Returning to Civilisation……

Ilboru Safari Lodge  – 29^th February

Even in the knowledge that there was a proper bed, fresh food and even a shower waiting at the end of toady there was still an air of reluctance as we said our final farewells and grabbed our rucksacks.

The walk out was slated for six hours, first taking us out of the low scrub of the moorland zone and back into the rainforest before finally reaching the gate and signing the register for one last time.

Initially the track was steep and rocky, not a great combination on tired legs but with a more relaxed schedule everyone was able to go at their own pace from those of us steaming ahead at the front to those taking a more leisurely (exhausted) amble at the back!

A quick stop at the Mweka Hut (and a very welcome Mars Bar) and motivated by the prospect of a cold beer (Kilimanjaro of course) we plunged into the deep rainforest.

Once again the sheer variety and saturation of the plant life took our breaths away and almost as a parting gift we caught our first glimpse of the Impatiens Kilimanjaro, a small red and yellow flower exclusive to this mountain!

With gravity now on our side and an almost subconscious urgency to our stride we broke through the forest and arrived at the gate to find ourselves immediately surrounded by a gaggle of sellers peddling t-shirts, posters, books and jewellery.

With exhaustion quickly setting in we ignored their temptations (but not their charm) and quickly signed the register before steeling ourselves for the final 15 mins to our rendezvous.

Settling down to the much promised beer and feeling rather pleased with ourselves we pondered how far behind the rest of our team were.

Bracing ourselves for lengthy wait we did our best to savour the beers that represented the last of our shillings.

The sellers had multiplied since our arrival and now outnumbered us by at least three to one and our pleas of poverty fell not so much on deaf ears as enterprising ones as they offered to trade against our dirty and battered kit!

We resolved to keep our heads down until reinforcements arrived providing a welcome update on everyone’s progress and a very welcome new audience for the sales patter.

Pretty soon there was enough of us to fill one of the buses and tired and exhilarated the long drive provided the perfect opportunity to review some of the 1,500 photo’s I had managed to accumulate across both mountains!

A Big Song and Dance……

Ilboru Safari Lodge  – 29^th February

Just when I thought I had seen everything the mountain had to offer but as I left my tent this morning to find there was at least one stunning view remaining!

For a few minutes I stood mesmerised as my eyes scanned the upper reaches trying to find our route and trying to translate the distant patches of white into the mighty glaciers I had witnessed up close and personal the previous day.

This morning would be the last time we would see many of our guides and porters and there was a tangible sense of anticipation replacing the usual hive of activity.

Throughout our trip these guys had been awesome.

The sight of the porters charging up the mountain with loads many of us would have struggled to lift was both impressive and humbling.

But more than this it was had been the combination of their humour, dedication and excitement that had ensured that our every moment in their care had been as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

A quick team photo, well as quick as it could be with almost 100 trekkers, guides & porters, and it was time for us to thank them for all their hard work.

 Even the mountain managed to sneak into this pic!

At the start of the trip we had each contributed $100 into the tip pool but by the time we had reached the buffalo camp we had all added an additional $10-$20.

This pool had been carefully broken down and was distributed according to rank with the porters and cooks receiving theirs first before moving onto the guides and finally (and to the biggest cheer) our head guide Meke.

 Meke receiving his tip from John.

As their final gift to us the crew broke out into song to celebrate our time on the mountain and for the next 15 minutes blew us away with their enthusiasm and energy creating an indescribably emotional experience.

 

 

Eventually things wound down and realising that we weren’t off the mountain yet we grudgingly returned to prepping our kit ahead of the final outing of that now familiar cry “Saddle Up”!

Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro,                                     Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro,
Kilimanjaro, mlima mrefu sana.                           Kilimanjaro, long mountain journey.
 Na Mawenzi, na Mawenzi,                                   And Mawenzi, and Mawenzi,
 Na Mawenzi, mlima mrefu sana.                         And Mawenzi, long mountain journey.
Ewe nyoka, ewe nyoka,                                      As a snake, as a snake, 
Ewe nyoka, mbona waninzungukaa.                    As a snake, it winds all around.
  
Jambo, Jambo Bwana,                                      Hello, Hello Sir, 

Habari gani,                                                      How are you? 
Mzuri sana,                                                       Very fine, 
Wageni, mwakaribishwa,                                    Foreigners, you’re welcome, 
Kilimanjaro yetu,                                                to Kilimanjaro. 
Hakuna Matata.                                                 There is no problem.

Are we there yet…...

Millennium Camp – 28^th February

There was a strange atmosphere over lunch, there was undoubtedly a strong sense of satisfaction (and relief) at having reached the summit but already at the limits of exhaustion nobody was relishing the last couple of hours to the Millennium Camp.

Having nibbled away at stale sandwiches eaten (and devoured any remaining chocolate) it was time to head off.

Again aware of the concerned looks we were getting from new arrivals to the camp, fresh and eager ahead of their summit attempts but now wondering just what may lay ahead!

It didn’t take long for us to fall into a familiar rhythm and our spirits began to lift as the gradient became less steep and as the cloud closed in it was possible to start making out some figures coming towards us.

It was a group of our porters who had headed up from the camp to meet us, eager to celebrate our success and help in whatever way they could.

Big smiles, handshakes and high fives provided an amazing boost to our morale along with the news that we had perhaps less than an hour to go.

It’s remarkable what a difference a couple of hours can make but having left Barafu camp resembling an almost broken, shell of a team we now marched tall and proud into the Millennium Camp!

After almost 14 hours on our feet, having climbed 1,200m and descending approximately double that it was with total relief that I found my tent and dropped my rucksack.

Having signed in at the camp (and paid over the odds for four cans of beer) I was eager to join up with the rest of the group to compare notes and wait for our last remaining teammates.

The last I had seen of Georgie and Kate had been at the bottom of the final climb to the summit plateau and whilst I had little doubt they would have made it to the top I could only wonder how much they would have left for the descent.

After an excruciating their arrival, along with confirmation of their success, marked a collective sigh of relief and the start of our celebrations as we tallied up the numbers.

From a group of 20 everyone had reached Stella Point, an amazing achievement and true testament to the determination and patience everyone had shown.

Unfortunately two couldn’t make it any further, one being completely spent with the effort of making it that far and the other almost delirious from the altitude their guide made the only decision really available.

Everyone else had made it all the way to Uhuru Peak, an incredible effort and something that had been all but unimaginable little over a week earlier!

Needless to say celebrations were somewhat muted, wine and whisky had been saved for the occasion and was dutifully drunk but otherwise it was early nights and a well earned rest for our weary limbs.

What goes up……...

Millennium Camp – 28^th February

Slowly, grudgingly we began our descent but high (quite literally) with our success we were able to absorb a lot more of the experience than we had on the way up.

The views were quite simply stunning, I’d become accustomed to photos of a snow capped Kibo but being here it was almost impossible to relate those images to the towering glaciers we were now walking past.

 This photo keeps amazing me and then I remember that I TOOK IT!

Now working with gravity rather than against it, made the descent to Stella Point comparatively easy where we took a few moments to contemplate the path ahead.

 Looking back to Uhuru Peak from Stella Point.

The angle and the shape of the slope made the route seem almost impossibly steep and complete with deep piles of scree and sand you just knew that there was still plenty of hard work left to be done.

It's almost like the tipping point at the top of a rollercoaster! 

But our nagging headaches were a constant reminder of the altitude and so knowing the only way to clear these would be to descend as quickly as possible we resigned ourselves to whatever the next few hours would bring.

The best way forward is with big confident steps, sometimes bounding into welcoming piles of sand whilst at others almost “skiing” across a wave of tumbling scree.

 Jas & Raj, slowing down but still going!

It can be immense fun but it also requires a huge amount of focus and energy so after a few near falls and untidy slips it was perhaps inevitable that our progressed slowed.

It took us little over an hour to descend what had taken us the entire morning (and night) to climb and as we broke through the 5,000m mark our heads began to clear the “thickening” of the air was almost tangible.

We thought we had broken the back of the descent as the gradient began to ease off but the as the cloud broke we caught our first glimpse of the brutal descent standing between us and our “lunch break” at Barufu Camp.

The scree had gone but had been replaced with boulders and rocks making the descent exhausting at best and treacherous at worst.

A familiar silence descended over us as we each focussed on the task at hand and searched for the strength to meet this new challenge.

I’m not sure what we must have looked like but I doubt we provided much inspiration to the trekkers based at Barafu camp (ahead of their forthcoming summit attempts) as we trudged wearily towards the flattest spot available before collapsing and tucking into a well earned lunch!

The Snows of Kilimanjaro……

Millennium Camp – 28^th February

To say we left Stella Point with a renewed energy and enthusiasm would be a slight exaggeration but there was a definite lift that came with the knowledge that there was now a little over 100m height left to gain.

 It was hard to appreciate the amazing glaciers whilst

fighting our way towards the summit.

It’s hard to find the words to describe the effect of the altitude but breathing with the lack of oxygen is almost like drinking a very watery soup, the taste is there but it’s just not very satisfying!

Aside from the lingering headache your ability to concentrate is also diminished and even simple tasks require a significant amount of effort.

Confusion reigned supreme as we approached the final climb which is neither particularly long nor steep.

In my training I’d run up trickier hills without too much trouble but confusion reigned supreme as I attempted to reconcile that knowledge with the near insurmountable obstacle that now lay before me.

Our pace by this point was little more than a shuffle and with each of us embroiled in our own battle it was impossible to offer any further support than your own gasping breath and the crunch of your boots on the snow.

Finally we crested the ridge and there it was, a tantalising 300 yards away, was the summit.

 Possibly the most welcome sight in the world?

In a burst of adrenaline I forged ahead, almost collapsing on the “step” beneath the sign, watching Jas and Raj making their final, weary but triumphant steps.

Without barely a word being spoken we took a few moments to sit in silence allowing the enormity of our achievement to sink in.

 Silence is golden.

Our guide, Emanuel, must have witnessed this moment dozens of times but appeared genuinely thrilled to have shared this journey with us and once again was leading the way but this time with handshakes and photos!

 Jas, me and Raj feeling pretty pleased with ourselves!

About 15-20 minutes after our own arrival the next group of Kids Co summiteers, including to my delight, a tearful Nerissa turned up.

 With our summit guide Emanuel (and an emotional Nerissa)!

Their arrival was marked by more boisterous celebrations than our own and soon it was time for us to slowly, almost grudgingly, begin our long descent.

  

Looking towards the crater from Uhuru Peak.

Our delayed start had meant that for almost 20 minutes we had the summit to ourselves allowing us the time to savour our moment in this special place.

The Summit Team……

Millennium Camp – 28^th February

Amongst the buzz and excitement I managed to find a spot to sit and rest my aching legs and enjoy a quiet moment to allow the situation to sink.

I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder and looked up to see the smiling face of one of our guides, Bobby, and a steaming cup of sweet tea reaching out towards me.

It proved the perfect remedy to my flagging spirits and knowing that any rest was destined to be short lived on this small windswept perch I picked myself up for my first look about as the others began to leave.

To my right was a breathtaking collection of glaciers, made up of blue/green ice and rising up in tiers they appeared almost cathedral like (or a suitable lair for a megalomaniac villain from a Bond film).

 Welcome Mr Bond!

However as uplifting as the view in that direction was my hopes were soon dashed as I turned my gaze to the left.

On paper, once you’ve reached Gillmans Point you have effectively “beaten” the best the mountain has to offer all that remains is a relatively straightforward walk with a few minor ascents to reach the summit.

However mountains aren’t climbed on paper and with my lungs screaming for oxygen and the wind doing its best to suck the air out of my mouth I could feel my heart sink as I scanned the route to the summit plateau.

 The summits at the high point of that ridge, easy right?

Reminding myself that if I could make it to this point I could sure as hell make it the rest of the way I looked at the path ahead and spotted my “boys” and original “A-Team” members Jas and Raj.

I’d really enjoyed their company throughout the trek and having started out with virtually no experience of mountains it had been watching them grow in strength and confidence that had made me want to be part of their group.

Looking back Nerissa appeared to be enjoying the support and attention she was getting from the guides so deciding I had done all I could for her I kicked on and spent the next 20 mins catching up with the guys.

When I did catch up I’m not sure who was happier them or me, but as we closed in on Stella Point, the final “checkpoint” before the top, there was a tangible uplift in all our spirits now that our summit team was in place!

 The Summit Team at Stella Point

(and wearing pretty much everything we had)!

“It’s supposed to be hard”……

Millennium Camp – 28^th February

Reaching the Hans Meyer cave brought with it a very welcome break and because we had delayed our start we were treated to possibly the most majestic sunrise yet with the jagged edges of Mawenzi in the background and the sharp yet barren slope we had just climbed beneath us.

 After hours walking in the dark, the first hint of light.

Doing my rounds having a few words with everyone (hard to manage much more in the thin air), I noticed Nerissa crouched with a nearby guide offering a supportive arm.

As I approached it was evident that she was in a bit of a state and there were tears streaming down her face as she looked at me, “It’s too hard” were the words I could barely hear above the wind.

My response was typically sympathetic and understanding, “Of course it’s hard, it’s supposed to be hard which is exactly why we’re here!”

My extended hand was gratefully grasped as we pulled Nerissa back to her feeand the Kids Co train was on the move again.

 Sunrise behind Mawenzi.

The next half hour was a nightmare as we cycled through cajoling, ordering and at times simply pushing Nerrisa up the slope until her desperation and thoughts of quitting gave way to those of resignation and submissive compliance allowing us to settle once more into a weary trudge.

“As the bird flies” the ascent from Hens Mayer Cave to Gilmans point covers little over a kilometre but a relentless series of zig zags/switchbacks across the scree slope means that the distance covered is closer to 3.5km.

We watched the rest of the group stretch out across the slope as the guide and I tried to coax Nerissa through each leg.

Desperately we searched for a pace that would ensure we could make it to the next turn before having to rest until eventually our rhythm improved and we began to catch up.

 Laura & Mish in their Hi Vis gear (courtesy of a star sponsor) 

at the Hans Meyer Cave

Far ahead I could make out the lead group from the Kids Company, tantalisingly close to reaching Gilmans Point and the end of this brutal climb.

Willing them to make it, if for no other reason than to prove it was possible I watched with increasing horror as over the next hour I kept looking up expecting to see that they had disappeared from view but instead discovering they had simply reversed direction as the ticked off another switchback.

The reason for this soon became clear as the sign heralding Gillmans Point came into view the track (?!) steepened, the height of the steps increased and the real work began.

If the previous four hours had seemed tough it was nothing compared to what lay ahead over the next sixty minutes.

In the rarefied air our lungs gasped for any oxygen that was available as our already slow progress ground to a near halt and for the first time I found myself entertaining the notion of failure.

 Looking back down the path we'd walked up

(I'd long given up looking at what lay ahead)

I wondered whether I had the strength, the courage and the heart to go on and as I fought against the unnatural tempo of Nerissas stop/start pace I wondered if my decision to help her may prove my undoing.

Drawing deep into my reserves I recalled my own advice and focussed on the text message I wanted to send Claire and focussed entirely on the usually simple act of planting one foot in front of the other.

Just as I was reaching the point of exasperation I stepped up and felt a biting increase in the wind chill cutting into my face.

Having long given up looking up to what lay ahead I raised my eyes and there was the sign congratulating us on reaching Gillmans Point and better still were the smiling, celebratory faces of our team mates.

Sleepwalking……

Millennium Camp – 28^th February

It started with a rattle of our tent, it was and a quick check confirmed that there was no sign of the storm, it was 2am and our attempt at Uhuru peak, the summit of Kilimanjaro, was ON!

Complete chaos ensued, despite having prepped all our kit before going to bed there were people and rucksacks everywhere and by the time I had fought my way to the mess tent there was precious little of the breakfast left.

I seemed inundated by everyone asking for help with their rucksacks, gloves, even their lunches, which whilst I was happy to give I was desperate for just five minutes just for the chance to get myself sorted!

 I’d barely managed to get my gloves onto my own freezing hands when the familiar call of “Saddle Up” came from John.

Frantically rushing to get my water sorted, rucksack on and a flapjack down my neck I was just in time to join the back of the line as the person before me stepped off.

With my first moment to pause and think since waking up the reality of the situation began to sink in, after all the planning, preparation and training it was all going to come down to the next 7-8 hours.

Having failed to find it for the last few days (despite some wonderful clear skies) I looked up to the sky and just above the dark silhouette was the familiar pattern of the “Plough”.

An instant morale boost I felt the adrenaline (and panic) of the last 45 minutes subside as once again I began a summit day feeling Claire’s  hand on my shoulder and whispers of support in my ear.

Walking now as one big team the pace at times was frustratingly slow but with an idea of what was yet to come I worked hard to adapt my rhythm and enjoy the comparatively easy progress.

An hour passed and then another, between the altitude and the effort of the walking there was precious little breath left for conversation.

With just the beam of your head torch and the feet of the person in front for company it was hard to note any of the usual checkpoints.

Between the lack of stimulation and the monotony of planting one foot in front of the other it’s perhaps not surprising that tiredness began to take hold.

Gradually I felt my eyes grow heavier until eventually I’d “drift off” before I’d feel my head snap up and my eyes spring open and wonder what the hell had just happened!

I tried to fight it as best as I could, memory games, biting my lip, anything that might help keep me awake but all to no avail and by the time we reached the Hans Meyer cave my “micro sleeps” must have been into double figures!

False Start…....

Millennium Camp – 28^th February 

Needless to say the atmosphere over dinner was electric and it was somewhat grudgingly that we all made our way to our tents around 6pm to try and get some sleep.

My mind was swimming with thoughts as I lay in my sleeping bag, I had reached this point feeling stronger than I could have ever hoped for and whilst I knew I was within touching distance of achieving my dream I also knew the worst was yet to come.

Every blog, guide book and account of the summit day talks about the hellish scree slope that you have to climb to reach Gillman’s Point and over the last 18 months it had become something of a mantra for every time I wanted to quit on a run “you’re not going to quit on the scree so you’re not going to quit NOW!”.

Eventually I drifted off and whilst I slept well, it felt as though I was awake again barely minutes after my eyes had shut.

The darkness surrounding the tent confirmed that this wasn’t the case and a quick check on my watch confirmed that it had just gone 10pm.

Knowing that it would be nigh impossible to get back to sleep again feeling this excited I lay there mentally checking my kit until suddenly there was an unwelcome flash quickly followed by the menacing rumble of thunder.

The next half hour was agonising, I knew that there was no way we’d be setting off in the middle of an electrical storm and so I was left contemplating the devastating prospect of heading home having gotten this close.

At times it felt as though the storm was mocking us as it would appear to move on giving us a glimmer of hope before suddenly returning right on top of us and more violent than ever before.

It may have been foolish optimism or just a bad case of denial but I refused to believe that my Kilimanjaro dream was about to be scuppered by the weather, so at 10:45pm I started to get myself ready.

My heart refused to believe what my head knew was inevitable and I paused straining to hear John and Mweke discuss our options.

I knew what was coming as John approached our tent, the light from my headtorch having betrayed me:

“Who’s that?”

“Simon”

“Go back to bed mate, we’ll have another look at 2am”

I’m not a religious man and so I cannot describe what I did as I slumped back into my sleeping bag as praying, however what I did do was hope.  

I hoped with the very fibre of my being until it felt an almost physical act to be allowed my shot at the summit but as I drifted in to sleep the storm rolled on.

The A Team…....

Outward Bound School Hut – 27^th February 

The plan is to split the group into two teams for the summit ascent.

The first team will aim to leave around 11:00pm (TONIGHT!) with the second following approximately 45mins later.

The idea is that both will walk at a similar pace but the extra time will allow for extra breaks for team A and in theory we should all reach the summit at about the same time.

So far I’m still feeling strong and have been walking well, I’ve no doubt in my mind that tomorrow is likely to be tougher than anything I have done before (and probably than I can imagine) so I could have a lie in (?!) and go with the second group.

However, I’ve been in a really fortunate position to be able to help many of the guys in the “A Team” throughout the trek and as a result have developed a stronger bond with many of them.

I also can’t help but feel that it would be a real privilege to see some of the guys (and girls) who were struggling so badly on the first day achieve something that at times must have felt so out of reach.

And if there is some small way left in which I can help these guys to make it then that really would be something truly special and can only enrich my own journey to the top.

 The Proposed "A Team"

Nerissa, Dembi & Joe

Jas, Kate & Raj

Suzie & Yours Truly 

Let It Snow……

Outward Bound School Hut – 27^th February 

I woke up this morning to the sound of rain hammering down onto the tent, never the most encouraging start to the day but eventually I managed to coax myself from the warm comfort of my sleeping bag.

I was completely unprepared for the view that met me when I left the tent, it seems it wasn’t rain that fell last night but snow, to the extent that now almost the whole of the Kibo massif was now covered!

 Kibo the evning before.....

 and Kibo the morning after!

A distinct pattern developed in the conversation as the others began to emerge from their tents:

“Morning Raj”

“Morning Simon”

“Seen the mountain?”

“F****** Hell!!"

“Morning Nerissa”

“Morning Simon”

“Seen the mountain?"

“Oh My F******* God, are we going up that?”

And so it continued until everyone was up and the guides were convinced we were all suffering from tourettes!

In many ways it was the perfect start to the day and the excitement was tangible over breakfast as the realisation set in that with a planned 11pm start most of us would be starting our summit push…..TODAY!

We set off following the same route as our little walk the previous afternoon but we could all feel the pinch as the gradient steepened and we passed the high point of yesterday.

 Almost at yesterdays high point.

Spirits remained high within the group and, touch wood, the altitude headaches were staying away however both the groups pace (and banter) began to slow.

As we approached 4,500m John announced “Congratulations guys you’ve just reached the summit of the Matterhorn”, we summoned as much of a cheer as we could but I suspect he may have been hoping for a little more enthusiasm!

 John & Mweke no doubt discussing improtant summit strategy!

There was a slightly bigger cheer when we turned a corner and could see the camp however whilst despite it seeming almost within touching distance it still took another half hour before we could drop our packs.

Once again our porters have excelled themselves, finding one of the flattest pitches for our tent and a cracking view of Mawenzi thrown in for good measure.

 The view from our tent.

The atmosphere is happy and relaxed, everyone appears to be feeling pretty good and trying to conserve their energy for what lies ahed.

Personally I feel as though I’m walking around in a bit of a daze, the top is now tantalisingly close and after 3 and a half years I can’t quite believe that I’m here.

There’s still an awful lot of work to do and I’ve little doubt that tomorrow will be hell in places but I’ve reached this point feeling strong and well acclimatised.

The afternoon cloud rolling in (our tent in the foreground).

All I have to do now is concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other and focus on the thought of sending Claire the text message saying “Kilimanjaro……DONE!”

 One more sleep to go!

Keep On Moving…....

Third Cave Camp – 26^th February 

Everyone was a little bleary eyed this morning, given the nature of this site most of the tents had been pitched on a slope so folks spent much of the night either rolling into one another of sliding down towards the door.

Tent mate James enjoying his early morning coffee.

Fortunately I had another pretty good nights sleep.  This may be due to the fact that our porters had done an excellent job and pitched our tent on a comparatively flat spot or it may be because I had a decent tote of scotch before turning in for the night….personally I prefer the idea touted by John that I obviously have a clearer conscience than most!

 The crew getting ready to break camp.

This mornings walk was scheduled to take between 4-5 hours and with no real improvement in the weather and no change in the landscape I think the general consensus was to get our heads down and crack on with it.

 Heads down and cracking on!

Thankfully whatever may have been lacking in the weather/views was more than compensated by the spirits of the group and these were raised further when just a little over three hours we crested a ridge and were met with views of the campsite.

The welcome sight of the Third Cave Camp.

Morale was further boosted by the news that there had been a resupply that morning too, it’s remarkable just how much of a difference a can of hot chocolate can make but after several days the lack of variety was starting to tell making those little luxuries all the more important!

Again there was an afternoon excursion ascending to approx 350m higher before returning to camp.

To be honest it would have been very easy to have settled down in my tent with my book and spend the afternoon chilling out but it was an excellent chance to boost my acclimatisation and let’s face it I’m probably not going to be here again so it seemed foolish to pass it up.

As we were only going to be gone for a couple of hours I left my rucksack behind and it felt liberating to walk without the persistent tug at my shoulders.

 Making our way up to the ridge.

Motoring my way up to the top of the ridge we were rewarded with our first good views of Mawenzi, looking like Mount Doom from Lord of The Rings it is “other” peak on Kilimanjaro. 

A local Chagga legend tells how Mawenzi was always jealous of Kibo and one day having let it’s own fire burn out helped itself to some of it’s taller neighbours.

Returning to find his hot coals missing Kibo struck a crashing blow to Mawenzi rendering him forever dormant and creating the jagged formation that stands today!

Mawenzi, straight out of Mordor?

Over dinner there was an noticeable increase in everyone’s level of excitement, Kibo now feels tantalisingly close an tomorrow marks the start of our summit push with the climb to the Outward Bound School hut.

Moonwalking……

Buffalo Ridge Camp – 25^th February 

Thankfully we still have a full team as everybody who was struggling with AMS yesterday have woken up with clear enough heads to continue.

Another morning another beautiful sunrise.

Poor old Emma looks as though she has been 10 rounds with…..well, the mountain, but it really is a herculean effort after what she went through yesterday and along with an overwhelming sense of relief there is a renewed energy amongst the group.

 Mich & Coops admiring the cloud inversion over the Shira plateau.

 Although there is minimal height gain during today’s walk the first part of our walk takes us back up and past the base of Little Lent Hill so those that didn’t make the excursion yesterday afternoon left slightly earlier in order to reach the summit.

 The early risers on top of Little Lent (but only if you look REALLY closely).

 As usual it didn’t take the porters long  to catch up, overtake and disappear into the distance as we puffed our way back up to the crest of the ridge we had already climbed yesterday.  

You really do have to pause with amazement as these guys pass carrying the kind of loads that make your shoulders ache just looking at them, yet they almost always have a smile and a cheery “Jambo” as they motor past!

The porters, having caught up and overtaken us, continue on their relentless march!

Whilst initially spectacular, several hours making our way across the same featureless landscape has become, dare I say, a bit tedious.

Couple this with decent fog, denying us any of the breathtaking vistas we had enjoyed over the previous days it’s perhaps not surprising that the early morning enthusiasm had dissipated by the time we stopped for lunch.

However after lunch we began losing height and quickly found ourselves back amongst the moorland zone characterised by it’s more prolific plant life.

There were even occasions when the cloud broke long enough to afford us a glimpse across the border into Kenya a view a tiny fraction of the visitors to Kili get to see as the majority of routes shun the North side of the mountain.

 Looking into Kenya.

Having reached the traditional spot for the Buffalo Ridge camps we carried on for another 45 mins for our campsite in a more sheltered location and once again our porters had done us proud pitching our tent on possibly the flattest area within the site!

The fog that had been a persistent feature of the day began to clear shortly before dinner and there was a brief moment when we were treated to a spectacular “double ended” rainbow.

 One rainbow, two ends and not a pot of gold in sight!

It may be the drop in temperature and I’m sure the “forced” slouch of the camping chairs hasn’t helped but my back has felt a little tight today (I’m absolutely certain it’s nothing to do with carting that rock up Little Lent yesterday).

However despite having felt a little “woolly” at times today my head is now clear and my legs are feeling strong which is great because by the end of tomorrow we will have finished our traverse and gearing up for our attempt on the summit. 

 The undoubted star of the day, Emma still going after her run in with AMS

and even managing the occassional smile!