 |
| Mt. Kilimanjaro - December 2016 |
This is what brought me to Tanzania. Now, I've finally got my chance to break through the clouds and summit Africa's highest mountain.
One of the major challenges of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is dealing with mental adversity. My first test occurred two days before I actually began the trek when I arrived at the airport, minus my bag, containing my hiking poles, warm clothing, and sleeping bag.
Normally, I would have responded in a high-strung, negative manner, but one of the lessons I've learned living in Zimbabwe is that getting upset – even if an airline employee routes a bag to the wrong airport – does no good.
The ugly American, yelling routine is simply ignored, so all one can do is smile and hope for the best. Somehow, things always seem to come together in Africa when one least expects it. In my case, the bag magically appeared a day later.
Before beginning my hike, I met my crew. The guide is Raphael, a 44-year-old who's been leading tourists up Kilimanjaro for 19 years. He's the one wearing the black t-shirt. Raphael is the boss responsible for the day-to-day running of the crew, as well as in charge of getting me to the summit. The rest of the group includes a cook and four porters.
It might seem like a lot of people, but keep in mind that we must haul everything we need up and down the mountain, including food, although I carry only personal items I'll need during the day. Because the government limits the amount of weight each porter is allowed to carry, a one-hiker outing quickly becomes crowded.
I started my three-hour hike around noon, winding my way through the intense heat and humidity of a tropical rainforest, gaining almost 3,000 feet in elevation.
We initiated our hike at 6,102 feet. As I write this post, I'm sitting at 8,907 feet in elevation (2,715 meters), and I've replaced my t-shirt with a fleece pullover.
I'm spending the night in a simple, but comfortable hut, after having devoured two humongous meals. Lunch alone consisted of a chicken breast, two samosas, two bananas, an apple, yoghurt, and a piece of cake. Even after all this food, I was still hungry at dinner, which featured cucumber soup, beef, vegetables, and a mound of pasta.
Raphael keeps telling me to eat more because I need the calories. He's climbed Kilimanjaro at least 100 times, so I figure I should listen.
We've already struck a deal. Raphael has promised to get me to the top safely. In return, I've agreed to follow his lead, literally. He sets the hiking pace, and I fall in line behind him. His mantra – pole pole, which in Swahili means "slowly, slowly," an expression I'll hear from almost every guide or porter who passes me on the trail.
So far, I feel great physically. There's no sign of altitude sickness, and my bad ankle is holding up fine.
Tomorrow, the hike is even longer and harder, but I'm confident. Kilimanjaro doesn't seem that tough at all, especially compared to my trek to Everest Base Camp.
----------
DAILY TRIP DETAILS
Start: Marangu Gate - 6,102 feet in elevation (1,860 meters)
Finish: Mandara Hut - 8,907 feet in elevation (2,715 meters)
Distance Covered = 5.03 miles (8.1 kilometres)
Elevation Gain = 2,805 feet (855 meters)
Time of Hike = 3 hours, 25 minutes
Results of nightly health screening: Pulse = 85 Oxygen level in the blood = 94% out of 100 (Note: An oxygen saturation reading of 95% or better is considered to be normal. If my level drops below 50%, it's serious, and I'll be asked to discontinue my trip.)
----------
Note: These are the exact words I wrote while climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. After returning from my six-day trip, I transferred my unedited thoughts directly to the blog. In some cases, I added extra information for clarity. You'll find those passages in italics.
No comments:
Post a Comment