Day 4 - Do you have any plans for tonight? (by Darina)

Thursday, 23rd September 2010

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….

Day 3 - You spin my head right round, right round...! (by Darina)

Wednesday 22nd September 2010

Day three on the mountain was important to me for several reasons. It was the first time I had experienced a headache and the first time I had realised what being in high altitude meant.

The morning is chilly but beautiful with a view of the sun rising over the pink and white fluffy clouds below us. Again I couldn't sleep properly at night but still I feel fairly refreshed and ready for another challenge. Today shouldn’t be a long walk as we are supposed to reach the next camp (4300m) around one in the afternoon and then later we have an acclimatisation walk planned (up to 4600m and back to the camp). Obote and Lazarus are our main guides for today. The walk starts uphill and is uphill all the way. Thankfully we are again walking very slowly so the rocks and stones are not a big obstacle to tackle. The nature is changing around us, it’s mostly bushes which gradually disappear until we reach only stones and rocks with no green vegetation around us at all. We are passing the 4100m mark at which point I realise I have a dull pain at the back of my skull. It’s not huge but it’s there and it’s not going away. This is my first encounter with the altitude sickness.

We are steadily hiking up the hill, Obote is promising that our camp is basically at the top of the hill. I am not tired but a bit lethargic although otherwise still very well compared to some of my co-hikers. Every break is a very welcome opportunity to catch the breath and just sit for a minute and enjoy the fact that we are over 4000m. The sky is clear and it’s sunny and dry although the wind occasionally gets under the skin.

Eventually we get to the top and to the camp which is quietly sitting in the valley under the Mawenzi peak. From here we cannot see Kibo. The ground is fairly even so I am hoping for a nice good night when I actually manage to get some sleep. But now it’s time for lunch. There is more of us now having headaches and some people are not able to eat or just simply lack the will to eat. This is the occasion when the encounter with high altitude is very real. Simple walking or bending or getting down to sit in the tent is leaving us breathless. It’s difficult to get used to the fact that everything needs to be done in slow motion but the sudden rush into the head when I do things in my normal pace teaches me the lesson very fast. We have a lunch after which I am taking a couple of Paracetamols as my headache is still there and pounding. Then we rest before our acclimatisation walk.

The walk takes us up to one of the ridges of Mawenzi. It’s very steep and rocky trek but the views are incredible. Finally we see Kibo again and the path across the saddle from Mawenzi to Kibo Huts where we will be walking tomorrow. Although our group is now affected by various altitude problems - tiredness, lack of sleep, not being able to eat, headaches, nausea - we all are very optimistic when seeing Kibo in front of us. It feels quite surreal to be here above the clouds and looking at the impressive hill ahead.

The acclimatisation walk takes about two hours. After our return to the camp, the usual evening routine expects us, followed by the dinner. The weather changes very fast after the sun set and what was a pleasantly warm day transforms into a cold and windy night. Our faces that were very optimistic just a few hours ago are now showing worries and the fear of uncertainty. My headache is gone but I decide it's the time for Diamox. I don't have time to think about the side effects, I only keep thinking that I really really want to get to the top of the hill and I will do anything I can possibly do. At this point I have no idea what an adventure the night ahead will be.

One of the things that are repeated to us on a regular basis is that we need to drink as much as possible. It's fairly simple during the day (I think I managed to drink around three litres only during the morning trek today) when you have opportunities to go and send an email whenever you need to. It's a different story at night. You have to get out of the very warm and nice sleeping bag into a sharply cold tent, get dressed, get out of the tent, find your way to the toilet tent and then go back, undress, get into the sleeping bag. All this is causing you shortness of breath, not to mention the wind and chill outside is not very friendly either. I am aware that Diamox is making this even worse as one of the side effects is the need to go and send emails more often than normally. The only thing I can do about this is to limit my drinking before we go to sleep. I manage to fall asleep fairly quickly (I did try ear plugs too which helped a lot), unfortunately am woken up soon - yes, I need to send an email. There is not much I can do, so I undergo the whole daunting procedure. Then I realise I feel very very dehydrated (which is very unusual for me) so I dare to have a little sip of water from my Camelbak. Unbelievably I need to go get up again after an hour or so. And one more time later at night even though I didn't dare to even think about having another sip. One night when I don't have issues with falling asleep and I spend it travelling to the toilet and back... However ridiculous or silly this sounds, this was my worst experience from Kili.

But hey, the night is over and ahead lies the day D when we get as close as possible to the foot of Kibo and night N when we start our trek to the summit...

Day 2 - Holy Smokes, it's Kibo! (by Darina)

Tuesday 21st September 2010

We're woken up around six in the morning by one of the porter's deep "Hello". The following morning ritual is repeated every day - they wake us up and enquire about how we slept and whether we have any health concerns (head aches, nausea etc.) Then we're offered coffee or tea, straight into the tent! Two green bowls of water follow for the morning hygiene, then packing our rucksacks which will then be left on the big plastic sheet outside for the porters to sort out and finally the breakfast.

This morning I feel fine although I didn't sleep very well or very much. It's a bit chilly but the sun is already rising and just when we all meet at the benches and sip the hot tea - there it is! Kibo, proudly showing itself in the morning sun. Finally, after three days in Africa, we can see the destination of our trek. Such a beauty!

The breakfast is surprisingly tasty (again) - porridge, eggs, bread, even bacon! And choice of hot drinks - tea, coffee, chocolate or an energy drink Milo. What a luxury! Before we set off - our today's guide is Robbie - the porters fill our Camelbaks with water. We have a long way ahead of us so Robbie is rushing us a bit to leave the camp as soon as possible. As promised, the route is not very difficult to walk on and we walk very slowly anyway. Soon the porters are passing us, skipping like mountain goats although they carry possibly up to four times more weight than we do. The path is as dusty as it was yesterday, there are bushes around us that gradually become lower and lower as the path becomes more and more stony. The ever present Kibo is keeping us company, it's a little reminder of our final destination. So close but still so far, we're only a little over two days away from its top!

It takes around four hours for us to get to he Second Cave camp where we stop for a lunch. It's been a long morning for some of us and not everybody is feeling very well. There are reports of headaches and tiredness but still we're keeping our spirits up and stay cheerful and optimistic. We are currently in 3500m. The lunch is delicious (avocado salad, vegetable soup, chocolate, banana) and fuels us for the upcoming trek that will takes us up to 3750m; our overnight camp however will be in 3600m.

The path is starting to be a bit difficult as it's full of stones and rocks and at times it gets very uneven and slippery. So far the weather was warm and dry. During the afternoon the sun starts to hide behind the clouds now and then; the difference is remarkable. Suddenly the air is chilly and the fleece becomes my new best friend. We get to the camp in the late afternoon. The view is quite something. On the right side is Kibo that seems to be more distant now then it was in the morning. On the left side is Mawenzi, the twin peak of Kibo. And our camp is just between them. The tents are built already so we can get inside and have a little rest before our washy-washy bowls are brought to us. Our tent is on the downhill slope so it's going to be an interesting night!

The atmosphere at the dinner is a bit tense tonight. Some of us are very tired, some are not feeling well thanks to the never-stopping headaches and the temperature outside has dropped a bit lower than we expected. It's very windy too which doesn't help. The dinner is brilliant though (although from now on I have no recollections of what exactly we were eating - purely because I didn't make the notes); in conditions we currently find ourselves we couldn't have wished for better food! One of the guides tells us about tomorrow - it's a short trek towards Mawenzi (up to 4300m), then in the afternoon we'll have an acclimatisation walk to 4600m. At this minute, everybody seems tired and not very excited about tomorrow and soon we all part into our tents.

Before I hit the sack I need to go and send an email. It really is quite unpleasant outside and what's more, somebody is already busy in the cyber cafe so I stand outside and look around the camp. And then it hits me! There in the distance, in the dark, but illuminated by the almost full moon was Kibo. The sky very dark shade of blue, with thousands of stars, enveloping Kibo whose glaciers are glaring into the night. My heart misses a beat at this moment, this must have been the most amazing thing I've ever seen. It seems so peaceful but still so noble! I suddenly forget all the little issues like cold, full bladder, fears of altitude sickness and realise that I am very lucky - I don't have any headache, I don't feel tired, I don't have any muscle soreness and I can be here, in this magical place, seeing this beautiful picture. I am silently thanking my guardian angels for letting me experience this moment. (Now back in the real world, I would also like to thank Jason who took a picture of Kibo that night. I am very grateful for it...)

The night is very windy and at times I am worried that our tent is going to fly away in the direction of Kenya. Again, I can't sleep; it's partially because I keep sliding towards the bottom part of the tent, due to our unfortunate location. It is a bit annoying but I am surprisingly calm and manage to get at least a few hours before another morning comes.