August 16 - Looking Back on the Summit

I didn't make my next journal entry for a few days.  I was just too wasted to care.  As evidenced by this entry, it was a tough couple of days getting to the summit and back down.  The summit push starts and midnight after a brief, nonexistent sleep.  We would hike through the night, summit at sunrise and immediately head back down after just a few moments at the top.  I have almost no pictures of this phase as I was too tired to care.  On the way down I sustained myself by mentally composing a scathing letter to the adventure tour company I used.  In that moment the whole think seemed ludicrous but in hindsight I was just whipped.

Journal Entry
Catching up on this.  The summit night was brutal.  Started off well enough, argued with the guide about my pack.  (My guide was concerned that I and packed too much in my personal pack for the summit push.  You're supposed to take the bare minimum and leave the rest at camp.  For my part I was concerned about being ready for unpredictable weather.  My guide was right in the end.)  We all headed off around midnight.  Quite a spectacle.  All those people winding up the mountain with headlamps.  Much warmer than expected.  The trail is steep with some occasional scrambling.  Very slow pace set by Tony.  Graham is complaining  too slow but they don't listen.  Around 3am wind picks up and I need my balaclava.  After I put it on I have trouble breathing.  Eventually stop and grab my jackknife.  Did't even bother to take the balaclava off - just opened my mouth and stuck the knife through the fabric.  Tony freaked out until he understood what I was doing. It works well and now I can breathe.

Trail starts to seem impossible.  Guides are great - they sing improvised African songs to lighten the mood.  Terrain is super steep and sandy - difficult footing.  At one point earmuffs fall off and start rolling down the mountain.  Dove for them and recovered.  Climb would have been over.  (I am subject to vicious ear aches in cold wind.  Even with the balaclava I was very worried about how I'd cope without the additional covering of the muffs.)

Amazingly we make it to Stella Point at sunrise.  (Stella Point is the lowest point of the crater rim and considered the lower summit of the mountain.  Uhuru Peak is the actual summit.)  I am exhausted and would be easily convinced  to stop here.  Everyone pushes me to go to Uhuru.  I get up and go.  Stoic now - in automatic.  People are puking, crying, you name it.  Pass a Korean  girl - quite young - totally out of it and staggering.

We arrive at the top.  Not quite what I expected.  Lots of people at the sign, have to jockey for position and a picture.  Feeling chest constriction - assume the cold, exertion and lack of sleep have stepped up my sore throat into a chest cold.  At one point I start getting emotional and this causes me to choke.  Can't breathe.  Guide urges me to go down.  As we leave I am aware of the spectacle around but can't muster the interest to take pictures - sad.

Me at the summit

Graham and I at the summit. 

I very much regret feeling so poorly at the summit.  I knew I was taking a risk to do the climb with a cold coming on but I couldn't bail on a dream.  While at the summit I was aware at one level of the achievement but I felt so lousy I couldn't even muster the energy to take pictures.  Thankfully our guide forced me to give him my camera so he could snap a pic of me at the summit sign.  I think I took a few pics on my Blackberry as well but I've lost track of those.  There were stunning views of the glaciers - the famous Snows of Kilimanjaro, and an awesome view down into the crater.  I have no record of any of it.  Just the pics of me and one video selfie that I won't publish because I become emotional and subsequently start to choke.  Not my finest moment - or maybe it was...?

At Stella Point I look down on the slope we climbed now that it's daylight.  In a word, insane.  Everyone in a big hurry to get down.  Had been looking forward to "skiing" down the scree but this takes more energy than I have.  Awkward slide-steps down in the loose footing.  It seems easy and fun to others but I'm dying.  We stop for a break and my Camelback tube is frozen.  Guide urges me to get up and keep going but I pull it from my pack and gulp water from the filler cap.

When we get back to Baraffu the plan is to rest for 2 hours and then hike a long way down to Mweka camp.  This seems next to impossible to me and I refuse to get up but they literally start pulling the pegs from my tent when it's time.  Long, unpleasant downhill hike to next camp.  Can't believe they expect so much in so little time.  At camp I sleep for a couple of hours and they wake me up for dinner.  My lungs are full of gunk and I can barely breathe.  I ask Gaspa what my options are if this becomes an emergency.  He seems unfazed.  

Back on the lower mountain we return to lush foliage and groomed trails

Next morning wake up feeling much better.  Ready to tackle final hike to the finish and be done with the whole thing.  Barely choke down breakfast - not because I'm sick but because I'm sick of camp food.  Same shit every day.  A weiner passes for a breakfast sausage along with stale bread.  The last walk down is pleasant but steep and slippery - toes hurt from downhill hiking. 

One of the porters.  They carried everything on their heads - even backpacks

At last we're down and are driven back to hotel.  Was so looking forward to a hot shower but water goes cold right away.  So disappointed but feels good anyway.  Found out later you have to flick a switch to warm the water up - energy conservation.

I am awarded my certificate for reaching Uhuru.  I am proud but it seems jaded by how sick I got.  Really wanted to finish strong.  Ezra and Maria watch the little ceremony glumly as they didn't summit.  Tipped Tony and Gaspa $300 plus I gave them my sleeping bag and down jacket.  Bastards still looked hard done by.

They make a little ceremony out of awarding your certificate for summiting 

After clean up went into Moshi with Graham.  Such a strange place.  We had a great Indian meal at a place the hotel suggested.  Lots of beers this day.  Discovered I prefer Tusker to Kilimanjaro beer.  Ended the day by myself, sipping Chivas and smoking a Capone, reflecting.

This morning getting ready to catch a ride to Arusha to start safari.  Still troubles sleeping but the stakes are not as high any more.

August 13 - Getting Close

This was a tough day of climbing but I was keeping pace with my Australian ranger friend and enjoying his company so the miles melted away.  The day started with a scramble up a rock face known as the Barranco Wall.  The most striking part about it was not the act of picking my way up the boulders but watching the porters with their incredibly heavy loads just bounding up.

We arrived early at camp but that was good because we had the summit to attempt that night at midnight.

Sitting in camp with our head guide (right) and a couple of my trekking buddies

Journal Entry:
Arrived at Baraffu camp - last stop before the summit.  Incredibly long, tough day.  Was very worried because I'm not sleeping at all.  But I did well all day - our pace was excellent.  We even beat our own porters to the camp and had to huddle on the rocks until our stuff arrived.  Passed a guy coming down who was a wreck and he said he almost killed himself.  

Looking back from the top of the Barranco wall

So much up and down today.  We would do a huge climb only to descend back into a valley.  The wall was tough but fun.  Was able to go very slowly most of the way because so many people were climbing.

We arrived at today's camp before our porters.  Time for a well earned snack

Me at Baraffu camp.  Only hours before our push to the summit

August 12 - Feeling Better

Big sigh of relief.  After yesterday I thought this mountain might get the better of me.  The books consider today's hike to be harder still.  In fact it went well.  Lots of altitude gain but not so steep.  Did really well.  Set my own pace which was good.  The sun has come out in camp but it was very cloudy and cold most of the day.  Gorgeous scenery most of the way!

Tomorrow is a HUGE day.  It starts with the Barranco wall - very steep with scrambling - then quite a bit of distance and altitude gain.  Tomorrow night we head for the summit very late in the evening.

Feeling much better - no symptoms of AMS.  Must be the Diamox.  Also my throat not gotten worse - THANK YOU GOD.

Strange raven-like birds were a feature of our 2nd camp

The upper slopes of Kili host vegetation that is found nowhere
else in the world, such as these Lobelia Deckenili

Getting close to camp.  Long day of walking.

August 11 - Day 2 of the Climb

Holy (expletive).  2nd day on the mountain.  Tired, dirty and either hot or cold.  Yesterday went well.  Long day of hiking but not too steep.  Met an Aussie named Graham and we led the way.  First camp was good but very cold as soon as the sun went down.  Didn't sleep much that night.  Warm enough but Diamox made me pee like a race horse.

My Aussie climbing buddy Graham and an airline pilot from South Africa

Food is different but appreciated.  Hot soup every meal.

Day 2 was exhausting.  HUGE vertical with very few breaks.  Like doing Grouse Mountain 3 times.  Thought I might be toast but the guide took some of my stuff from my pack and let me set the pace for the group.  Plus, more gradual slope then.  Felt much better when we got to camp and even better after lunch.  Dust is blowing everywhere so I am filthy and my eyes sting.  This is going to be tough.  Sore throat - cold symptoms.  Poly Poly... one challenge at a time.

The view back down on the 2nd day.  Already above the clouds

The Rest of the Story - Long Overdue...

It's been a number of years since I returned from Africa and this blog has sat unfinished since then.  I've been tempted a number of times to complete it but many of the details have gotten fuzzy so I was reluctant.  Not long ago I was rummaging through my drawers and came across the little notebook that served as my journal during the trip.  It occurred to me that this journal, with it's frank thoughts written in the thick of the trip, would provide a better account of the trip than my feeble memory could ever hope to.  What follows is the exact text of my journal (in italics) along with some current reflections on my memory of the event.  I hope you enjoy...

Arrival in Africa - Day 1

August 9, 2009 - Arrival

I arrived in Africa after a relatively painless red-eye flight on a Kenya Airways 777. I'm not sure why I expected my flight to be an uncomfortable ride in an old airplane but it was anything but. Thus died the first of many stupid misconceptions about East Africa.

On my arrival in Nairobi I had a lengthy wait for my commuter flight to Kilimanjaro airport in Tanzania. Seats were at a premium in this airport and I soon figured out you have to divide your time between walking around and staking out a seat that looks like it may be vacated soon. At first I was irritated with my long wait but as I looked around there were people everywhere sitting on the floor, reading and generally settling in for their own long waits. The stopover did give me the chance to take in my new environment as a spectator and do some people watching. My first gaff of the trip came when I went to one of the currency exchange counters and changed a bunch of US Dollars into Schillings. After receiving the wad of notes from the teller I started packing them away in my various travel wallets until I realized that I had just purchased a bunch of Kenyan currency which would be all but useless in Tanzania. I sheepishly went back to the currency counter and exchanged the bills for Tanzanian Schillings.

In due course I was on my flight to Kilimanjaro airport. The captain came on the PA and pointed out Mt. Meru on our right - the 2nd highest mountain in the region. People frequently climb this mountain as well and I looked at it's craggy peak soberly. A few moments later the captain came on again to announce the Mt. Kilimanjaro was coming into view to the left. After looking at Mt. Meru it's safe to say the Kilimanjaro left me a little awestruck. In contrast to Meru's black unattractive features, Kili was majestic with its glacier crown and cloak of white clouds. I was taken aback by its sheer size and for the first of several times I wondered whether I was in way over my head.

Soon we were on the ground and getting processed through customs and immigration. For the first of many times my preparation paid off. My documents were completely in order and I breezed through quickly to find all my checked luggage intact and my tour representatives waiting for me outside. I joined several others who were headed to the same hotel and I had my first taste of driving the roads of Tanzania. The plain was incredibly dusty and dry. Every kilometre or so we would pass one or two young boys coaxing a herd of goats along the side of the road.

The Springland Hotel in the town of Moshi is run by Zara tours and it essentially caters to the many people arriving every week from around the world to tackle the Kilimanjaro climb. Our van drove through the iron gates that quickly closed behind us and for the first of many times I would notice the disparity between the everyday world of Africa and that which is enjoyed but those visiting from other countries. Outside was dust and the smell of cooking fires on the side of the road, animals both alive and dead and ramshackle huts in various stages of completion. Inside was a lush garden with tables set under the shade of palm trees. Around the corner people were lounging by a brand new swimming pool. Before long I was situated in my room, all checked in and reasonably organized. I sat on the end of my bed and tried to get my head wrapped around where I was. With an effort I shook offer the sense of disorientation, grabbed my journal and walked out into the garden to have the first of many Africa beers. There is an excellent selection of good beer in Tanzania, ranging from Tusker, Safari, Serengeti and of course, Kilimanjaro beer. I later learned my favourite was Serengeti.

One of the many pleasant surprises of my trip was how easy it was to meet others and generally socialize. I spotted some people who were on the van ride in and soon we were drinking beer together and discussing our expectations of the next few days.

We had a while before we were scheduled to meet our guides and have the pre-climb briefing. When I arrived I was greeted by a pretty cool Maasai guy who served as a kind of bellman and general helper. If you needed something he was only too happy to help you, in exchange for a thank-you of a few schillings. The Maasai, I would learn, are a tribe native to Kenya and Tanzania who remain fiercely loyal to their traditional ways. For the most part, they continue to life a nomadic life, herding cattle around the countryside. Even those like my helper who have chosen a more urban life continue to wrap themselves in brightly coloured blankets. This unmistakable clothing visually sets the Maasai apart from everyone else and their sense of pride is obvious.

I needed a new SIM card for my phone so I could send text messages home without huge roaming fees. To my surprise he was well versed in this procedure and, despite the language barrier, was able to get me set up with a new SIM and 20,000 Schillings worth of pre-paid phone time on ZAIN, one of the local carriers. (I was amazed at how pervasive mobile phone technology is in Africa - more on that later.)

After my phone was configured he offered to take me into the nearby forest to catch a glimpse of the somewhat rare Colobus monkeys. After some hesitation I agreed and he took me on a very pleasant walk across some rice fields and into the forest where we eventually spotted the elusive monkeys. It was hard to get good pictures of them and soon I was content to just watch them with my own eyes. My guide was having none of this and eventually grabbed my camera and proceeded to burn up a huge amount of memory with endless pictures and videos. When we would get a particularly good look at the monkeys my guide seemed immensely pleased with himself and giggled like a little boy. They he would rest is chin on my shoulder and watch from behind me, not hesitating to physically turn my head with his hands if he didn't think I was looking in the right place.

Later that evening we were back at the hotel and being briefed by our guides about the schedule and generally what to expect. Their English was reasonably good but it regardless it was obvious they had done this many times before and immediately I was comfortable that I was in good hands. We finished off the evening with some dinner, another beer or two and then bed. I fell asleep to the sound of a crazy group of South Africans partying by the pool, ecstatic for having completed their climb of Kilimanjaro. I looked forward to feeling the same way.

Trip Log - Departure Day

August 6, 2009

The big day finally arrived. There was much to think about beforehand. The company I work for has its fiscal year end on July 31. As a salesman this is a busy and somewhat stressful time of the year as we work towards meeting quotas, achieving bonuses and taking full advantage of year end financial incentives. Gladly the year ended well and after a little year-end celebration I as able to turn my attention completely to my trip. On the final days my apartment was strewn with clothing and gear, some items not yet even removed from it's packaging. On the eve of my departure I stood and surveyed this mess and wondered how I would ever get it all packed. I did manage to get the lion's share of it tucked away but there was a lot of stuff - probably too much. This fact would haunt me in the days to come.

Brenda drove me to the airport with plenty of time to spare and I crossed my fingers that I might luck out and score a business class upgrade on my flight to London. I hate long flights and I had deliberately saved my Air Canada upgrade coupons for this trip. An upgrade from Vancouver to New York is a pleasant perk. An upgrade from Vancouver to London is a gift from God. Sure enough, my upgrade came through and no time I was sipping champagne and perusing the menu trying to decide between the beef and the lamb, and between the Chianti and the Bordeaux. The trip was off to an excellent start.


The next morning I arrived at London Heathrow. I had decided early in my planning to break up the flight to Africa into two segments. I had never been to London before and this was a great opportunity to explore a little bit and spare myself a gruelling 24 hours in transit without a break. So I settled conveniently into the Hilton at Heathrow terminal 4, snoozed, showered, and headed out to explore. There was direct access to the London Underground from terminal 4 and it was a straight shot on the Piccadilly line directly to the heart of London.



I had time for two trips to the city before my departure for Africa and I saw most of the mandatory sights including the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace and just for fun on Saturday morning, Portobello Market in Notting Hill. It was all good fun. The only frustration came on Friday night when, after hours of exploring, I desperately wanted a cold beer and some dinner at a pub. Given the millions of pubs in London this hardly seemed like a problem but to my surprise every pub on every corner was bursting with people just finished work. Not only were the pubs full inside but people were crowded outside on the sidewalks with their beers. It was a bit of work getting my pub dinner that night.