My bag is really heavy: Kilimanjaro Climb

So I'm sitting in our hotel in Nairobi and have paid for some 'high speed wifi' for the room, which means a slow as connection, but never the less. I'm going to spend this time finally writing our Kili climb blog. Katie has written down a bunch of dot notes in her diary, and I'm going to try and convert them as best I can into this blog.

Day 1

On the first day, we met our guides, 2 Tanzanians called Johnnie and Robbie. We also met the rest of our climb group. There would be 7 of us in total, trekking over 8 days via the Lemosho route to the summit. The members of our 'kili krew' included the following personas

Jim and Jen - A married couple from Minnesota that will use each others heads as tripods for long exposure shots. :p (cool people, I had some very interesting chats with Jim - Mardy)

Katie and Jase - 2 workmates who are vets for the US government. Katie is married to a snowboarder looking dude and Jase rocked up after coming from safari with a real safari hat. Coolest thing ever. Before I even met him, I had to run and tell Katie "your not gonna believe it, but some guy down there is wearing a safari hat!" - turned out he was in our group and was a pretty cool cat

Peter - The other aussie on our trip, had a massively long and scarey night bus ride from Kampala, Uganda I think, where he was sitting behind the driver reading his lonely planet. And while reading his lonely planet discovered that the seat behind the bus driver is reffered to as the 'death seat' in Africa

So this was our crew. We hopped in a troopy and drove for 3 hours to the Lemosho gates, seeing quick glimpses of columbus monkeys on the way. After arriving at the gates, we had to do some paperwork for the national park and then it was another hour in the troopy to where we started walking.

And so we started walking. Through the African rainforest. In the middle of nowhere. It was awesome. We wore shorts today, it would be the only time on this climb we would wear shorts. Shit was gonna get real.

We worked for a few hours catching brief glimpses of blue and columbus monkeys on the way, but not enough for a photo, before arriving at our first camp. "Big Tree Camp"/Mtimkubwa Encampment

Oh, I had better mention how things worked, as we soon discovered here on day one the way things happen. Each client has 2 porters so we only had to carry a daypack with our own daily water, camera, wet gear, and bits and pieces, the porters carried our main bag with our sleeping gear and tents to the campsite every day, nearly always on there heads. We initially felt bad about this, having some poor African lug our shit around a mountain, but when we realised how many people we were providing a living for, we felt a lot better. Its just the way they do things here.

So the porters set up dinner for us the first night and we walk into the tent and there is popcorn and tea, a weird combo we thought, we munched that down and then ate some soup and some bread and thought that was it, and were ready for bed. Then as we were getting into our tents the cook runs over to tell us there is more food we ate for nearly 3 hours the first night, it was crazy. Katie wishes to note that she discovered that Mardy snores on this night, Mardy vehemently disagrees with the fact he snores.

The Kili Krew

First hours of hiking. Pete already looks unimpressed.

Camp site 1 - Big tree camp/Tent City

Day 2

We left Big Tree Camp early and started walking towards Shira 1 camp, it was a pretty big day of walking, but nothing to tuff. We walked out of the rainforest and above the clouds, but still no sign of the supposed mountain we were climbing. Mardy kept saying 'it will be just over this next ridge', we walked over ridge after ridge for hours and the mountain didn't come into view until late in the afternoon, Mardys advice was questioned by the group.

During one water break, Mardy somehow segwayed into asking Pete if he had ever been teabagged. Pete confessed that it had happened to him before. Mardy later confessed he worried that he had come on to strong.

We eventually saw the mountain coming around a ridge and onto the Shira plateau, it looked so different from the plane.

We were now walking in direct sunlight in Africa, no shade from the rainforest to comfort us any more. Hot tip - Bring a hat to Africa. What was Katie thinking, not bringing a hat to Africa, its not like it has a reputation for being a sunny place or anything.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, highlighted only by Mardy trying to ollie a rock while talking to Pete about skateboarding, and realising that we didn't bring anywhere near enough toilet paper or wet wipes to keep ourselves at a reasonable level of cleanliness.

In the afternoon, Johnnie and Robbie took us for a 2 hour light walk up the rim of the plateau to help us acclimatise and get a good view of the place, it was pleasant.

We begin to blame everything stupid we did on "the altitude"

The rest of the team realises Mardy snores. Mardy disagrees even more vehemently.

Day 2, still in the forest

Johnnie one of our tour leaders. Cool as dude.

We finally see Kili!

Day 3

We crossed the Shira plateu towards Shira 2 camp, and saw a waterbuck way way in the distance. and walked up another part of the plateau rim near the mountain called "the cathedral", American Katie measured the altitude at the top to be 3900m. It provided spectacular views of the mountain and the sweeping planes of the plateau that we had just crossed.

Jeffery the waiter/porter gave Mardy a braclet that says "cristoph boy", nobody knows what this is meant to say, not even the guides. Katie was incredibly jealous of the bracelet.

We can see the the 'Arrow glacier' directly in front of the campsite, it looks like Australia with SA cut out and removed from the rest of the body. The way it should be.

Our swahilli was getting REALLY good. We can say 'hello', 'good morning', 'thanks', 'the food is good', and heaps more! We are really impressed with ourselves and speak way better swahilli than the other groups.

Pete and Kev

Way way above the clouds already

Top of the cathedral on Shira Plateau- 3900m

Day 4

We left Shira 2 camp and walked past the Lava tower which was at 4600m, but then descended into a valley towards Barraco camp. Following the age old climbing principle "climb high, sleep low" - in order to avoid altitude sickness.

As we were talking down the valley, underneath (I think it was Ham glacier??), Johnnie let Katie wonder astray into the stream to get some ice and she was excited by the "almost snow".

Katie taught Jase how to play Danish 500 at this camp, and beat him at it as well.

We slept this night underneath the glaciers. Mardy notes that walking up in the middle of the night for a piss, looking up, at the incredibly bright stars, the glaciers shone just as brightly in the night sky. It was beautiful. Best midnight piss ever.

Leaving Shira 2 camp in the morning

Petes last cigarette, what a place to quit. We had to put up with his moodiness the next few days. He blamed the altitude.

Kev goes to Kili!

Katie and the "almost snow"

Barraco camp

Barraco camp again, what a view

Day 5

It was a short day today, only about 3 hours of walking, and it was more hands and feet climbing than hiking. We put our Mt Beerwah/Tibro skills to good use.

It was a good shake up from just hiking, and we eventually made it to Karanga camp, home of the fanciest drop dunnies ever. Nicely tiled, fancy doors, but still a dirty as drop dunny.

We took some awesome tourist shots on a giganto rock we climbed in the afternoon overlooking the mountain, where Mardy was swooped by one of the giant crow/vulture/killer birds that inhabit the mountain. And Katie built a rock garden on top of the gigantic rock.

The altitude was getting the better of us, and we started playing silly games like the 'hopping game' where you see who can hop on one foot the longest whilst pushing the other person around. We even got our waiting Jefferey to play, but he didnt hang around, crazy mzungus (tourists), he must have thought. We also started to make rediculas agreements like Katie having to sing the neighbours theme song at the summit, and Mardy and Pete having a hopping game at the top.

The trail required some hands and feet climbing in parts

At an awesome lookout with the krew

The Katies!

Kev at altitude

Our next camp site

Mardy tried his best to capture the colours of the sunset

Day 6

Another short trek to Barafu camp. Getting tired of the cold. Its pretty windy now. Pete and Jases tent blew over. The storm trooper mask is discovered. Early dinner tonight, as tonight is summit night!!!!!!!!!!!

The trail to Mordor, I mean Barafu camp

Robbie bravely leading us into the mist that encircles the upper reaches of Kili

DAY 7 SUMMIT DAY

It was fucking freezing getting out of the sleeping bag at 11pm. We put on almost every item of clothing we had with us to keep us warm. Jen donated her foot warmer/inner soles for Katies boots (what a gem, says Katie). We cannot wait to get started and get moving. Everyone has high hopes and is feeling in high spirits.

Walking in the dark with our minors lights on, we looked like glow worms acending the mountain. No sense of direction, just following the feet of the person in front of you. 5 and a half hours this went on before we reached Stella Point (the rim of the crater). It was hard to breathe, the altitude was becoming a serious problem, with no oxygen while your trying to work hard to climb this steep steep trail. You panted heavily and it did nothing to catch your breath. We couldnt feel our hands or feet. And sadly Jim from out crew didn't make it. After throwing up for what seemed like forever he eventually pulled the plug. Alot of respect for Jim for holding out as long as he did. We were all struggling it was near impossible to function at this altitude in many negative degrees centigrade. We needed help from the guides to preform simple tasks like getting water from backpacks (which was starting to freeze).

We eventually made it to Stella Point, with Katie not in good shape, as she had been getting a sick from breathing all of the dust from the last 6 days, and it was seriously starting to affect her.

Only 1 hour to go from Stella Point. Nobody can walk straight, everyone is delerious and somewhat miserable and then.... We saw the sign!!!! We had made it, finally!

The sign still seemed ages away, but it was within our reach, we stumbled towards it. American Katie threw up 10 metres from the sign, but we had made it. You would think we would have been happier but all we were thinking was "lets get a photo so we can go" no one made any attempt to look good for the camera. All still wearing balaclavas, minors lights and rugged up like you would not believe. Frankie (a guide who joined us later) and Robbie were constantly saying "hurry up, lets go" "come on guys" "lets go, lets go", and Franky could no longer feel his fingers.

The view up there however was incredible. The sunrise was amazing, and before the sun rises over the horizon it leaves what appears to be a smoke trail before coming brightly and spectacularly over the horizon, the glaciers were huge and so close, but I dont think anyone really took it all in as much as they should have. When you are physically and mentally exhausted to that extent all that you are really thinking is "thank fuck thats over. I did it!". It was the hardest thing either of us have ever done.

We then began our decent. At least the sun was out so the temperature rose slightly and it became more and more bearable as we lost altitude.

We hadn't been descending long, maybe about 20minutes, when Katie (who had been struggling to breathe since halfway up, and hadn't let anyone know how bad it really was) sits down and stops. She wheezes something to Frankie about how she can't breathe. And Frankie looks a little confused, not understanding and points out the way on the trail. Then Robbie comes over and realises whats going on. And shit got serious, quickly.

Robbie switches into rescue mode, takes off Katies beanies scarves and balaclavas and one layer of jackets and turns to Frankie and says "We go down, NOW!", and drags her down the mountain fast, holding on to her arm to keep her from falling

They stop periodically on the way down to remove more layers, all the time as it warmed up. With Robbie repeatedly saying "dont panic, no worries, hakuna mattatta (no worries)". Everything happened so fast. As we got nearer the camp. Robbie stops at a random tent, where a guy comes out and they swahilli at each other. He asks Katie how she feels. Katie just looks back a little dazed and says Jambo (hello). Then Robbie gives him a cigarette (random) and then they continue on down to the camp site, where Robbie puts Katie in her tent to rest. Mardy arrived about an hour later with the rest of the crew and between us gave Katie some antibiotics and neurphen to patch her up. We then walked 3hrs that afternoon to our last camping place. Shedding 3000 metres of altitude in 3 hours.

The storm trooper mask is discovered

The "before" shot, notice how keen we all are. According to Katie, making the summit would be a "non-issue"

The crater rim, we only had to walk around the crater now for an hour to reach the summit

Believe it or not, this is the best photo of us at the sign, in all the others we looked retarded. We were to delirious to care what we looked like at the time.

The Krew

The view back from the summit towards stella point, looking in the crater ash pit, and towards another of Kilis peaks, something begining with M, Megwnze? Or something. Whatever, was awesome

Robbie walking us back, past the glaciers

Day 8

The next morning was only a short hike to the gate out of the national park. 7 days to summit, and 1 day to descend pretty crazy. We all stink, like real bad. Cannot wait for a shower, but we have just completed one the most amazing and challenging adventures of our lives.

(Again this place has shit internet so I can't upload pics, will load pics onto this later when I can)