“Hello”. It’s eleven pm and one of the guides is waking us up. No need to wake ME up as I was up anyway. It’s a big relief. I don’t want to think about the implications of the lack of sleep now as I actually feel energised and ready to go. It’s a hard work to get out of the sleeping bag, I am breathing like I’ve just finished a marathon. I start to dress, very slowly. Four layers on my legs – thermal, base layer leggings, thin trekking trousers, thick trekking trousers and waterproof overtrousers – and five layers on my upper body – long-sleeve base layer, long-sleeve technical T-shirt, two fleeces and waterproof jacket. Thin socks and thick socks. My head is covered in balaclava, fleece headband and winter hat, all glamorously topped up with a head torch. Undergloves and warm ski gloves are protecting my hands. Party, anyone?
Just before getting out of the tent for the breakfast I have a little problem with my Camelbak. It looks like one of the shoulder straps is ripped off. I panic as I can’t imagine how to survive the night without it, then I start to think about how I could sew it. Fortunately my brain is not totally frozen yet and after closer investigation I figure out that the strap is only untied. Easily fixed. Just to be sure I add a few pins to hold it all together. Time to go for a breakfast!
Or should I say hobble. It’s difficult to move in all those layers (can’t imagine what it would be like with the fifth layer on my legs) and when you add the lack of oxygen… It’s dark – despite the full moon – and cold – although not as much as we’re expected and were prepared for. For breakfast we have porridge and fruits, then Diamox and we get some chocolate for the trek. Sonja is already somewhere on the way up there but there is another person missing. Gary. We learn that he left the camp – rather mysteriously and in the middle of the night. The whole situation is a bit strange and surreal but at the minute we don’t have time (or energy) for any speculations. As….
… there is one very interesting hill waiting for us to climb it, so let’s go!
We walk very, very slowly, little shuffling steps, one by one. There are other climbing groups before us. We can see the flickering lights of their torches. The terrain is fairly good, it’s a scree, the stones are very small though and it’s easy to walk, no need for lifting knees too much. And the walking poles are helping to keep a steady pace. I don’t have any issues with breathing at this moment (the pace is very slow), the air is very fresh and sharp. The first few meters of the route is straight uphill but as soon as it starts to be too steep, we start doing the infamous zigzags. That’s where the mental struggle starts. Not straight away but the zigzags are going to accompany us for the next five, six hours. Some of the stretches are short but it’s the long ones that get you. You’re shuffling and shuffling, looking down on the ground, focusing on the walking poles and hoping for a little change in the direction. We should be going up the mountain, not along it!!!
My nose is runny too. It’s annoying as it’s a complicated procedure to get to the tissue which is in the pocket of my jacket but to get there I need to remove my hand from the walking pole, hold the walking pole in the other hand, remove glove, open the zip of the pocket… By the time I finish re-gloving, my nose is runny again… It’s a lost battle but very little problem in the greater scheme of things. As I am actually here, standing on Kilimanjaro….
In the first phase we all walk together, Obote being the main leading guide. Time to time we have a short break to sip water and get some refreshments. During the first one I find out my Camelbak’s pipe is frozen despite the fact it is insulated. Paul has a similar problem but soon finds a solution when he pulls the pipe through his jacket. I can’t do that but fortunately I have a half a litre of water in a plastic bottle which I’ve been dragging with me since our last hotel! I am saved for now.
As we continue I realise I can’t feel my toes. It’s strange and I am a bit surprised as my thick socks are good ones, specially manufactured for this type of situations. Why are they not warming my feet? As it turns out, Paul and Jason has the same problems. I am trying to exercise my toes which helps me with staying awake and after some time (could be minutes, could be hours), I feel them again. Not falling asleep is my other problem. I struggle to stay awake, my eye lids are falling down and I just keep thinking how embarrassing it would be if I actually fall asleep and fall down… I focus on the walking poles and wiggling my toes.
I have no idea how long we’ve been walking. Our group is now divided into two. I am not sure with whom I am walking as all of us our disguised by and hidden in the layers of clothing. We pass the sign marking 5000m. Meaning in another 100m or so we will reach Hans Meyer Cave! Sounds simple but it could be another hour of walking! (Note: Hans Meyer was a German geologist and the first European who got to the Kibo top). Looking up we can see the top, little lights dotting the route that we will walk in next few hours. It seems very close and very far at the same time.
We stop at the Cave for re-charging but we can’t stay long as it takes only a few minutes for us to start feeling very cold. So we continue, zigzag, step by step. I manage to wake up a bit and resolve my falling asleep issue. Zigzag, zigzag. The next important stop is the Jamaica Rocks in 5500m. The track up there is still the same, just scree – it sometimes gets very slippery but that’s probably because we’re not as fresh and focused as we were at the beginning – and dust. Some of the zigzags seem to be taking forever before we reach the bend and that’s when I realise how mental this walk is. It’s when you realise how ridiculous it is to be here at four am, in the pitch dark and cold night, walking like an idiot in a slow motion, covering the distance which is just around 1 kilometer in about a 4-kilometer zigzag detour… But hey, soon we’ll be standing on the top!!
At Jamaica Rocks we can see a little light peeking on the horizon. The morning is coming and the idea of the sun rising soon is filling me with new energy. Which will be much needed as the part of the route between the Rocks and Gilman’s Point is a killer. I actually feel a bit betrayed. After almost six hours of zigzagging and surviving the biggest mental challenge of my life so far, we are forced to start lifting the knees and very carefully find our way through the rocks and stones. The track is suddenly steep and occasionally we need to scramble. I realise for the second time that I cannot feel my toes, this time it’s difficult to exercise them and I just hope they will be sort out when the sun is out. This part is a real test. We can see the Gilman’s Point being just a few meters above us but it feels like miles and miles away. Despite of eating all the meals we had, I am starving and we’re not even there yet. It’s starting to be warm but it’s still cold at the same time. Breathing is difficult. The bloody rocks are everywhere. But then I look around and back towards Mawenzi which is now bathing in the morning sun. Is there anything more beautiful then this?
And then we’re there! We stand next to the wooden sign telling us we’ve reached the Gilman’s Point. I am not sure what I feel. I am trying to catch my breath and then I sit down. It’s a good feeling. We are here. We are at 5681m!!! The sun is up. We get tea and hugs from our guides. We hug each other – me, Paul, Nadia. Nilam and Salma are soon following. Obote shows us where the Uhuru peak is. We just need to walk along the crater and there it is! Just! Doesn’t look horribly far but it’s about another hour and a bit of walking. But for now we can just sit for a few more minutes and enjoy the feeling we made it this far....
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