Journal

July 21

We arrive at LAX and get on the plane without any problems. Our luggage is checked all the way through to Arusha, Tanzania. And so the journey begins…

The nearly 11 hours on Virgin Atlantic seem to go by pretty fast due, I’m sure, to all the entertainment provided by the airline: movies, Nintendo and the very attractive flight crew.

We get to London, Heathrow airport on time. The flight was smooth although the landing was a little turbulent. My stomach feels a bit upset but nothing some Pepto and 4 hours of rest couldn’t take care of.

For the next leg of our trip we get on a somewhat more crowded 767 and fly to Nairobi, Kenya. This time I can’t wait to get off the plane. The flight was smooth, the food was good, but I had a real hard time sleeping. We’re all very tired as we arrive in Kenya at 7 AM local time.

We only have a few minutes to catch our connecting flight to Arusha on Precision Air and we run around hastily to try to find our gate, get our boarding passes and get on our plane. We have to walk across the runway to get to the small turbo-prop that will carry us to Arusha.

Before we're allowed on the plane we're asked to identify our luggage which arrives separately on a white pickup. Gavin and I are both missing a suitcase each. A staff member asks for our tickets and disappears in search for our missing luggage. Great, now we’re stranded in Kenya with missing luggage and no tickets. Bewildered, we wait around a bit but eventually our bags shows up, our tickets are returned and we’re on our way.

The small plane flies right over Mount Kilimanjaro and we catch our first glimpse of Uhuru peak. The mountain is truly majestic and much bigger than I expected. It’s huge! We can see some of the trails leading up to the peak.

We land in Arusha 50 minutes after take off at a small but well maintained airport. We can feel the strength of the sun’s rays but the air is chilled by a cool wind. It’s pleasant and not at all unlike Southern California. It still hasn’t sunk in how far away from home we really are.

We get our passports stamped and go through customs without any problems. In the waiting area we are greeted by Wilbert and our driver. Wilbert looks a lot younger than I thought. Both men are very polite and friendly. They load our luggage into a white Toyota Land Cruiser to drive us to our hotel. The road is lined with locals, some presumably looking for work, some herding cows and others just out for a stroll.

Wilbert, along with everyone else we’ve met so far, speaks good English and we pass the time talking about our trip, the mountain, Tanzania and his family. Soon we leave the pavement behind and continue on a rough dirt road. After two days of travel we finally arrive at Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge our home for the next couple of days in Tanzania.

July 23

The Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge is very nice. Just as you’d expect from a place that President Clinton once stayed at, the rooms are beautiful and very clean. Each one is equipped with double beds, a fire place, a whirlpool tub, a shower and a TV set. The staff is very courteous but we feel a bit uneasy at first as we walk around, seemingly the only guests in the place, followed by the curious gazes of the locals.

We are all delirious from sleep deprivation but we force ourselves to stay awake. This is the best way to get over the jetlag. For the time being we’re on our own and with nothing to do we decide to go for a walk. As we wander out unto the hotel's golf course which is still under construction we are intercepted by a talkative fellow named Steve who offers to give us a tour. We talk for quite awhile and share a few laughs as he walks us back to our rooms.

We still have time to pass so we decide to go sample the local beer selection at the bar. After a few rounds we decide to have dinner and as we all are literally passing out at the table by this time we decide to call it a day.

July 24

This morning we received our rental equipment delivered to us by Wilbert who also introduces us to the rest of our team, three Australians; Benno his son Tim and Matt. The all seem like jolly good fellows and we get ourselves acquainted quickly.

Having nothing to do for the next couple of hours we return to the bar to continue sampling the local beer selection. The Aussies join us for lunch and we share a few laughs as we swap stories at the table. I’m a little buzzed by the time I get back to my room for Wilbert’s equipment check. He seems generally satisfied with what he sees and thanks us for being well prepared.

After the equipment check we take Wilbert up on his offer to take us into town. We need to cash our traveler’s checks anyway. We get into the Land Cruiser and head into town. The road to Arusha is littered with Land Cruisers and Toyota minivans everywhere.

As we drive past row after row of barely standing, half finished or broken down houses it finally sinks in: we’re not in Kansas anymore. Away from the comforts of our hotel I get my first look at the poverty people here have to endure. It is a sobering experience and I thank God I have the good fortune of living the United States.

Wilbert drops us off downtown at the Impala Hotel where we cash our traveler’s checks. We get 1050 shillings on the dollar. Beer costs 750 – 1500 per liter, dinner at our very “expensive” hotel cost no more than 8000 – 9000 per person. Gas is somewhat pricey at about 900 per liter.

Wilbert leaves us with our next driver, his buddy Frank, who is tasked with showing us around. Frank, who is from the same Maasai tribe as Wilbert, speaks good enough English to carry on a decent conversation as we drive through lots of traffic, lots of people and more poverty. We go to a local pub for a few beers and pass the time talking about everything from world politics to women, familiy, etc.

We get back to our hotel at about 7:30 PM to have dinner with the Aussies and Eben, the owner of F&S. Eben turns out to be a great guy himself and we share more laughs at the dinner table as we start to mentally prepare ourselves for the challenge ahead of us. Tomorrow morning we’ll need to be up at 6:30 AM to get ready for the two hour drive to the trailhead. I’m getting pretty excited!

July 25

Wilbert picks us up at the hotel at 8 AM and we drive 2 hours on very rough dirt roads to the park gate. We pass a number of incredibly poor villages with wooden houses, shacks really, with lots of chickens and goats running around. There's endless red dirt everywhere. To my amazement we notice an occasional satellite dish here and there on the roof of one of these buildings.

After taking care of a bunch of paperwork we briefly meet our porters at the trailhead and after a quick lunch we set off on the first leg of our journey. We go through some of the thickest jungle I’ve ever seen but the trail is clean and the going is easy. Aside from various species of birds and the barking of monkeys in the distant forest canopy our journey is peaceful and quiet.

As we slowly ascend the mountain we are constantly passed by porters carrying huge loads on their heads. After an easy 2 – 3 hour walk we get to our first campsite. Everything is already set up, tents, drinks, food, it’s all ready to go. Dinner turns out to be a feast of sweet potato soup, chicken, rice, green beans, peanut sauce, avocado salad and fruit for dessert. We eat, drink and acquaint ourselves with our porters, all 30 of them, before we turn in. We go to sleep around 9 PM as we prepare ourselves for a much harder day tomorrow.

July 26

We hike through thick forest jungle, going up and down but steadily gaining elevation. The hike is long but relatively easy. After about 5 – 6 hours on the trail, as we emerge out of the thick forest we finally catch our first glimpse of Kibo. Kibo is the youngest and highest of the three volcano peaks that form Kilimanjaro. We press on through the now sparse vegetation as we reach Shira plateau. After a couple of more hours of walking we reach or second campsite.

Shira camp is located at the crossroads of a few popular trails. We have several other groups camping in this small village of tents. We relax, take showers and kick back while I shoot some video footage. I’ve been documenting our trip diligently but I’m not confident in the quality of the footage, especially the audio. We’ll see how it turns out.

July 27

We rise once again at 6:30 AM, pack up our stuff, eat breakfast and get ready to leave. Last night was very cold and I didn’t sleep well. It must have been well below freezing as the water we left outside was frozen solid in the morning. Once the sun sets it gets very cold and I’m starting to wonder if I have enough warm clothes with me. If it’s this cold now how is it going to be at the summit?

I’m tired but ready to go. Today’s hike to our next destination, Fisher Camp, is much shorter than yesterday and we get there pretty quickly. After lunch we go on a little half hour acclimatization hike to some abandoned lion caves. Only a few years ago these caves were still used by porters as shelter because their employers were too cheap to provide them with tents. I feel good knowing our porters are well taken care of.

We are at 12,500 ft. I had a slight headache earlier today but it’s now gone and I’m ready for tomorrow.

July 28

This morning I am first to wake at 6 AM. It’s still dark outside. Surprisingly, last night wasn’t as bad as the night before at Shira, but it was still freezing cold. Once again I’m wondering if I have enough warm clothes. We shiver and wait for the sun to rise. As soon as it does, the air warms up and we feel much better.

Life here is different. Our worries are simple: food, water, sleep, etc. To keep things sanitary on the mountain we have a portable toilet but as I found out last night the water freezes, so flushing can be a problem. I will make sure to always have liquid water with me.

So far I’m surprised to find that the hike, which we worried about so much, is the easiest part. Life in the camp, especially the cold at night, is the hardest thing to deal with. Despite my expectations to the contrary, my boots, socks or blisters have not been an issue at all. I feel strong!

Today we have a long hike to Sheffield camp at 14,500 ft and I’m starting to get a headache. We drink a lot of water as keeping hydrated is the most important remedy against the symptoms of AMS. The hike is hard as we leave behind the last remnants of any kind of vegetation.

Our campsite is in the middle of a plateau that looks just like the surface of the moon. Grey rocks and dust everywhere. It’s windy. It will be cold again tonight.

July 29

Today is acclimatization day. Except for a short hike to about 16,000 ft. we stay at our camp all day. I take this opportunity to bust out the soccer ball I brought along. It turns out to be a big hit. All the porters join in on the fun as we play keep away, take corners and penalty kicks. It’s all a bit challenging given the terrain involved but it’s a lot of fun. So much so that even some porters from other passing by groups drop their load and join in. I get props from the porters for a couple of nice moves but I’m exhausted after five minutes. They keep playing for hours.

Tonight I’ll try a new strategy. Wear less clothing to bed. I have a feeling I’ve been wearing to many layers and my sleeping bag never gets a chance to warm up. That’s why I think I’ve been cold on the previous two nights. We’ll see how it goes.

July 30

Last night was once again windy and cold but my strategy worked and I slept well in the newly found warmth of my sleeping bag.

This morning’s climb seemed like it was going to be a breeze but it turns out to be a real challenge. I have the worst headache yet. The track is getting steeper and the terrain is more and more difficult. We cross ridge after ridge on our seemingly never ending track to Arrow Glacier.

This campsite is once again fairly busy as it is a common stop along a number of different tracks. I take a little nap after lunch and contemplate taking a diamox pill to combat the headache that’s been bothering me. I’ve been reluctant to take diamox for a couple of reasons. One, I don’t like pills. Two, I’ve been warned about the possible side effects of diamox. But above all I want to make sure I will reach the summit so I take the pill and go to bed.

July 31

We wake early, very early, and start climbing the Western Breach at 6:30 AM. Supposedly, it is safer to climb early in the morning when the loose rocks are still frozen. I’m sceptical. I think Wilbert just enjoys torturing us! :) It is a cold and miserable beginning to our day but I start out feeling strong with my headache gone hoping to reach our next campsite soon.

I could not have been more wrong. The Western Breach turns out to be an extremely steep and difficult climb. At times I’m afraid for my life as we claw our way up the rock face. This is a so called “non technical” climb, meaning we’re not required to use ropes or any other equipment, but it’s a climb nonetheless. At times it seems like I have to hold on for dear life, crawling on my hands and knees, up the rocks an inch at a time. Pole, pole.

I started out strong but as we reach our lunch stop my head is pounding, I’m exhausted and the first alarming thoughts of possible failure enter my mind. Will I make it? I look at Gavin, Nate and the rest of our group. We’re all tired but I’m encouraged by the porters’ enthusiasm. This is nothing for these guys. They keep singing and joking as they serve us lunch. I can do this! I will do this!

After six more hours of pure hell we finally reach the ridge and catch our first glimpse of a gigantic glacier. The bluish-white, translucent wall of ice rises 40 – 50 ft above us as we walk past it to our last campsite by the foot of Ash Crater only a mere 45 minutes from Uhuru peak at about 18,500 ft. Wow. The "suffering" is well worth it. This is an amazing experience I know I will never forget.

Our porters greet us at the campsite and congratulations go all around as we all know we made it. By now I can genuinely say I consider most of these guys my friends and I think the feeling is mutual. They seem just as proud of our achievement as we are.

After an hour of rest Tim, Nate and I decide to hike up to Ash Crater. This is an optional hike and Gavin and Benno decide to stay behind. I didn’t come this far to not see the crater so, I summon whatever little energy I have left and we set off.

The crater is a phenomenal site. It’s gigantic! One side is covered with yellowish sulfur. Steam and gas rise from the rocks as the wind howls and the clouds roll in. We snap a few pictures and head back to camp.

I’ve got the worst headache yet. My heart rate is 115 bpm even at complete rest. My oxygen saturation is at an alarming 62%. Considering one passes out if it falls under 60% I’m somewhat concerned. We’re all truly exhausted as we go to bed. Before we go to sleep Wilbert checks in with us to make sure everything is alright. My head is pounding, the diamox is not helping, but I’m ok. I hope a good night’s rest will give me the strength to continue tomorrow.

Aug 1

I awake with a still pounding headache but my oxygen level is back up to over 70%. I feel better.

We start out after breakfast. There’s only one last wall of rock between us and Uhuru peak. We make it easily, in 45 minutes and stand triumphantly on the roof of Africa. We did it!

We’re all here, except for Matt who made the climb to the top yesterday, all in one day. Because of a scheduling conflict at home he had to catch an earlier flight back to Australia. How he summoned the energy to make it I will never know.

We take a bunch of photos and shoot some video and then start our long decent down the other side of the mountain. We need to descend down to 10,000 ft all in one day. If I thought yesterday was hard this is ten times worse. The trail is steep and the loose rocks are hard to handle. Nate and Tim have fun “skiing” down the gravel. They're actually having fun! I'm having a hard time. My legs are killing me and with every step I feel like someone is smacking me in the head with a sledgehammer. My head is still pounding badly.

After lunch with three more hours to go I’m literally thinking about throwing myself off the rocks. I’m hoping to break something so I’d have to be rescued. I feel like a zombie, walking slowly, humming “Fade to Black” to myself in a desperate state of delirium.

To my surprise as I see the campsite getting closer I start regaining some of my strength. It feels good to be able to breath normally again. I can almost taste the oxygen in the air. After finally arriving at the camp we take showers, have a bottle of beer (Yes, beer. Someone, God bless their soul, actually carries beer up here to the ranger’s station.), have dinner and go to bed tired but elated.

Aug 2

Today’s short hike takes us to the gate, our final stop on the mountain. I seem to have all my energy back and I start running, racing Wilbert, down the trail. It’s amazing what a difference a few thousand feet in elevation can make.

Just as we reach the gate it starts raining. No matter, we’re all in a good mood. As our porters prepare food we drink beers, share a few laughs, sing songs and have a good time. It is obvious to all of us that we had by far the best team on the mountain. We take care of the tipping, say our good byes and head back to town.

Back at the hotel I realize something important. I stink. Bad.

At the Impala we get cleaned up and meet up at the restaurant to celebrate Eben’s birthday. We stay out until 10 PM, having a good time, then go to bed exhausted but elated. We did it! We climbed mount Kilimanjaro.

I would like to thank Wilbert and our team of porters for an unforgettable experience. I respect and admire all of you for performing the most difficult of jobs with pride and professionalism. Surely, without your help we could not have made it. Thank you for taking care of us.

I would like to also thank Eben and Chris at F&S for providing the excellent service that allowed us to enjoy the trip of a lifetime to its fullest. You have my whole hearted endorsement. It’s been a pleasure.

Aug 3

We wake at 7 AM. I have never slept better in my life and I don’t want to get out of bed. But our new driver and guide Athman is waiting for us. We get ready for our first day of safari.

On our way to Tarangire, Athman introduces us to various interesting members of the local plant life. The hour long trip goes by fast as we pass herd after herd of cows and goats, mud-house villages and lots of locals dressed in traditional red, Maasai robes.

We check into our lodge and after a quick lunch we drive into the wilderness. Within minutes we run into herds of zebras, giraffes, elephants and other animals roaming the land. I didn’t expect this. I thought we’d have to look long and hard for animals, searching with binoculars, but these guys are everywhere. We snap a lot of pictures.

Within only a few hours we take a lot of pictures and shoot a lot of video but time goes by fast and we head back to the lodge. Once again we are staying at a very nice place. Our tents are luxurious and well equipped. They line one side of a walking path overlooking a gorgeous valley teaming with wild life. Each tent is set up next to a combination shower/toilet area, sheltered by a straw roof. We have a clear view of all the elephants, giraffes, ostriches and baboons roaming the land. It’s spectacular.

After a nice dinner we watch a train of baboons climb the hill and cover the patio outside the lodge. There must be at least fifty of them. I’m not sure what they want. It’s almost as if they had come to introduce themselves. But they leave within a short time; I guess it’s bed time. We’re tired too and head for our tents soon after.

Aug 4

Today starts with some commotion. Just as we’re about to get ready to leave we see a maid run hastily from our tents. What’s going on? We must investigate.

Peeking around the corner our jaws drop as we stare at a herd of elephants grazing right in between our tents. Tape rolling, I get within 30 – 40 feet of a gigantic bull. As I’m filming he lets out a deep rumble like you would expect from a lion. It’s enough to scare the !@#$ out of me and I take off running. The elephants pay absolutely no attention to anyone. This is their country and they know it. But eventually they leave and so do we.

We spend the entire day driving around Tarangire Park. I’m amazed by the abundance and proximity of all the wildlife. We watch lions hunt and devour a zebra. A herd of elephants cross the dirt road no more than 10 feet in front of us. Life, in its most primal form, is all around.

Aug 5 – Aug 6

Today we drive to Ngorongoro. Ngorongoro, once considered part of the Serengeti, is a gigantic, flat area in the middle of the Rift Valley. It is surrounded by three volcanoes one of which is still active.

The valley is littered with huge herds of wildebeest, zebras, buffalo and tons of other animals. We see jackals, hyenas, cheetahs, foxes, lions, élans, hippos, antelopes, etc. There are too many species to list but I think the pictures speak for themselves.

We also get a chance to visit a Maasai village where we jump with the locals as they introduce us to their traditional dance. We check out their cow dong houses and buy a few trinkets they sell to tourists.

I can’t believe people still live this way in the twenty first century. But to be honest, the locals, even with all the difficulties they have to deal with, seem a lot happier and certainly much friendlier than most of us in the US. I truly enjoyed interacting with everyone here.

Aug 7

We spend our last day at Lake Manyara. We have a good time watching the animals. The baboons and monkeys are especially entertaining. By this time I’m starting to feel a bit homesick.

We watch a nice acrobatics show at the hotel after dinner and I have a great time chatting with the very lovely bartender. By the end of the night she’s ready to marry me. According to Maasai tradition, all I have to do is pay her father the 20 cows she’s worth; a mere $3,000. I think about it, but decide I’m better off going to bed since I’m a little buzzed and my judgment may be impaired.

Aug 8

Athman drives us back to Arusha where we get cleaned up and ready for the journey back to the good old US of A. I’m ready to go home but I leave Tanzania with the feeling that I’ll be back some day.

I have nothing but good things to say about this country and its friendly inhabitants. Yes, there are certain things the average American is not necessarily accustomed to: dirt roads, bugs, exotic diseases, poverty, etc. I had some stomach problems but cipro took care of that. I was a bit congested but Claritin got rid of it. The minor nuisances were a very small price to pay for the trip of a lifetime.

Aug 9 – 10

Planes, boredom, no sleep, I’m tired. We get to LA and head straight to an In’N’Out for a burger. We’re home.