This morning we started off with one of the last opportunities for a hot shower (make that bathing in general) for five days. We met Martin and our assistant guide, Filipo, at our hotel and headed for the mountain. After registering and getting all of our gear sorted out among the porters, we set off with our backpacks and hiking poles up the first leg of our Marangu route to Mandara Hut. Since I had malaria two weeks ago and it is strongly advised to go pole pole (slowly, slowly) up the mountain, I was appointed the kiongozi (leader) of our group. Along the hike through rainforest-esque jungle, we saw black monkeys and a chamelion. It’s so much cooler here than in Dar and the weather kept improving as we ascended the tallest mountain in Africa. The next day we walked through scenery resembling that in Colorado as we ascended to Horombo hut. The plan for our ascent is as follows: hike for roughly three-four hours the first day to Mandara Hut, the next day hike 5-7 hours to Horombo Hut, the next day hike 7 hours to Kibo Hut, then wake up at 11 p.m. that day and ascend the mountain to peak as the sun is rising, and then descend and hike back to Horombo hut (roughly 20 miles in total of hiking this day), and then return to the bottom of the mountain on the fifth day. At the huts, we had a great conversation with a group of Estonians doing a six-day route. We also met a sweet man from Korea who was ascending with us, named Jae. All the while we were hiking, the weather got progressively colder and our altitude sickness medicine dosage increased. We were pretty much the only people on the mountain, besides Jae, who knew any Kiswahili and this put us at an incredible advantage as we could understand the porter and guide’s talk (sometimes it was them complaining about their clients as the clients were standing right there, and we were the only wazungu (white people) who could understand them). We had a good laugh every time that they did this. It also allowed us to become closer to our guides as we spoke mainly in Kiswahili. On the summit day, we started hiking at midnight in the dark having only eaten a breakfast of hot tea and glucose biscuits. We had to keep our water bottles inside our jackets to keep them from freezing. The climb was indeed pole pole and we passed many people on the way up as they stopped for a break. Courtney stopped about halfway up, but Caleb, Martin and I kept climbing. We reached the first peak, Gilman’s Point, after hiking the last half mile over boulders, right as the sun was cresting the curve of the earth. Our vista was one of nothing but sunrise. Needless to say, it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It was also a good moment to put things in perspective and marvel at some of the awesome wonders of the world. After Gilman’s, we hiked more to Stella’s Point and then onto Uhuru Peak - the tallest point in all of Africa. Again, pretty amazing. We also summitted with our friend, Jae, and at the top, he had us videotape him unrolling a banner proposing to a girl back home. He would later give her the video. After eating an expired wheatabix at the top, we hiked back down the mountain. When we got back, both Caleb and I were too exhausted even to untie our boots. Our legs were also shaking uncontrollably from the day’s exertion. After a two hour power nap, we hiked back down to Horombo. The next day, we hiked to the bottom of the mountain and reveled in our accomplishment! I don’t think I’ve ever pushed myself that hard or been more proud of myself as I was when I summitted two weeks after having malaria. It was such an adrenaline rush and a great feeling to encourage others as they were hiking up to where we had just been. There is much more to tell and I will gladly share stories and pictures when I return home. But for now my internet time is about to expire. Hopefully I’ll be able to fill you in on the rest of the stories sometime this week.
Qwaherini marafiki wangu (Goodbye my friends),
Neema
