no cure. So raising awareness and hopefully vital funds will aid researchers in finding a cure. So please consider donating and I will be spending 8 days on the mountain driving myself up to the summit to conquer the World's tallest free standing mountain. Click on the link and read why I've chosen this amazing charity!
We fly out of the UK on Jan 30th, land at Kilimanjaro International Airport the afternoon of Jan 31st. We will spend the night at our hotel and on February 1st - we will be trekking off on the start of our epic once in a lifetime climb. Accompanying me will be Becky and Ali - the WoC's three musketeers!....these girls just say yes to everything I ask of them, they are amazing and wonderful friends of War on Cancer and especially myself. Thank you once again girls for agreeing to this amazing challenge and adventure.....I look forward to our climb and safari afterwards.
Here are some facts about Mount.Kilimanjaro to remind us all of exactly how big of a challenge this is:
Mount Kilimanjaro - the World's tallest free standing mountain is 19,341ft or 5895m high. Free standing means not part of a mountain range, it is a giant dormant stratovolcano that began forming around one million years ago . Famous for it's glacial cap and wide biodiversity.
In 1889 Hans Meyer a German geographer made the first successful ascent of Kilimanjaro - it took him 6 weeks to complete.
Nowadays it takes the average person 6-9 days to reach the summit depending on which route is taken. The overall average successful ascent to the peak is 45%
An estimated 10-15 deaths occur annually due to severe altitude sickness, hypothermia, falls and other medical problems.
Mount Kilimanjaro is known as the roof of Africa.
Mount Kilimanjaro has three volcanic cones - Mawenzi, Shira and Kibo. Mawenzi and Shira are extinct. Kibo is dormant but could erupt, the last major eruption was 360,000 years ago.
Kilimanjaro supports 5 ecosystems :- Savanna bush land, Sub montane agro-forest, montane forest belt, sub-alpine moorland and alpine bogs and the alpine desert.
Uhuru is the highest peak on Kibo's crater rim, Uhuru is Swahili for Freedom.
Although the last major eruption of Kibo was 360,000 years ago - volcanic activity was recorded just 200 years ago. While Kibo is dormant, gas is emitted into the crater causing landslides and several collapses, the most extensive creating the area known as the Western Breach.
Due to changes in the global climate, scientists expect the famed snow and glacier cap of Kilimanjaro to be completely gone in around 20 years.....over 80% has disappeared since the early 60's.
Temperatures at the summit can reach -18c or 0f and if the winds are blowing - the wind chills reach dangerous levels.
So there are some of the facts about Kilimanjaro.
I will be doing a video blog diary sharing my thoughts and experiences of the day, Becky and Ali will also be invited to share their thoughts too.
I need to make an appointment for any jabs I need doing and to get my maleria tablets ready to take prior to flying out.
It's the most amazing feeling knowing it's literally around the corner after a very long and frustrating journey to get to this point - but here it is and here I am ready to take on my challenge to successfully ascend to the summit of the Roof of Africa!
Below is the link to my fundraising page. Thank you for all your support
Until next time
Tracy
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=JellyGould
