Kilimanjaro
In 2013 I made the very spontaneous desicion to climb Mount Kilimanajaro. It was a decision that was made because I was sad and bored in my first term of university. I needed to set myself a goal to work towards because I was scared I would end up leaving university and because I wanted to be on the move again as soon as possible.
It turned out to be one of the most physically demanding acts I have ever set myself. However, mentally it was incomparably precious. The days were filled with the most amazing views (some of which can be seen in my Photography slideshow), beautiful people that I know I could not have done without, conversations that regained my faith in humanity over and over and I was left with an experience that showed me that despite all our set backs, and without sounding cliche, anything is possible.
So many people, on my return, asked me to explain it, asked me to describe the pain, the set backs , the best bits and I truthfully I had no idea what to say, it really was inexplainable, so, here I have desided to scribe my diary entries. They are disjointed and poorly written with very little explanation about what was actually going on but I feel like it is the closest I will get to showing my true emotions and experience. Please excuse any cheesy self-motivation.
20th August – Day 1
Kilimanjaro, Bottom Camp Site.
Leave for climb tomorrow. Seems unreal, nervous,unsure,doubtful. Fell down the stairs and cracked my nose on the bottom of the pool. Perhaps my bad luck is over? Or maybe it is the beginning of a bad streak. My nose hurts. Want to cry. Won’t.
21st August – Day 2
Day 1 of climbing Kilimanjaro. It was steep. Everyone is in high spirits. We set of excited. Apprehensive. The terrain was rocky and then steps, made from the roots of the trees. It was all green and fresh. The moss drooped from the trees damply, weeping or perhaps just old and tired. We ate like kings and queens. Brighton, one of the guides told us to fill our hearts with joy and to be positive. Legs ache a little, back hurts. Tired.
22nd August – Day 3
Stuggling has begun, short of breath, sometimes so much so you can do nothing but stop. Like breathing with half a lung. I think maybe I can genuinely do it. I have to now…! I am here, at 3800m under a dome of glistening souls. The stars, we were so concentrated on the sun rising we forgot about the nights. Terrain today was big boulders, rock climbing almost. The toilets - the little huts on the side of the mountain - sticking out... don't breath. I miss my puppies. How pathetic.
23rd August – Day 4
Acclimatization Day
The sun beating down, unrelenting until the cloud comes, cold and sharp, chilling the short sleeve wearers to the bone, confusing and unresponsive, they shuffle on. The sideways drunken shuffle that we all seem to have adopted. People have begun to be sick. Swollen and shaking they look on at those who are well, numbly sucking bread, unwilling to swallow because they know they will only see it again. Reached Lava Tower, downhill from there. For everyone, but more for some than others. Jordan, Charlotte, Andy and I got lost in the mist, there was talk of highland goats. We found our way. Whenever I am lost again, all I want to remember is that the right way is somewhere, I just don’t know it yet.The peak looms, im scared. I want to go home, I want to give up. I have gone far now. It is impossible not to make it now. I have points to prove, people to prove wrong. Is that really why I am doing this? I don’t think so. I just need the completion.
24th August – Day 5
I’ve never known physical exhaustion like this. Defeated Baranco Wall. Vertical clambering. Dusty back down. We leave at 11pm tonight for the summit climb. Must eat and sleep before then. Mood fluctuates. Music saved me today. Dance walked for an hour. Feel like I could cry. Wont, if I break I know I will stop and I can’t stop now. One more day. Then down hill. 12hrs. 12hrs. 12hrs. 12hrs.12hrs. People walk being held under the arms. Someone is fine and suddenly with no warning, they are doubled over, sick. People pause, watch them, tap them on the back and walk on. If you are sick you are sick - theres nothing to be done. The porrige - one spoon looks like a full meal - my stomach has gone and in its place a spoon of porrige. Perhaps I will never have to eat a normal sized meal again. Charlotte stuck a blister pad on her neck...! How grateful I am that all I have is physical pain. I can make it. I have to. I have to.
25th August – Day 6
Night after summit night. We walked all day on Saturday. We then got up @ 12midnight to begin the walk. We walked for eight hours up and 3-4 hrs down. It was the worst most physically demanding, most painful, most confussing night of my life. The flashlights bounced, the wind was -10 and I let nature take its path. I hallucinated shooting stars, people curling up but rocks and UV lights. I was terrified.
My summit was done in aid of Childreach International.
So, as I am sure you can tell I am not going to tell you to put this on your bucket list - ultimately it should not be taken lightly. It was scary, painful, long, challenging and Oxygen becomes your most dearly missed friend. However, I would also say that if its something that you think that you could feat, then do it. The mountain was a game changer in my life, a new beginning and a place I go in my mind when I can not be anywhere else. As the famous song by Juluka goes - ' I’m sittin’ on top of Kilimanjaro, I can see a new tomorrow. I’m sittin’ on top of Kilimanjaro. I cast away all my sorrows.'
Below are two YouTube clips. The first is one is just something I found online that shows the terrain perfectly and the second was a video blog done by one of our team members 'Hooch'. Hooch, sadly did not make it the whole way up because of the altitude but she managed to raise an amazing amount of money for the charity and as a result now does extensive work for them. The second shows some great team member morel and brings back some pretty beautiful memories. Take a look.