Views of Africa - Diary entry #7

13 October 2003 - The way to the top of Africa

First of all, let me explain why Isla and I decided to climb Kilimanjaro. This is necessary because we always used to say that anyone wanting to climb Kili has got to be crazy, but we changed our minds in January 2003. Somehow we got vouchers for half-price IMAX cinema tickets and on the last day before their expiry we decided to use them: choices were either a documentary on the space station orbiting the Earth, or Kili. We chose the latter and the rest is obvious. The film showed us how little we knew about Kili, and what a geographically and visually stunning place it is - we had to do the route shown on the film. So it was added to our "to do" list and became, together with the Serengeti/Masai Mara, the initial reason why I am typing this from the restaurant at the Seven Olives Hotel in Lalibela, Ethiopia. As with all good plans, our plan for a short 5 to 6 week trip to East Africa and back got out of hand...

Back to the present (or the recent past rather), having decided to use Zara for the Kili climb, we moved into a room at the Springlands Hotel in the mid-afternoon, giving us enough time to get all the things out of the Landy. Because most of their clients fly in, they do not really have parking space but that was not a problem as we were able to leave the Landy in the building yard where extensions to the hotel were being completed. The hotel's vehicles (mostly old Landys and a Cruiser or two) were also parked there so the security guard could keep an eye on ours too from time to time, and at night the Landy could listen to the old Toyotas rusting. The rooms are quite small but adequate for a night and together with a clean bathroom this was a bit of luxury for us. Later in the afternoon the clouds cleared and we had a clear view of Kili at sunset. Afterwards we downed a couple of beers and had dinner together with a few of the other guests, some of which had just returned from their climb, some were going off on safaris the next morning (Zara also do trips to Serengeti, etc. and use the same hotel), and some were also starting their climb the next morning. Worryingly for us, everybody else was doing the Marangu route and we had second thoughts about doing the Machame route. One chap had just climbed Mt. Kenya and was now doing Kilimanjaro too! After dinner we packed our backpacks and daypacks and went to sleep apprehensive about what the next few days would dish up for us.

KILI day 1

Packed and ready to leave for Machame gate

Last minute warnings at the Machame gate

First break of the day in the rain forest, with smiles all round

Our first overnight camp at Machame

Got up nice and early to be at breakfast by 6.30 because our taxi was supposed to pick us up at 7.30. Things happen pole pole (Swahili for slowly slowly) so the taxi only arrived an hour later, but that was ok as we got to watch all the other climbers going off on the Marangu route: some were smiling, while others must have been wondering what the hell were they thinking when they booked this thing - a bit like us perhaps. Our minibus stopped at the operations office in town which was a hive of activity as all the people stop there on their way to their climbs or safaris to pick up equipment and supplies. All the tents that are used are first pitched to ensure they are ok and that all the equipment is there. We were introduced to our guide, Richard, and after loading up with the remainder of the equipment and provisions, we were off to Machame village. Richard seemed pleasant enough, quiet and hopefully capable of getting us to the top. We only found out days later that most operators only deal with the guide, who is given some equipment and provisions by the operator and gets paid for every climber, and from that money he is responsible for some of the other equipment, the food and for the whole team of porters including wages. Simplifies the operational side of things I suppose, and it is also in the guide's best interest to look after the clients and his team otherwise complaints can cost him the contract.

After a few kilometres through Moshi, you leave town and start making your way to the lower slopes on the south-western side of Kili but I did not yet at that stage get a feel for the scale of the mountain. After turning off the tar road, the minibus wound its way through a bumpy and dusty track all the way to the National Park gate at 1800m (it was mid-morning, 31 degrees and humid) where we had to sign the register and Richard had to sign in his team and have their packs weighed. Things seem to be done by the book and each porter may only carry a pack no heavier than 25kg including their own stuff and packs are weighed and recorded each day. While Isla and I waited a few more climbers arrived, one group from the Keys Hotel and one from the Kindoroko Hotel. We would definitely chat to the latter and see how their climb went. The porters' registration was taking a little long so Richard put Aaron in charge of us and got us started up the path under strict instructions to go "pole pole" up ahead, with him and the rest of the team coming shortly. I put my daypack on and immediately felt uncomfortable: this was the free daypack from Cape Union Mart, specially made for climbing Kili. Although there was nothing wrong with it, the pack just felt too high on my back and it kept on cutting circulation to my shoulders and arms. Too late to turn back and with no other choice, we got going. Isla at least was feeling comfortable. Within half an hour Richard caught us up, releasing Aaron to race up ahead and we were soon overtaken by the rest of the team. The team was made up of our guide Richard and 5 others which included an assistant guide, a cook and porters. Most of the porters carry the equipment on their head and shoulders and their levels of strength and fitness have got to be admired. At least Isla and I packed the minimum amount of stuff in our backpacks so did not feel too guilty about the weight, but in addition to our 2 backpacks they also carry food for all 8 of us for 6 days, cooking equipment including a 9kg gas bottle (although most other operators still use paraffin), camping gear and their own stuff.

The path from 1800m to 2800m took us through the rain forest, which reminded us strongly of the Garden Route back in South Africa. Most of the path through this section has been rehabilitated and is now a 1 metre wide path with drainage ditches down the sides. Erosion and deep mud areas became a problem so a project employing local people was started to rebuild the path through the forest, laying out a new path through boulders, tree roots and mud. The men had been working on the new path for 2 months, every day, and there was still about a third of the way to go. I was a bit worried that climbing Kili was going to be a little too easy so I asked Richard about this new fancy path and he reassured us that it will only go through the rain forest and no further. He also added that the Marangu route now follows a similar path all the way to the last hut at Kibo and it is now possible to get to Kibo on a mountain bike! The Machame route had appealed to us not only because of the scenery shown on the IMAX documentary but also because we would get to see a bit more of the mountain. In a nutshell, you climb up the western side, then make your way through the southern side where you reach the crater rim at Stella Point on your way to Uhuru Peak, and then go down on the south-eastern side. As you walk around part of the mountain you enjoy views over the Shira Plateau, the Lava Tower, the Western Breach, the Great Barranco Valley, Mt Meru and Mawenzi. The Marangu route takes you up the east side below Mawenzi with views of Mt Meru, up to the saddle to reach the crater rim at Gillman's Point, past Stella Point on your way to Uhuru Peak and then return down the same track. If what Richard told us was true, then perhaps the extra expense was worth it. Except we had no idea yet how tough our route was going to be!

The forest section is gentle and walking slowly makes it nearly easy. Isla and I were surprised to see how little effort was needed to climb through these lower altitudes. Richard was adamant he would get us to the top and said that he always started his clients slowly from the first step, no matter how easy the going or how fit they are. His approach was to pay off in the days to come. Before we knew it we reached our first lunch stop and our first encounter with the (in)famous Kili toilets. To prevent health hazards on the mountain the authorities built health hazards. Isla went to the thunder box first and came back with a grin on her face but said nothing. As I went in I was looking for the usual bench with a hole but I first saw a missing plank in the floor and decided to let my eyes adjust to the dark interior rather than make a serious mistake in a 1 metre square trap. But that was no missing plank, that was the magic hole, the gateway to the darkness, the business end. No wonder Isla had a grin on her face. We hoped that not too many people would have bad bottom problems while we were on the mountain. Lunch was pre-packed from the hotel and rather nice and while eating we noticed a rather tame tree hyrax that came to see if any scraps were going its way. By this time we had proof that it gets cold the higher you go: temperature was down to 22 degrees.

The rest of the afternoon we climbed through the rest of the rain forest section, walking under large old trees covered in old man's beard and heard Hartlaub's turacos. Once we left the nice new path I could see the bad shape the old path was in and no wonder the authorities decided they finally had to do something. But in a way this rougher path was better and what Isla and I have been used to hiking on for so many years: just a standard hiking footpath over boulders, trees and mud. Just before the end of our first day we left the forest behind and reached the heather region, which ranges from 2800m to 3300m. Richard pointed out the damage done to the area when a fire broke out 5 years ago. Now only thin young heather can be seen, the new growth since the fire wiped out all the mature heather. Since then, no open fires are allowed on the mountain. By 4.30pm we reached our first camp, Machame Camp, at 2980m. The porters had reached camp before us and set up all 3 tents: a nice newer one for us, an older tent for us to eat in sheltered from the wind, and an old one for cooking (the last 2 are also used by the team to sleep in). Richard showed us to our tent and Aaron brought a bowl of warm water to wash. Temperature was down to a still decent 19 degrees and being the first day, staying clean was still relatively important so the warm water was very welcome. A few minutes later we were called for tea, and what a surprise to find hot water with tea, coffee, etc. to choose from as well as popcorn and biscuits. Afterwards I went for a quick walk around camp to see what else is going on around us and to take a few photographs but it gets very cold very quickly up there so I retreated to our tent just in time to be called for dinner. Dinner was soup, a huge pile of spaghetti and mince and roast potatoes, salad, and finished off with fruit. After dinner Richard came over to see how we were doing so we quickly told him that although quite healthy we just could not eat so much food so for future meals we would be happy with less. As usual, no problem. He also explained the routine for the following day. Just after that it got dark and cold quickly and we went back to our tent. After catching up our diaries and packing all the batteries into my sleeping bag we went off to sleep wondering what day 2 would be like.

KILI day 2
It gets cold at night. Especially if you have to get up a few times at night to go and pee. The problem for me was the Diamox. So the question was, to Diamox or not to Diamox? Diamox is an diuretic which helps suppress the effects of altitude and therefore may prevent altitude sickness. Nothing is that simple so of course it also has a number of side-effects, some of which are loss of appetite and bladder refills. We brought a few tablets with us in case we decided to use it. Some people swear by it, some don't touch it. At the hotel the previous morning, after much chatting, we decided to try it out - if it did not affect us then we would continue taking it, otherwise we could always stop. After breaking up my sleep I decided the Diamox was out for me, while Isla would try it for one more day.

Luckily we did buy the new down sleeping bags otherwise the nights would have been longer and colder. The day started at 7am when Aaron brought a bowl of warm water to wash (by now we realised Aaron was to be our bringer-of-everything for the duration of the climb). Breakfast was fruit, fried eggs and toast and we really wondered how they make the toast. In our camping gear we have a gas toaster but our toast did not look anything like theirs. After packing all our things away, it was time to start walking.

Left: our first view of Kili's glaciers; Right: the vegetation change is sudden when you reach the heather region

Looking down on the forest-covered lower slopes

The path became rocky as we entered the moorland region

The days are very warm and pleasant, in stark contrast to the evenings and nights, so shorts and t-shirt are ok once the sun is shining. Day 2 takes you from Machame Camp at 2980m to Shira Camp at 3840m. The going was stiff from the first steps, but pole pole, so was ok. As we made our way towards the Shira Plateau we had our first clear view of Kili's glaciers and later reached a great view point over the rain forest below. On the way to the plateau you leave the heather region and enter the moorland region, from 3300m to 4000m. It is here that you start seeing clusters of giant lobelias and senecios. Once on the plateau the going became a little easier and by 1.30pm we reached Shira Camp in time for lunch. Day 2 is a short 5 hour day so you have the option of taking lunch en route or waiting until camp. We opted for the latter so we could have a longer afternoon to relax.

After lunch we relaxed a while and then went to chat to some of the other climbers. The temperature was down to 12 degrees and some of the other climbers were hiding in their tents, but we found the group from the Kindoroko Hotel and they said they were very happy with their climb so far. So there you go, nothing wrong with the cheaper place. They were a group of 8 Englishmen, who left their wifes/girlfriends/mothers/etc behind to do this thing as a bunch of friends. Two of them were already suffering from altitude sickness, but the rest were willing them on. Good camaraderie. Chatted to 2 other chaps who were doing the climb carrying their own backpacks, with a guide and porters to carry some of the other equipment. Really funny, nice guys. They had sachets of Nescafe so were making coffee for some of the other climbers who did not like the coffee they had. I did a quick count and saw about 20 or so climbers scattered around the camp that afternoon. The area designated for camping is rather large so you have more than enough space. If you want to, you can ask your guide to set up your camp far away from the rest. They are very obliging and will do whatever you ask of them to make your climb as special as you want it to be. Bear in mind that, if you are after more privacy at camps, the Marangu route huts can accommodate 120 climbers (200 at Mandara). Nothing wrong with that, just depends on your personal preferences.

Just after sunset it was dinner time: soup, fried chicken with rice and mixed vegetables, pancakes and fruit. Again too much. Isla and I were left wondering how they manage to cook all this stuff, and serve it hot, with only one gas cooker. Must be from plenty of practice. Once again, as soon as it is dark, it gets cold very quickly. We gazed at the stars in the sky for a while but again retreated to our sleeping bags. To give an indication of how quickly it gets cold, the temperature was 10 degrees when we went into our tent. Twenty minutes later it was down to 6 degrees already and even writing up our diaries was hard. After checking that all batteries were in the sleeping bag (had to be able to capture our successful climb on Uhuru Peak) we went to sleep hoping we could have another successful day on Kili. We both felt good, not unduly tired or sore, with no headaches or other signs of altitude sickness. As I said to Richard "If the altitude does not get me, I will make it".

Left: Isla catching up on her diary at Shira Camp; Right: the Shira Ridge at sunset

KILI day 3
Woke up to find frost all over Shira Camp, the air clear and crisp. Stiff and cold climbers went about the early morning rituals, and the 2 sick Englishmen were somewhat recovered after a good rest. Once the sun rose a little higher, it warmed up quickly. It was Isla's turn to feel the effects of the Diamox so she also decided to skip it from then on. After what was now our routine of washing, breakfast and packing, we were off for our third camp, Barranco Camp, at 3950m. Although barely a hundred metres higher than the second camp, day 3 takes you all the way from 3840m to 4630m and then down to 3950m. This is a sort of an acclimatisation day on the 6 day Machame route so that you can "climb high, sleep low" and hopefully assist you to prepare for the summit.

Left: a frosty view from the inside of our tent; Right: still smiling before our digital camera broke

This lobelia broke our Canon A70 digital camera

A view of the Shira Plateau

Once on our way, I tried to photograph one of the smaller lobelias and our digital camera packed up. The lens came out half way, then stopped and nothing more would happen. At first I thought it was just the batteries because I had taken a few photos around the camp a short while earlier and maybe that had used up the batteries, so I warmed up the batteries in my hands for a couple of minutes, put them back, and the camera worked. For one more photograph. Then it was the end of the camera. To say that I was not amused would be an understatement considering we bought this camera a few weeks before leaving specially for this trip. After chatting with a few people, looking at a couple of web sites and going around a number of shops selling both the Canon and Sony digital cameras, it looked like the Canon A70 was a best seller in our budget range. I had read reports of problems with the camera on www.dpreview.com (an excellent digital photography web site if you are looking at buying one of these cameras), where a number of people had the same problem with the lens getting stuck and the camera becoming useless but I thought that these problems would have been sorted out by the time I bought our camera. Wrong! To jump ahead a week or so, after the climb I contacted Canon South Africa to see what they were going to do about the camera, and wait for it: there is only 1 other service centre outside of South Africa, in Egypt! This basically means that your warranty is as good as useless until you come home. Maybe not a big deal if you are on a one or two week holiday somewhere nearby, but when you are planning to be away for a while, and you need your camera, that is simply not good enough. In our travels we have noticed that Canon is simply not a big name brand in the countries we have visited. Sony, however, has sales outlets everywhere, even in small towns, and perhaps getting one of those cameras repaired or replaced in one of the bigger centres would be possible. Canon South Africa did come good in the end, but it cost me a fortune in phone calls from Arusha to get that right, details of which are in the next diary entry. But for now we were stuck with a useless digital camera. Luckily I also brought my old Nikon SLR as a backup as well as for better quality photographs, but that was not going to help with images for the web site during the rest of our trip. I have had a few photos of our summit scanned so that at least I can include these, but for the other days we have no photographs. I will update this page with more scanned images after we develop our films when we get home.

Winding our way through the volcanic rocks just before the snow started falling

Lava Tower from our lunch spot

As we climbed past the 4000m mark, we entered the alpine desert region which goes up to 4900m. The difference is immediate: what soil there is is very thin and sandy, slopes are wind blown and virtually barren. Apart from lichens and a few hardy grasses, not much else can grow there. The landscape is bleak, with hills and rocks in shades of black, a give-away of their volcanic origins. The sun dissappeared, it got colder, and a little snow fell on us. We were really doing well so when we reached the 4500m point we decided to move on to the Lava Tower at 4630m instead of taking the turnoff that the porters use. It bypasses Lava Tower so is a little shorter and easier way to Barranco Camp if you are not doing too well. We stopped for lunch near Lava Tower and I really did not feel like eating my lunch but put it down to having had enough of french toast and boiled eggs (although breakfasts and dinners were great, lunches were similar every day). I also had a light headache so put that down to the altitude. Isla was still going strong so we moved on knowing that from there on it was downhill all the way to our overnight camp. The third day is split down the middle: until lunch it is steep up, after lunch it is steep down so I hoped I would feel better as we descended. Camped at the base of Lava Tower were 2 climbers doing the Western Breach route to the summit the following day. One of them had already climbed Kili a year earlier with a friend. Now he was back to try a tougher route, but with a different friend. While chatting to them, the 2 Nescafe guys arrived. They did not look so good and were heading up the Western Breach. We wished them well and they left. The Western Breach route is a really rough scramble along a steep loose path. If you do go up this route, you spend the final night before summiting at the Arrow Glacier Camp at nearly 5000m. Needless to say, Isla and I were glad we were doing a 6 day rather than 5 day climb.

An aspect of the Kili experience is the genuine concern and care that climbers show for each other. Complete strangers walk past each other on the mountain every day of the year, giving each other encouragement, sometimes without even saying a word, like you can almost feel that they know what you are going through, how you are feeling, wishing you well. How you are feeling is a big topic, and interest is always genuine. Unless you are there, you may not ever experience it. The chap doing the climb for the second time told me I had to eat and drink lots, because you need to drink and eat your way to the summit. I guess that's true, and that's why we were given so much food and always told to drink lots of water. But I did not feel like eating much and drinking water made me feel a little queasy. Lava Tower can be climbed and on a clear day it offers stunning views all the way down to the foothills way below. But it was cold and cloudy now and the top was actually in the clouds (luckily) so it was pointless climbing it.

The way down from there was really rough. The path winds its way through volcanic hills and is littered with rocks. Instead of starting to feel better, I was feeling worse and with every jolting step, my headache got worse. This was a real pity because the walk down to Barranco Camp passes by glacial water streams, large numbers of lobelias and multi-headed senecios, and the first views of the glaciers higher up. My head pounded with every step, and my stomach... well, let's leave it at that. I had to concentrate real hard on each step. Somehow, I still found the time to stop and enjoy the views and take a few photographs. Isla, on the other hand, was still going as strong as possible. This was a blessing because I did not have to worry about her, I just had to get myself down to the camp.

By the time we reached camp after a 8 hour walk I was, to put it kindly, knackered and I crashed out in the tent, trying to calm down the intense headache. I told Isla that I had used up the energy I was supposed to reserve for summit night just to get down to that camp, and I did not know how I was going to get to the top. Headache tablets do not really help but I took a couple anyway, and they did help enough so that I could at least walk about after an hour or so. And oh yes, the toilets. I have to mention the toilets. They get progressively worse and less maintained and I cannot understand why the park officials do not arrange for new toilets to be dug up when the old ones fill up. It really does take only a little effort to do so. Operators should put pressure on the authorities to do something about the situation, and a letter to that effect will be addressed to Zara when I get home. Until something happens, a trip to the toilets will remain a health hazard. One of the Englishmen even took a photo to show his mates what lurks inside one of these things! Some of their group were also in a bad shape but were not turning back.

Left: senecios and lobelias line up the small glacial water streams; Right: "Miniature" glaciers above us on the way to Barranco Camp

The Great Barranco Wall towering over our camp (you can just make out our red tent in the foreground)

Barranco Camp's setting is awesome, on a flat valley with the Great Barranco Wall (which we had to climb the following morning) towering next to us and one of Kili's glaciers higher up. While I laid down, Isla had tea on her own, and shortly afterwards at dinner time I kept her company. Dinner was as good as ever but apart from some soup and a little tuna I just could not eat more than that and drinking water made me feel worse. Before going to sleep we reinforced our pact that if one of us cannot make it to the top, the other will go on alone. It was something that we had agreed before starting the climb, and although our goal was to get to the top together, personal achievement also plays a large part and so we felt it would be unfair to each other to prevent one of us from carrying on if we felt able to do so.

KILI day 4
Both Isla and I had a good sleep, she still feeling good, me half-recovered and with only a half-headache. In the tent I fiddled with the digital camera (yes, still unhappy about that) and after a while it worked! I could not believe it but the lens came unstuck. I took one photo of the glacier above the Great Barranco Wall and then the lens jammed again. Luckily I did not get too excited. Just packed it away and thought about breakfast. I still could not eat anything so decided to try a fruit energy bar and 2 headache tablets. Not ideal to go without food and water but better than nothing.

Left: the glacier above Barranco Camp; Right: oversized multiheaded senecios, so typical of Kilimanjaro

One of many breaks stops

There is a friendly boulder around every corner to give you a helping hand

Then it was time to attack the Great Barranco Wall. And attacking it required, for it is steep, rough and long. Most climbers battled somewhere along the way and we continually passed and were passed by the other climbers as we took turns to rest. Don't forget that the porters climb the same path with their loads balanced on their heads, sometimes on narrow sections with steep drop-offs, sometimes over large boulders and ridges. By mid-morning we were on top at nearly 4200m and I felt good that the energy bar did the trick. A few downs and ups followed, followed by a long, steep and rough descent to the Karanga Valley, the last water point before Barafu Camp, our destination. I again could not face my lunch and was pretty tired by now. Isla offered to eat my lunch if it made me feel better, that's how well she was doing. That's my girl!

By now it was pretty obvious to us that the Machame route is steep, whether up or down, and rough. So no guessing was needed that after lunch the path was up and long. Richard took my daypack, which was nearly empty anyway but it did help, and I used the walking poles which also helped a little. We were now in the alpine desert once again, with broken rock everywhere and hardy tufts of grass in the few patches of soil. The uphill to Barafu Camp at 4600m was relentless and felt like it will never end (for me anyway). The last ridge before the camp loomed, but it was a ridge with more ridges than I care to remember. It was bitterly cold and I think it was the cold that actually kept me moving. Isla put some warm clothes on while I decided against it. The wind picked up and snow started falling. I relented and put my rain jacket on. Just before reaching camp the snow really came down and as we dived into our tent I was exhausted, not knowing how I was going to recuperate in time for the midnight start to the summit. We were supposed to reach camp earlier so we could rest, have early dinner and get some sleep. Instead we got to camp at 5pm. Not ideal. I started shaking a little and realized I had a bit of hypothermia. Wrapped in both down sleeping bags and a warm wife, I was back to normal in an hour in time for dinner. For once Isla was also not that hungry but I managed an orange and some chocolate. Energy levels were at rock bottom but it is true what they say: if you want to do it, you will. So we packed our daypacks for the summit attempt, put on our warm layers, and went to sleep for a few hours waiting for the wake-up call at 11pm. Despite the time and the cold, we did manage a few hours sleep. Around us in camp there were one or two climbers who were not going to go any further, but I am too hard-headed and there was no way I was staying behind.

KILI day 5
The wake-up call came at 11pm sharp, followed by tea and biscuits. Poor bodies, and stomachs! We must have confused a few organs in this ordeal. Left camp at 12am sharp. It was 3 degrees. For the summit attempt Richard brought his assistant guide Wilford. This is necessary if one of us is unable to continue because we cannot be left alone on the mountain. The half-moon had just popped out and within 5 minutes we could switch off our head torches and follow the moonlit path easily. Behind us there were 3 other groups of climbers making their way up the same path, their head and hand torches bobbing around in the dark. At first the path was over rocks and large smooth boulders, shortly afterwards we hit the scree slopes. As we climbed higher it got cold quickly, down to -2 degrees within 15 minutes of leaving, but once your feet and hands are so cold that you cannot feel your toes and fingers, does it really matter? We did worry about our drinking water freezing so what we did was put our water bottles in the outside breast pocket in our jackets. This worked pretty well because our body warmth kept the inside half of the water liquid, while the outside half froze. It is strange that even when it is so cold you still get thirsty so it is important to have drinking water.

Climbing the scree slopes is best done at night when the moisture in the scree freezes and makes the ascent more manageable. But it still felt like it took an eternity, too scared to look at the time, too scared to ask how much further to go. Somewhere along the way my headache went away and was replaced by spells of light nausea and dizziness. Isla suddenly had to go to the toilet so I got worried that she was beginning to battle at the final hurdle but she said she was fine. Let me confirm that needing to make a pit stop in sub-zero temperature and a chill wind blowing is not what I would rate as one of the must-do things in your lifetime. By this stage of the climb, all groups of climbers, whether just a couple or a larger group, have at least one person that is sick and really battling so getting to the top is a little bit like a race, with each group taking advantage of someone else's pit stop to pass them by, only to be overtaken a little later. So don't worry if you are not well, you will be in good company, and if your own group's support is not enough, all the other climbers around will boost your morale too. And so it carried on up to the steepest of the scree slopes just below Stella Point. At some stage I looked up and in the moonlight I noticed we were quite close to one of the glaciers and said to Isla "Look, it is so close we can almost touch it", but had really no idea of where we were. Only later in the day did Isla tell me that Richard had said to her, when I was taking a breather, "Let's move along, it is too cold to stand for long, he will follow". The swines were conspiring against me!

The sun rising over Africa as we saw it from Stella Point on Mt Kilimanjaro on 17th October 2003, 5725m AMSL

A bit later I knew we were close because Richard crowed like a cock and the eastern sky started to colour. It was 5.15am and we were on time. After forever (half an hour later actually) we joined the train of people from Marangu at Stella Point where the 2 routes join, and watched the sun rise over Africa from Stella Point, at 5725m. It was an overwhelming moment and one that we tried to enjoy for as long as possible. We had a few minutes alone, took a few photos with frozen hands, and it was time to move on, determined to make it to Uhuru Peak no matter what. Though most people that make it to Stella Point also do reach Uhuru Peak, a few climbers are so exhausted at Stella Point that they are unable to go any further. Hard to believe, considering that Uhuru Peak is "only" another 170m higher, a short distance away which takes about an hour to walk. We passed many climbers struggling up the last little bit but, determined as ever, we pushed on. The full sun popped over the horizon of clouds and another sunrise over Africa was complete. All the colours were there, in the sky, in the clouds, in the rocks, and in the glaciers. Of course the sunshine at high altitudes has little impact and I remembered to take a look at the thermometer I strapped to Isla's daypack - it was a cool -9.5 degrees.

The glaciers, which appear small from far, are the real thing from close up

The ice fields, which appeared so small from far, are impressively large. Every now and then you hear a low rumble or a sharp crack as another piece breaks and falls. The air is thin and cold, most people walk in silence, so sound carries easily. We reached Uhuru Peak at 6.45am, and took another few minutes alone to reflect on the events and achievements of the past few days. We did it! Then it was time for the obligatory photos in front of the sign telling you where you are. There were lots of climbers there, mostly from the Marangu route, but we also bumped into the guys doing the Western Breach ascent route and we congratulated each other. They had camped in the crater but at 5700m they found it impossible to get any sleep so were rather exhausted. One regret I have is that we did not take more photographs and video footage from the top, but the reality is that it is so cold up there, and you are so cold and tired, that it really is very difficult to do anything more than you have to. At least the sky was clear when we took our photographs because just a few minutes later the clouds came in, the wind picked up and Richard advised us that we should start getting down. Only months later did we find out that there is a register you can fill in at the summit, which we did not know about so did not fill in. Not that it matters really, but bear it in mind.

We did it!!

The edge of the crater with the clouds rolling in fast

Barafu Camp in sight, looking forward to a much-needed rest before moving on to Mweka Camp

I took a few more photos down at Stella Point but then the clouds came in. Goes to show how quickly weather conditions change at high altitudes. Now that it was daylight we could look around and see what the arctic region is like: the sun burns you before you realize it, oxygen is about half than at sea level, and only tough lichens survive the dry and freezing conditions. Then it was time to tackle the scree slopes, in reverse gear, and boy are they steep. I found that the walking poles hinder you more than help you so did not use these. Isla was sliding all over the place, despite the poles, taking other climbers with her and Richard too who twisted his knee trying to keep her under control. The dust is rather unpleasant and gets into everything but at least the going is easier than going up. It still took a while to get down back to Barafu Camp and we were given until 11 o'clock to rest. Boy, did we need the break. Isla had an early lunch, I made do with a little soup, and by midday we were going down further to Mweka Camp at 2900m, a whole 3000m lower than Uhuru Peak. We chatted to some of the other climbers on our way out of the camp, most were not looking too hot either. A member of one of the groups became so disoriented at Uhuru Peak that his friends had to carry him down to camp. After a short rest he was nearly recoved - funny things can and do happen to you. As you descend you just about overdose on oxygen so you feel (relatively) more energetic all the time. We put on a fast pace and were at camp by 3pm, a little too fast but we wanted to rest. In a handful of hours we went from arctic conditions to the rain forest. And just as well we got there early because we had a heavy thundershower as we got to camp.

It did not take long for the camp to fill up with lots of other climbers, most of whom we had not met. The Mweka route is used as a descent route by many of the available routes so you get climbers from all over the place. It was reassuring to see that we were not the most buggered people at camp that afternoon. We went for a walk and chatted to some of the people and it was nice to see that no matter how good or bad the guys felt, they all thought it was an experience which made all the pain worth it. I went to sign the register in the scout's hut and as luck would have it he had beer and coke for sale. However, at $3 and $2 respectively, these could wait. We asked Richard for something very simple for dinner and they came up with spicy chicken and vegetables! Again impressed with how they manage the cooking. Unfortunately the stomach knew we were not yet at ground level so could not overindulge with dinner. At least the toilets at Mweka Camp were a lot better than those during the previous few days. Went to sleep with a huge anticlimax but the legs were tired and the body exhausted.

KILI day 6

Kili with a fresh layer of overnight snow

Last ablutions before heading off for the final section

The forest in the Mweka area just before reaching the end of the hike

Woke up to a cool sunny sky and the sight of Kili with a layer of snow. Finally managed a little bit of breakfast and were gone early, eager to get down. Not as eager as some of the other climbers though: two Irish ladies we chatted to were keen for a shower so beat it out of there as we were getting up. They were both with Zara but had done a 7 day Machame route so we only "caught up" to them after the summit. They were both going back to the Springlands Hotel so made a date to down a few celebratory beers later in the day. The walk down to the Mweka gate, although short, is just as steep as the previous day's descent and while I was feeling great Isla's knee took a bit of a pounding. The forest in the Mweka area is nicer than the Machame area. It is older and thicker and therefore even nicer to walk through.

We spent the time talking to Richard about all kinds of things: life in Tanzania, schools, people, marriage, politics, life in South Africa. It is amazing how quickly you recover. By 11am it was all over. At Mweka gate we signed the register and received our gold summit certificates (you get a green certificate if you reach Stella Point, nothing if you don't get that far). We handed out tips to the crew, and walked down to the car park where Zara's 600000km Landy was waiting for us. Falling apart but still going strong, that's a Landy. By the time we got to the car Isla was really battling with her knee so was really glad to sit down and rest it on the way to the hotel. A nice touch was the comments book in the Landy so I paged through the book to see what people had to say: apart from one negative comment relating to problems with the tents in high wind and rain, all other comments were very positive. We added our comments, criticism about the toilets, and thanks. An hour later we were at the hotel and it started sinking in that it was really over. We know not whether by coincidence or design but before the climb we were given a downstairs room, and after the climb we were given an upstairs room (other climbers we recognised too). Perhaps those on top "made it"? But Isla's knee had gone a bit stiff during the ride to the hotel and she could not climb the stairs: I laughed but she was not impressed. She climbed Kilimanjaro but could not get to her hotel room!

After a wonderful shower we had lunch with Karen and Lisa from Dublin. Afterwards Isla went to rest her leg while I went to check on Landy and then drove into Moshi to do a bit of shopping. In the evening we had a lovely dinner and chatted until late to Karen and Lisa, and Mike, John and Simon who had climbed Kili the week before. All great people, and it was nice to share experiences but it is funny how we all went through the same ordeals. Unfortunately Simon had to pull out at Barafu Camp, he just could not carry on. That evening we realized that only if you have been on Kili can you understand the experiences, otherwise it is impossible to relate to what people tell you. Kilimanjaro is no ordinary place, but it is a place where ordinary people can do extraordinary things. So in a small way, it will change your life. You will no longer be able to say "I can't do that" because you can, but only if you really want to. In this diary entry I have written more about the mental battle, the physical strain and the camaraderie among friends and strangers than about the hard facts and statistics. To me, climbing Kili was about the former, not the latter. The former is for the memories, the latter is for the photographs. Some people climb it on their own, some with their wifes, some with their best mate, some with a bunch of friends. No matter who you do it with, it is a life-enriching experience, even if you do not make it to Uhuru Peak.

Isla says: I agree!

Left: Isla holding our gold certificates; Right: Isla and I with our 6 man team