Mt.Kilimanjaro day four

Hello everyone

Hope you are enjoying the new Spring season - the weather was glorious here today, mild even though it was 5c....I spent the day out in shorts and a T shirt, did get some funny looks as I passed people who had coats and hats on still! - I stopped and took five minutes to watch the little lambs playing and bounding around....full of life and wonder. Was beautiful to see!

So before I take you back to the mountain for day four of our epic climb I want to catch you up on other things first. I went to see my consultant this evening for the results from my Dorsal spine MRI - for those who didn't know or hadn't read about it, my consultant thought the pain in my left side was possibly originating from my spine......the dorsal section to be precise and after already have bloods, a colostomy, CT scans etc done, he booked an MRI to check out his theory.

So results time, the MRI hasn't shown up anything that could be causing my pain so this rules out a trapped nerve new or old or on a really positive note nothing sinister on or around my spine. However this means we are no closer after three years to pinpointing the cause of the pain and this also means I am to be referred to the chronic pain clinic.

I feel so frustrated that the cause couldn't be found - afterall if you find the cause there's a greater chance you can sort it out!  I have very mixed feelings about the referral, I definitely won't be taking painkillers if that's what they offer, but I've been told they do many other things to help elleviate the pain , such as specific exercises, acupuncture etc. So although I have no idea how long it's going to take for the referral to happen I will keep an open mind and at least go see what they have to say.   So three years on - I actually don't feel any closer to a solution to leave me feeling pain free, but hey never say never - it can still happen and to be fair I've had the issue for so long....what's more time! So when I get an appointment I will of course let you know.


Mountain day four - February 4th. Shira camp 2 12,598ft - Barranco camp 14,928ft.

I know I won't have spelled this song correctly - I actually wrote it as it sounds so we found it easier to learn! here are the words to one of the songs the crew sang every morning, we learned the words so we could join in! So here you go....By the way I still sing it every morning on my on!

Jambo

Jambo
Jambo bwana
Habari gani
Zuri sana
Wageni
Mwa kari bishwa ( Yipoo )
Kilimanjaro
Hakuna matata

How cool is that! - I have to tell you hearing and saying in normal conversation in the correct context Hakuna matata was absolutely amazing!

This song is so upbeat, we all, including all the crew loved singing this every morning - a great way to get rid of the chill from the night on the mountain, warm the muscles up and prep us for the days climbing ahead. Loved all the singing and dancing in a morning. So lucky our crew wanted to do this all the time, some of the crews only did on the last day!!

As I said this is a major day on the mountain, it is our big acclimatization day, intended to help us with what will be a few tough days at high altitude. We would be climbing up to 4600m and having lunch at the lava tower before making our way down the very steep descent to Barranco camp in the Barranco valley for the night.

So day four on the mountain was the first  climb high- sleep low - intended to acclimatize us in preparation for the summit ascent. It would also show us if we were going to suffer any  altitude sickness symptoms. So yes a very big day for our little group of intrepid climbers.

 I had been looking forward to this for so long!  - I was going to finally get up close and personal with the Lava tower. The tower is a volcanic plug that rises up 300ft into the air. The volcanic plug would have occurred an age ago when lava was shot up through a vent at the base of where tower now stands, cooled and hardened thus blocking the vent. So far this "cork" which can build pressure in the volcano below hasn't woken Mount.Kilimanjaro up! The Lava tower is in the alpine forest - sadly earlier this year a ban was placed on climbing the tower because of safety concerns. But at least I could still experience the majesty of this volcanic plug! The last major eruption on Kilimanjaro was around 150,000 years ago, although some activity was recorded 200 years ago.

Wow what a day it was going to be - I hadn't slept the night before, and I have to say the lack of sleep and sleeping issues were definitely the hardest part of the trip - well that and the climbing lol!

We set off after breakfast and our singing and dancing to the Lava tower and our climb up to 4600m, none of us in the group had ever climbed this high, but in fairness we three girls were setting new daily highs and had been for a couple of days. And at 4600m we would be if on Mount. Meru the mountain you can see from Kilimanjaro, the summit!

We were walking uphill at a fairly steady incline, it wasn't uphill and down dale like we had walked, but it was continuous. As we carried on walking I could see higher up on the horizon what I knew straight away could only be the Lava tower and asked Chacha if that was the case. He responded and said yes it was indeed the Lava tower . Even from this distance I could see how impressive a rock formation it was. It was huge! And after all the time I'd read about it and looked at photos of it, it doesn't prepare you for how majestic it looked on the skyline!

I think the biggest potential worry for me as we continued walking was that we wouldn't see it properly as the clouds kept closing in around it....I really wanted to be able to get at least a couple of clear shots of it all and not just the bottom part because of the cloud cover. So it was a case of fingers crossed as we slowly climbed higher and closer to our lunch destination.

It showed how massive the Lava tower is when we could see it  from such a distance and it took an absolute age to reach it. On route we passed this sign post, I can tell you we were all really excited to see this. It's weird how the smallest of things like this - bring the greatest of pleasure. We were really close to our destination of the tower, I had noticed my nose was bleeding, I didn't expect that, we were at an elevation of around 4200/4300m. 

I had noticed a while earlier I was suffering with obviously High Altitude symptoms. I had a terrible headache, it came and went in waves, but the intensity of it was bad!, I was having balance issues, I keep losing my balance and staggering off to the right ( it was sod's law that I would favour falling off to my right, my weakest ankle after rupturing my Anterior Talofibular ligament, so I had nothing to stop my ankle giving way.....but in fairness, nothing was going to stop it even if my ankle wasn't weakened from an old injury  ). I also felt a tad nauseous. So not altogether fantastic in myself. I wasn't on my own suffering with the altitude symptoms , Bec's was the same, we were laughing at the fact she favoured falling off to the left. Every now and then I'd hear...oh,oh,oh as Bec's staggered off while trying to regain her balance. At this elevation we were able to regain our balance, this was helped by the sparceness of the rocks in the alpine forest. She also was suffering with a headache and agreed it was definitely not the best feeling at all! Dom's balance was okay, but again he was suffering with a headache. The only one of us that was fine was Ali - she was displaying no symptoms whatsoever ......lucky lass!!

You can see the path on the left of the photos, the little sandy looking line. What it doesn't show is the incline properly near the tower base. That was a tough climb up at this elevation, breathing was tough as we exerted ourselves. When we finally crested the ridge at the base, we were all lathered and out of breath. I will say our recovery was really fast. As we all started congratulating each other with fist bumps and hugs, I felt a bit overwhelmed when George our guide who is the epitome of cool gave me a massive hug while saying "You are a very strong woman, well done Tracy", this was repeated when I hugged Chacha. George had set our Pole pole Kilimanjaro pace again for us today.....it's slow, small steps and it really is all about the rhythm!

We followed Chacha to an area of rocks to sit and have our pack lunches, there we a fair few other trekkers about, the most we had seen on our trip so far. But the area is so big we could all have a place to perch. I really wasn't feeling hungry, Bec's ( She was like our chemist! )  passed some headache tablets and said it's time for some more Tracy. I took them and sat down closing my eyes. My head was absolutely pounding and all I could hear was the blood rushing through my head. It was literally pulsing in time with my heartbeat. Chacha was encouraging us all to eat our lunches, I managed a little food and said I needed to go to the bathroom. Chacha told me there were behind a huge wall of boulders.

I set off to walk over to the wall and round it to the toilets. I didn't take my poles with me, I was all over the place, really light-headed, I must have looked really drunk, completely off my head. I couldn't control my feet properly and I sure as hell couldn't control my direction! I finally made it around the boulders and saw a line of toilets. I was so light-headed just from walking over, it was crazy! I walked into the open end of the toilet and round to the hole in the floor. OMG - once again the sight and smell that hit me had my stomach rolling and trying to climb out of my throat! 

KILIMANJARO EXPRESS- again!!!! I spun on the spot to get out of there, what little bit of lunch I'd consumed wasn't going to be staying down that's for sure. My whole world went to hell at that point, I was so light-headed so as soon as I spun around my head felt like it became separate from my body.....my brain was rattling around in my skull, my eyes were rolling in their sockets, it felt like they were independent of each other and rolling in opposite directions. I frantically tried to grab onto something as my balance went. I literally had my fingernails in the wooden panel, as I was trying to grip on for dear life.

I could feel myself going and was leaning over towards the hole in the ground...my heart was pounding as hard as my head as I has a vision of the scene in Slumdog Millionaire where the young kid falls through the floor and drops the 5/6 feet into the raw sewerage and I was frantically screaming in my head on loop....no,no,no,please,no!!! I managed to settle enough to straighten up and get myself moving in the opposite direction and towards the way out.   I got outside and promptly projectile vomited all over the outside of the wooden panel. I eventually stopped vomiting and heaving and moved away from the toilet all together. I was so shaky and weak...I was bent over double resting my hands on my knees trying to catch my breath, settle my stomach and calm my body. 

I was like that for a fair few minutes and then stood up making my way back to the others. I sat down shakily and told them what had happened, they were sympathetic and grateful it wasn't them that had gone to the toilet all the while laughing at my description of what had happened - especially my fear of a Slumdog Millionaire reenactment ! Chacha made his way over pointing to my lunchbox and opened his mouth to speak, I held my hand up and said no way can I eat! he nodded his head and dropped the subject.

We got up to make our way away from the Lava tower and down into the Barranco valley to our camp for the night. My memories of the Lava tower are much more varied than I expected when we set off that morning hee hee! It was a long walk down to the camp. Very, very steep, but amazing as well. We saw the giant senecio trees, our first on the mountain, these ones exclusive to Kilimanjaro - they grow nowhere else on earth the guides told us, such a strange tree and they only grow over 3000m and evolved around one million years ago. I have a fascination for trees and yes these really fascinated me! They can grow to 5 meters in height.

When they flower they grow even taller as they sprout straight out the top! It was a tough day and we were shocked at the steep incline down to our camp in the Barranco valley and we were told we would be climbing back out of the valley the next morning and the path pointed out. It was a humdinger! The altitude sickness symptoms eased but only very slightly, the three of us didn't get rid of our headaches properly, and I was still light-headed. I was out in the camp taking photos and trying not to fall to the ground. At the time I was just praying they wouldn't all be blurred!

That's all for day Four, but I will be back soon with the continuing story of the most amazing journey on a magnificent mountain that can only be Mount.Kilimanjaro!

Until next time

Tracy

    

Mount Kilimanjaro day three

Jambo  everyone

Hope you are all well. It's been nice out this week - really feels like spring is in the air at last. Seems to have been a really long winter this time, I think maybe because of all the snow? Anyway I saw some beautiful wild daffodils today - made me smile, love that spring is finally getting here! - so the crocus's and daffodils are shooting up and we all feel much brighter and happier to see a swath of colours appearing in gardens and parks around us, especially after the months of grey winter we've endured.

It's been an average 7c this week, and when the sun's been shining I've had the jacket off and been walking in just a T shirt. It's been a really pleasant change.

Onto the climb!

Mountain day three - Feb 3rd. Shira camp 1 to Shira camp 2 - 1000ft increase in elevation.

Today was going to be one of our easiest days climb as in it was us continuing across the plateau to   Shira camp 2. Believe it or not even though the terrain was flatter it took us four hours to climb a thousand feet. It was a really amazing day out on the mountain, we had lots of chatting and laughing along the trail.....it's much easier to converse when not climbing ridiculously steep inclines, must because we weren't struggling for breath! Chacha and George are great guys, great guides and great fun to be around. The whole crew all contribute to making this climb so special.

We started our day as always after breakfast with our songs - the crew really enjoy this part of the day, you can tell by the enthusiasm while singing and dancing. We were singing along, we had learned most of the words to the Jambo song now. It's hard to put into words how much it energizes you to sing this song with the boys. It definitely warms you up after the chill of night under canvas on the mountain. It was getting colder on a night, obviously as we were climbing higher. We simply had the best gang of lads, always smiling, encouraging, laughing and congratulating....what more could we want or ask for? All the guys together in photo below.

We were now in the alpine forest, this was our third eco-system in as many days. It's hard to believe such diversity over the three days, it was really nice in the alpine forest. It's like nothing I've experienced before, hard to believe it's all on the same mountain.

We have so far walked in the Lemosho glades ( Forest ), the moorland and now our third day in the alpine forest.

The plan was after reaching camp and chilling for a while to recover we would go for a walk for about ninety minutes, climbing higher to help with our acclimatization, I was on and off feeling some effects from the altitude, albeit fairly mild at the moment, they were definitely there. Light-headed, dull headache, slight balance issues....it's strange because my balance issues are taking  me off to the right ( had to be didn't it! - my weakest ankle after fully rupturing my anterior talofibular ligament ) and Bec's had her off to the left! So that's where we would be heading after a rest - up higher on the mountain.

It really was a great walk, it was nice to be able to really absorb our surroundings, to stop have a rest, we weren't in a hurry to reach camp, chat and of course laugh. We were learning more about Chacha and George and they about us. Although it was more sedate regarding steepness it was still tough. I think a lot of this is the tiredness, a symptom of the altitude and lack of calories. Wasn't particularly eating well but my fluid intake was absolutely fine. The pain in my right lung was bothersome today, it never really eased off and maybe that's why I thought it was still a bit of a tough walk. It is paining me when I take a breath in, hoping it goes away. I've been taking some antibiotics Bec's brought with her, hopefully they'll do the trick.

We were nearly at the camp and had to climb a boulder wall ( really wish I'd taken photos of it! ) I followed Chacha up the wall and it was definitely my own fault....I had my walking poles in the wrong hand as I went for the final bit of the climb to the top.....I caught the toes of my left foot just under the ridge and went spectacularly over the top head first, Ali shouted as I went, I managed to flip myself over mid air as I was falling.

Cha cha's eyes were like dinner plates, that was all I could see and the blue sky, I'm now sliding down an incline, Ali's shouting "bloody hell Tracy!"...."I'm okay" I shout back as I'm still sliding to who knows where?!!!!  I finally come to a stop, luckily my backpack had taken the brunt of it as I flipped and slid down. Ali's saying ...."Tracy you're shouting I'm okay to me and you were still sliding down the rocks at the time, you didn't even know where you were going!" 

I'm up on my feet with a concerned Chacha checking me over, we are grinning and laughing by now. Bec's said "you okay?" I answered yes so she started giggling. She said the only thing she saw because she was behind Ali was the bottom of my hikers and how they turned mid air as I flipped myself over!  I've battered myself up a bit but it didn't even hurt to be honest....although it did later on. The initial assessment showed I'd got grazes above and below my elbow on my right arm with bruises with both that were about three inches in length. My left shin had a graze and a bruise coming up the size of my hand and my right leg had an egg come up on my shin and was looking like most of it was going to bruise ( it turned out later that it was bruised from knee to ankle ). I didn't notice until we were signing in at camp but  my knee and had a flap of skin loose, it was bleeding a bit. I was joking saying I didn't want to clean it because it had Kilimanjaro dirt in it and I wanted to take it home with me!   

When I later went to lay down I realized I'd obviously caught above my left butt cheek and lower back, I was okay unless I touched the bruises. Just glad I managed to maneuver myself and not crash my head into the rocks. 

I was scored an 8 for style and a 9 for execution! - so with such high scores it meant I didn't have to go repeat in the hope of upping my score!!!   

So after we had chilled we set off on our climb higher up the mountain for our acclimatization, we didn't take our poles with us and scrambled between the rocks. It was a good climb and I was happy because I didn't feel light-headed and my headache was gone. We came to a stop and stayed there about 20 minutes. A couple of the lads from the crew had decided to come with us on our little walk which was really nice.

Today I saw my first senecio tree, I love nature but do have a fascination about trees. I was really pleased to see them, they only grow over 3000m.....crazy!!

We slowly headed back to camp, our walk had done what was needed. Right behind our camp above the line of rocks was the summit of Kilimanjaro, today it was shrouded in the clouds, I hoped it would break tomorrow before we left camp. I really wanted to get a photo, boy we were getting closer! 

I experienced my first Kilimanjaro express today - OMG that was grim!!!....The Kilimanjaro express is the runs to which you get no warning whatsoever. No griping pains, no buggy feeling. I didn't have the express but unfortunately for me - walked into one of the toilets in camp when someone had got it! I think I need therapy to get over it....they poor soul had exploded and I mean exploded all over the place. The walls the floor, they must have wanted to cry if they didn't actually!!! I opened the door and then threw myself back out - OMFG the smell, the sight hit me, me stomach immediately rolled and clenched....I nearly knocked myself out on the door jamb trying to get away from it. I wanted to bleach my eyes seriously....the grimmest thing I've ever had the misfortune to see and experience! I don't ever want to see that again!

I find myself with an almost permanent smile on my face, I feel so at peace and tranquil out here on the mountain. It's everything I imagined and so much more. I know as I always did, somewhere in my subconscious that I was meant to do this, this my personal Everest. Who'd have thought I could be more relaxed and at peace than I am at home.

Next time we climb up to the Lava Tower - the most important day regarding acclimatization at 4600m.

Until next time

Tracy   

    

Restless - Aftermath of epic adventure maybe?

Hello everyone

I've been pretty restless since I got back from Tanzania, I didn't really think too much into it at first....after all I've just been away for eighteen days on the most amazing adventure, climbing a mountain, going on safari and seeing some amazing wild animals in their natural habitat.....having the most amazing but very humbling experience when we went shopping for food for the orphanage and spending the afternoon playing with the children. And all the other memories of the trip rolling around in my head, the friends we made and the continuous laughs we had.

I expected to feel this way, especially when I found the missing version of myself on that trip - on the mountain actually....the explorer version of myself that I lost along the way.....on my journey of treatments, meds and all the consequent diagnosed illnesses and complications in the past few years. But I also expected the restlessness to have faded as real life and work took over.

Thus so far hasn't been the case, don't get me wrong, I love my work and spending all day outside with the gorgeous doggie clans....but I'm still restless. Restless and my concentration is shot.

I had a MRI last week and am back to see my consultant later this month - if this doesn't show anything I know he is going to refer me to the chronic pain clinic....I have had investigation after investigation to which so far in three years they haven't been able to pinpoint what is causing the pain in my left side. The latest theory is it's actually been generated from my dorsal spine - whether it's an old trapping of a nerve that's been damaged and is causing the pain....or a possibility of  some deterioration of my spine due to the osteoporosis, I sincerely hope it's nothing to do with the latter. Anyway, I'll know end of month.

I think a fair bit of it stems from my being stalled at myself and a lost chance to get to know someone I actually really liked because I didn't know she liked me back. I can't explain or put into words how frustrating it is to not understand when someone is flirting with you, showing  their interest in you and you not getting it. I thought she only liked me as a friend when in fact it was more than that.....and by the time I found out, it was too late. The really sad irony of all this is that we've been in contact before and it all went wrong....turns out for the same reason, and even though I tried to explain my problem of my kindergarden understanding of relationship beginnings, I just don't think she believed me. I think she thought I was just messing with her head. And anyone who knows me knows I would never do anything like that,  be so disrespectful to anyone, never mind someone I liked a lot. I take things very literally and it's not like I'm going to say to someone I've just started talking to - oh hey, I don't understand flirting so won't get it....just in case you were planning to do that.....how completely sad would I look? I really hoped to get through the first awkward stage and for her to realise I wasn't understanding and to think it endearing and not just freaky. After that I would be okay, But I wasn't to get that chance. How sad that I feel like I lost her twice when the fact is, she was never mine in the first place.

I feel like I want to be off doing something, something new to take up my thoughts and occupy my mind for a while. Off exploring because the travel bug is back. I am enjoying writing the posts from the Kilimanjaro trip, and in fairness I've got lots I should be writing.....so maybe the answer is to sink myself into that. Who knows if it goes well it might generate the funds to allow me to be off exploring and writing about further adventures!

Here's to me hoping I start to settle soon because I could do with some more sleep for sure!

I'll be doing the next installment of the Kili climb later in the week.

Until next time

Tracy

Day two on Mount.Kilimanjaro

Jambo everyone!

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend!....the weather has been great here in Yorkshire, the suns been shining and you can feel spring in the air!

Our second day saw us leave Mti kubwa camp in the forest and set off for Shira camp 1. This was a full days trek with an altitude gain of 2000ft. Not too long into the trek would see us leave the forest and into the giant moorland zone.

Before we set off the crew did a song for us- wow, all I can say is wow! it was amazing, great fun and really upbeat. We were all stood grinning from ear to ear as we picked up a couple of words and tried to join in. We danced and everything. What a fantastic way to start the day! We were full beans and felt really honoured with our crew. None of the other climb crews did that with their groups. We felt very special!

We were about to go when Chacha pointed out a Blue monkey in the camp.....it is also known as the sky monkey. It had an injured back leg and was roaming around the camp looking for dropped bits of food. It was in no way phased by all the people in camp. It just did it's own thing.

We had managed to make it through the night without any unwanted visitors in the tent - even after bathroom visits in the early hours of the morning! It wasn't a great nights sleep for any of us, the moon was really bright at one point, I actually thought it was near dawn....it was about two am! Experiencing the loo ( hole in the ground in the dark with a tiny torch wasn't anyone's idea of fun I can tell you )

So we got ready to leave our forest camp, quite a few of the groups had set off for the full days trek already. We were cool and relaxed and ready to start our day in earnest. Goodbye camp! Got a happy smiling Bec's photo, she's ready to crack on for the day.

We set off on our first full days trek. It was going to be tough with some very steep climbs ahead of us before we headed down to the Shira plateau and our next camp for the night. It was a really hot day and the sun was out in force....now this was going to add to our discomfort as we hadn't had chance to acclimatise to the heat yet.

Some of the climbs were really steep - George our assistant guide was setting our pace and thankfully we were on with our Pole pole Kilimanjaro. Just as well I don't think any of us would have made it otherwise. As we left the forest behind and entered the moorland zone, the difference was amazing. We kept climbing a strenuous climb and would catch our breath at the top...we were constantly criss-crossing with other groups, so there was plenty of good natured banter and lots of joyful shouts of Jambo!

The going was really tough, especially with the heat! Man!....it physically drained and zapped your energy quickly. I was having problems with an intermittent pain in my right lung, when we were climbing the steep inclines it was bothering me. But I recovered really quickly when we leveled out or stop for a minute breather.....so that made me feel good. George was brilliant - Hakuna matata he said....no worries! pole pole hakuna matata - this was our mantra the whole eight days on the majestic and magnificent Mount.Kilimanjaro. We were so lucky to have two fantastic guides with us.Chacha & George...we wouldn't have made it without these guys and of course the other 14 members of our crew. The most amazing set of lads without a doubt!

Ali was having a tough day - it wasn't the steep inclines....well no more than any of us were struggling with them.....it was the heat. It was really causing her problems and made her feel drained. We were all talking lots of encouragement, we were a team and we knew we were all gonna have a day that was really hard, a day where you hit your wall as it were. Today was Ali's, but she kept on, never a question of her not of course. We were glad for a break when lunch was called!! We were at around 10,000ft now.

We got settled for lunch and more importantly more fluids on board - I don't ever struggle with my fluid intake, I drink a major amount even back home. The girls and Dom weren't doing very well with the drinking and Chacha and George were reminding them a lot to drink more. We sat having lunch while watching a couple of white necked ravens having a bit of a spat....sorting out the pecking order if there were going to be any food about for them to get! beautiful looking birds....saw them quite a lot actually where ever people gathered to eat....bit like the pigeons back in the UK.

Our view from our lunch table as it were! - pretty spectacular I'm sure you agree, we were just outside the Shira crater here.....a very beautiful place to stop and enjoy our picnic lunch! It's difficult to explain how you feel sitting there looking out over views like this, it really does feel quite surreal, like you're not really there almost....so much to absorb!

We set off after lunch on what was a particular gruelling climb, it was long, hard and really steep, we were all feeling it, my breath was a little laboured, but was still keeping the pace. George said to us another 20 minutes and we'd be at the top....so on we went pole pole Kilimanjaro. We made it up and then we hugged and fistbumped, congratulations were given out enthusiatically , Chacha came to me and said you are a really strong woman. I felt overwhelmed and proud to be honest, ha ha, the praise made me feel really good I have to say!

We had a ten minute break and believe it or not we were all recovered and ready to go on, we were now making our way down to the plateau and camp. We'd been walking for some hours now but we were still full of beans and definitely loving every minute if it. What a trip, what a mountain, this so far had surpassed everything I imagined it to be, I knew nothing about this would disappoint me, it wasn't going to be possible. 

We stopped for a break not far from camp - I filled up with tears, this was our first view of the summit, it was actually Kibo in all it's glory. Sitting majestically in front of me the thing I've concentrated on for four years,shrouded in clouds was the object that I had concentrated all my determination and motivation into....the thing I had used to get me on the very long road to recovery, the thing I said all along, I will conquer Kilimanjaro.....and here was my first look at it properly, so yes I filled up. I was emotionally a bit of a wreck ha ha, but got myself under control.

We got to camp and I was sat in the tent after nearly falling head first into as I tripped over the guide ropes much to Bec's amusement, she was laughing that hard I thought she was going to pee herself -  ( did I tell you I'm very clumsy hee hee! ) it was before our evening meal and my face was splitting with a smile that was almost a permanent feature by now and the thoughts and words on a loop in my head were....I'm on Kili, I'm on kili.....over and over and all the time I'm sat grinning like a mad fool. And do you know what???? I didn't care!!!!!

We were here, we were on the mountain, I was sleeping on my mountain!...I was going to conquer Kili and I was going to have the adventure of a lifetime, a wonderful million memory making epic adventure, it was already in the making.

Mountain day two - completed....BOOM!!!

Until next time

Tracy

Mount.Kilimanjaro one hell of a climb!

Hi everyone

This adventure, my challenge I set way back in 2010...this enormous challenge to climb to the summit of Mount.Kilimanjaro....it was finally here, I was so excited on the build up that I didn't sleep for three days before we actually flew! I actually would shake with excitement and anticipation and smile! on man I would break out into the biggest face splitting smile every time my mind thought Kilimanjaro.....I was after so many frustrating years actually going to be getting on that plane to Tanzania and my mountain challenge was on! And now looking back - I still struggle to believe what I've actually accomplished. I have stood on the "Roof of Africa".....amazing and unbelievable.

Friday January 30th - 13.55pm and we were on the plane to Doha airport in Qatar....the first leg of our journey. Suzie had driven Bec's and I to Manchester where we met Ali. And from that moment we girls started with the ribbing,laughing and joking.....this carried on for the whole trip. We landed at Doha 11.50pm local time and then had over seven hours to kill before our connecting flight to Kilimanjaro. The airport is out of this world, the shops were designer, but we found a great cafe with wonderfully comfy seating and a gorgeous hummus to boot! We got on our second plane and with great excitement set off for Moshi and the challenge of a lifetime! We didn't know until the flight had been under way for a fair old time ( it was an eight hour flight ) that we would be stopping at Dar Es Salaam first to drop off passengers. We were to stay on the plane for the hour it would take to get them and their luggage off. Then we were back in the air and onto our destination JRO international airport.

The airport from the outside actually looked like someone's bungalow! - it had what looked like well kept gardens!

  

Boy we nearly passed out when we got off the plane and walked to the airport building. It was around minus 2/3C when we had left the UK and here we was landing Saturday January 31st at 15.25pm to temps of 34C.....mental I tell you!

We were through the airport in good time and was met on the other side by Mussa our wonderful host from Wild Secret Safaris. And we were loaded and on our way to the Keys Hotel in Moshi for our overnight stay before the climb. We got booked in and taken to our rooms - which were little round huts, loved them...simple but great! We then went to a meeting to meet our head guide, chat about our next eight days on the mountain and to have our kit checked out.

The meeting went well and our kit passed muster as it were. Chacha, Mussa and Alphonce left us to get some food etc and said they'd see us at 7.00am to load up and set off.

We grabbed some food and called it a night....we had two rooms between us and said we would rota through so we all got a night on our own unless it was a triple.

07.00am arrives and we happily had breakfast, sorted out with reception for them to store our suitcases until our return and loaded our gear into the van. All we needed now was a photo before we set off and we were ready to hit the mountain!!

Ali and Bec's were full of beans and raring to get this climb going on lol.....we had to travel to Londorossi Gate which was about two hours drive away to register and get all the kit weighed. It was really exciting and Dom an Italian who they'd asked could join our climb was ready to crack on too.

A dreaded selfie and we were in the van and finally on the move - watch out Mount.Kilimanjaro we are coming to get you!!!!

Sunflowers - or more accurately....sunflower crops! I'd never thought of sunflower crops but as soon as I saw the fields of them it clicked and made sense. I was mesmerized by them to be honest, these beautiful and magnificent flowers standing so tall and proud facing the sun! I never actually got a picture.....something I regret but it was fascinating to see them. I like so many of you will have only thought of maybe a couple together growing not hundreds in one place. I couldn't stop looking at them every time we passed a crop, I found it so simple and so very beautiful.

On the way to Londorossi gate we had a puncture hardly surprising if you saw the potholes and deep ruts in the dirt roads. Our climb crew of porters, chef etc passed us in their van while they boys were changing the tyre. When we were back on the road we came upon our crew who had broken down big time in the middle of the road. After Mussa and co chatted with them we were off on route to the gate. They explained they needed to organise the crew and gear to be picked up and brought to the gate for weighing and would do so when we arrived there.

We went and sat in the shaded area with a packed lunch while the guys organised for another company to go get our crew.Firstly they were going to drop their own crew off at the gate to have everything weighed, while that was happening they would go collect our crew and bring them to the gate for the same weighing in process. They would take their own crew to the start point in the Lemosho glades and come back to collect our crew and take them to the start point.......well organised so far away from the town, it was just going to take some time to do that's all.

We were just chilling and chatting among ourselves and with Mussa, Chacha and Alphonce....the time passed quickly and then we were ready to be on our way. Chacha asked if we had our headtorches in our daypacks because we had a 3-4 hour climb ahead of us and it was after 15.00pm now. We checked and in most cases got out of our big packs ( we hadn't expected to need them today ) and we were off for an approx drive of 45 mins through a forest to the Lemosho glades and the true start of our epic climb of Mount.Kilimanjaro....we were completely buzzing, I again was shaking with excitement....it was here, and for all those doubters, I was here and I was about to embark on an experience most will never have in their lifetime. I was here and fit enough to be climbing, I had no matter what proved the doubters wrong! Should never underestimate me and my determination that's for sure.

We were out of the van, smiling at our crew who we would gt to know over the next few days and then we were off on the first days climb through the forest. We were climbing up to Mti Mkubwa camp and would be staying there overnight. Overall the climb wasn't too bad, we managed to do some chatting and laughing on route. There were a few steep climbs that had me completely breathless and I did think on one of them, oh boy this looks like it's gonna be really tough especially with the scarring on my lung!

Chacha had said before we even left Moshi the rules of Kilimanjaro are simple. In Swahili it's a saying Pole pole Kilimanjaro which translates into slowly slowly Kilimanjaro.....it is so true, you aren't going to succeed on the mountain any other way. He went in front to dictate the pace which was a lot steadier than we had been attempting at this height, it wasn't the altitude that was causing most of the problems but the heat. It was in the low 30's C and it was having an affect on us, especially me on this our first climb. Pole pole definitely worked. We made it to camp just as it was getting dark, so no torches needed. Chacha was happy with us, we'd done the first days climb in two hours instead of the 3/4 hours. 

We were definitely happy bunnies and very happily signed in with the officials at the camp.Our names are forever in the records of climbers of Mount.Kilimanjaro - something I'm very proud to say!

We went to the tents of which there was a single and a two man. Ali got the single this night and Bec's & I shared. We put out our sleeping bags, made sure the tent was zipped up ( don't want any unwanted visitors from the forest!! ) and went to the mess tent for our first camp meal. We started with soup - cucumber soup made by our cook Job....it was bloody delicious! Enjoyed our meal, had a cup of Yorkshire tea ( of course I took some teabags with me!! ) and got Dom the Italian coffee drinker on them and Chacha our head guide..... one cup and I'd converted them to the nectar that is Yorkshire tea. My job was done for the day ha!!

An amazing first day walking in the forest and of course all the excitement of the puncture and breakdown before that. We happily chatted about our first day, the adventure and what was still to come. We knew day two was going to be around eight hours of climbing, so a big day ahead. We all called it a night around 20.00pm. We were getting a knock ( if that's possible on a tent ) at 06.30am....so it was time to try sleep with the sounds of the forest and everything that was buzzing in my head. I still hadn't stopped smiling at this time....well apart from my first visit to the toilet....an open at one end wooden structure with a hole in the ground. It wasn't the squatting that bothered me I've done that before in India....it was the rank smell, these things outside....leave a lot to be desired, but it was what it was!

Until next time

Tracy