What are your plans for tonight? I don’t know about you, but I am going to climb the highest mountain in Africa!
This morning we are woken up at 6 and start our today’s trek at 8. First we need to climb up to get out of the valley. It’s pretty chilly but the sun is shining and burning against our layered backs. I am using the walking poles and after a few minutes of walking realise that the top of my hands are hurting. The first thought is that it’s caused by the cold wind but then I realise that they are actually burnt by the sun. After a mere ten minutes. I think it’s time for my silk undergloves!
The trek through the saddle is long, daunting and let’s face it, a little bit boring. There isn’t much to look at. It’s all stones and rocks, dirt and dust (there is only one distraction on the way – wreckage of a plane that had crashed here almost two years ago!!). The journey is also mentally exhausting as we can actually see where we need to get to but it doesn’t seem to be getting closer. What’s more, we all are very much aware that tonight is the Night! Kibo is just standing there in front of us, big and proud. I don’t know what the others feel but my feelings are mixture of respect, fear and excitement. Continuing on the trek towards Kibo Huts I also feel very sleepy and am trying hard to stay awake. I guess the lack of sleep is finally catching up. The closer we are to the final destination, the more the trek is dragging and I am very much looking forward to just sit down and do nothing for at least half an hour.
We are about a couple of minutes away from entering the camp when we encounter a proper reality check. Four porters carrying a stretcher are passing by. They are in a big hurry and we can see why. On the stretcher a body tied to it and wrapped in the sleeping bag is lying. It looks like a mummy, we cannot see the face but we don’t need to. It’s a victim of the altitude sickness, fighting for his/her life… No wonder the porters are rushing down… Just what we needed before entering the last camp before the summit night!
And now look at us. Mentally exhausted. Some of us can’t eat. Some us feel nauseous. Some of us have persistent headaches. But we’re here. And we’re determined to get to the top of the hill! Before settling in the camp we have to register in the reception and then finally we can rest a bit. It feels great. We’re at 4700m and any activity is a hard work. That doesn’t feel as great. But the excitement of being so close is immense. On the other hand, all sorts of thoughts are wandering through my head. Will I be able to cope with the lack of sleep, will I be able to breathe there, will I be too cold, will I be too hot, will my water freeze, will I be dehydrated, will I be hungry, what does it look like at the top, is it going to snow… neverending questions with no answers.
But first, time for lunch. During which we get a brief about the plan for the rest of the day. We eat. Then we sleep (or at least attempt to). Then we’ll have a dinner around five thirty in the evening. The detailed information will be given about the night ahead. Then again more sleep and wake up call at eleven at night. Woohoo! We’re quite chirpy at the lunch (although some of us our missing from the table…) and soon we part into our tents to get some sleep. But first we both (Paul and I) prepare our clothing and bags for the night. We only pack what we need for the night/morning as after the ascent we will be coming back to this camp so we don’t need to worry about our main rucksacks at the minute. I cannot decide how many layers to wear. It has not been as cold as I though it would be so far but who knows what it’s like up there? I prepare about five layers for the top and five layers for the bottom. Then I try to sleep. It’s not working. And the neverending trips to the toilet tent…
Dinner is at five thirty. Everybody is excited and the conversation is all about the adventure ahead. When Obote enters the tent with five other guides who will be going with us, the excitement reaches the max. It’s surreal. We’re all in this little tent almost at the top of Africa, eating beef kebabs and chocolate and listening to advice about climbing in the middle of night. Obote says it should be around minus eight degrees (Celsius) at the top which doesn’t sound too bad. He also says the lowest temperatures will be between three and six in the morning. A thought flashes through my head – what on earth will I be doing out there at three in the morning?? Then he describes the route. There are several parts – first bit takes us to Hans Meyer Cave (at 5182m), second part ends at Jamaica Rocks (5500m). Up to there the trek should be zig zag as it’s too steep to climb otherwise. From Jamaica Rocks to Gilman’s Point (5681m) it’s rocks and stones, more or less straight up. I am thinking – who cares when you’re so close? Obviously, I have no idea yet…. :) If we’re still lucid and feel up to it then we can continue to Uhuru Peak (5895m), the ultimate goal of this trip…. Sounds easy, non?
The mood after the dinner is not as chirpy as the weight of what’s ahead downs on us. I can’t sleep. It’s cold outside but it’s quiet. No wind although we’re in the open. It’s strange. Paul sleeps. I can’t hear voices of the others so I assume they too sleep. I travel to the cyber café and back. It’s ridiculous. I probably get twenty minutes of a nap and then wake up again. I hear Sonja being woken up – she’s starting the trek one hour ahead of us. So it must be ten pm. I am trying to push the minutes, to move faster as really, the only thing I want to do now is to get up and go and climb and be at the top of the highest mountain in Africa….
No comments:
Post a Comment