I went to Zanzibar too!

And here is a link to all of THOSE pictures!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kyletaylor/sets/72157626715498071/

More Africa Pictures from Kilimanjaro!

Just a quick link to ALL of my Kilimanjaro pictures on Flickr. Enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kyletaylor/sets/72157626710806795/

Day 7 Climbing Kilimanjaro: Down we go

Awakening for this final morning on the mountain brings mixed emotions. On one hand, it is done and we are returning to real beds, hot showers, and non-fried food. On the other, it marks the end of the greatest adventure of our lives. The group convenes for breakfast and for the first time in a week everyone is genuinely calm and relaxed. We have done it. We have summitted Mount Kilimanjaro! The thought never gets old and simultaneously doesn’t feel real.


Our six-hour descent takes us back from rocks to small shrubs to big shrubs to tall trees. The sun is once again shining and as we reach the gates at Marangu the group lets out a collective sigh of relief before shedding a few more tears. As difficult as it was - as trying as the experience had been on our minds, bodies, and spirits, there was no doubt that we would miss the mountain. Still, what gave us peace was the knowledge that we would forever have this connection to Kilimanjaro, to our charity, and to each other that could never be fully explained both to ourselves and to others. It was, without question, the adventure of a lifetime.

Day 6 Climbing Kilimanjaro: To the summit or bust

At exactly 12am we regrouped outside, where a tiny snowfall welcomed us. Once again, this meant higher-than-average air temperature - something we were thankful for. The entire operation began with military precision. We were put in line based on strength, meaning the woman who was still suffering from gastro and feeling quite weak was up front so the rest of us could support, love, and nurture her on the way up. The guides were firm and clear in their instructions, as they should be. After all, most of them had climbed the mountain more than one hundred times.


Like a flash we were heading upward from 4,750 metres at Kibo to 5,895 metres at the summit. From Kibo to Gilman’s Point is mostly a blur. It whizzes by and the only thing on your mind is “step, step, step, right, left, right, left.” My most vivid memory is the heels of the shoes belonging to the woman in front of me. We stop at 2am for a snack and water bottle refill. These breaks must happen at lightning speed, as remaining still for too long lowers your body temperature and makes it near impossible to continue. We stop again at 4am for a similar break, only this time it is much much colder. By 5am we are no longer trekking and are now climbing up what feels like steps. It is not entirely certain, as the absolute darkness leaves visibility at roughly two metres.


Without any real warning, light begins to appear over the eastern horizon. Literally moments later the sign reading “Gilman’s Point” becomes visible. We are there - our first major milestone. Watching the African sun rise over Tanzania and Kenya from above the clouds is an out-of-body experience and by now the entire group is shedding tears of joy, pride, and a touch of relief. We are nearly there and we did it together not just for ourselves but for a great charity.

Now able to see our own footsteps, we begin the two-hour journey to Uhuru Peak - the true roof of Africa. The entire trek is lined with brilliant panoramic views. There are other peaks off in the distance, airplanes flying below where we are currently standing, massive glaciers that are tens of thousands of years old. None of it quite feels real.


Then, just as suddenly, we all reach the sign post marking the summit itself. Breathtaking is the only word that accurately describes how you feel at that moment. Somehow, I managed to rustle up enough energy to jump in the air before huddling the entire group together for a group picture, the same way we started this epic journey.

Because it is so high (5,895 metres), we are only able to stay at the summit for 20 minutes before beginning our descent back down to Kibo. This return happens at a near lightning pace as you literally ski down the loose volcanic scree rock, Mawenzi peak off in the distance. In a matter of what seems like minutes (thought it is actually still several hours) we are back at Kibo where we de-summit our wardrobe before hopping into bed for a two-hour nap. Upon waking we quickly pack our bags, gear up with our wet weather layer on the outside (a must-have item) to combat the light rain, eat another massive meal, and hit the trail.


It is three hours to Horombo, where we will camp for the night. Whether it is exhaustion, relief, or happiness that drives us down that mountain I do not know but the freedom to move as fast as you like (now we are going downhill, after all) and the solace of knowing you have done it somehow carries your beyond-tired body onward. We reach camp, set up house in our tents for the very last time, recount the entire experience over a slightly smaller dinner, toast with a glass of African red wine, and are in bed by 8pm, marking the end of our 36-hour (19 of those walking) journey to the summit with just one day of walking left ahead of us.

Day 5 Climbing Kilimanjaro: It’s time

At 6:30am I find some tea and a bowl of hot water outside my door as well as a fresh dusting of snow! Once again, it had kept us warm in the night - like a giant soft white blanket. There is a buzz about camp this morning. Today is the day. We’ll walk five hours to Kibo, nap, eat, and nap before waking up at 11pm to begin our summit attempt at midnight. It is then six hours to Gilman’s Point, two more to Uhuru Peak (the summit), then 4 more back down to Kibo. After lunch and a short nap we continue on 3 more hours to Horombo, where we’ll camp for the evening. All in, it is 19 hours of walking in just 36 hours.


The wind is biting as we round the edge of Mawenzi Peak and begin our journey across the saddle between the two mountains. The landscape is a lunar desert - desolate, monochomatic, and seemingly endless. Clouds whisp up and over the edge to our right, roll across the saddle itself, then glide smoothly back down to our left. While Kibo is visible in the distance, our guides assure us that we must maintain our pole pole (slowly slowly) pace to conserve energy and that it will, in fact, be several more hours before we reach camp.


We rest one hour away from Kibo to eat lunch in our own mess tent. At this point, no one has an appetite. Unfortunately, that does not matter. Now more than ever eating food and keep our energy levels high is of the utmost importance. We reach Kibo and find we have been upgraded to huts! That means real walls, real beds, and real mattresses! I am ushering people inside and encouraging them to get to sleep as quickly as possible. We have two hours to nap before briefing and dinner - another meal that we all have to literally force down our throats. Then it’s back to bed for three more hours. This up and down, back and forth, eat and sleep routine works well by now. We have been following similar instructions for nearly a week and everyone does exactly as they’re told without really thinking about it. This is what makes the entire experience possible - letting go and allowing the experts (our guides) lead us up the mountain. The feeling of absolute freedom is incredible.

We are awakened at 11pm by our head guide, who slowly brings us back to consciousness by singing an African hymn. By now, we’re all running on autopilot and doing exactly as we’re told. “Long underwear on, pants on, shirt on, fleece on, outer layer on, shell on, balaclava on, hat on, liner gloves on, outer gloves on, shoes on.” There is only one objective when dressing to summit - put on every item of clothing you have with you. A few other top summit tips emerge as well:

Make your only goal to minimize the amount of “stuff” on you. If you can, leave even your daypack at the huts. You only really need clothes, water, and some protein/energy bars.

Remember that water will freeze mid-climb, which means one liter must be kept inside your jacket. The porters carry extra bottles for you and will refill your bottle as necessary.

Organize your pockets! Keep essential items like protein bars in outer pockets, with your camera stowed in an inside pocket. There is nothing to see until you’ve reached Gilman’s Point, so no need for your camera to be easily accessible the first six hours.


After we’re dressed and geared up, we come together for one final pre-summit warm beverage, some popcorn, and some group singing. Keeping morale high at such a shocking hour is crucial, so we blasted some YMCA, Stand By Me, and Lean On Me while singing at the top of our lungs. It was an incredible energizer and now, it was time to finish what we had started.

Day 4 Climbing Kilimanjaro: A little R&R

Today is known as our “lazy morning,” as we don’t have to be up until 7:30am. Woohoo! I pull out my iPod and small speakers for the first time so far and crank some tunes to the both the amazement and pleasure of the group. Aretha Franklin’s “Sisters” seems to really get us going. After our ginormous breakfast, we depart on our second acclimitisation walk. While yesterday’s lasted for just ninety minutes, today’s walk will be just under three hours. It is our unofficial assessment with the doctor (who has been traveling with us the entire journey to ensure safety) as to whether or not he believes we will be able to summit. This is done with the utmost care, as safety is - without question - the highest priority.



Thankfully, everyone is in good form and the doctor is, as he says to us, “not worried at all.” We return to camp for yet another massive meal. This time the cooks dish up a phenomenal cheese and tomato toasty that has us all gaga. At 4,320 metres it really is the little things that matter most.


Our afternoon is all about rest and relaxation. After all, tomorrow starts what will be a marathon two days, with summiting the highest point in Africa and fourth-highest in the world on our agenda. No big deal at all! I nap yet again. This is followed by dinner, some bag rearranging, and a bed time of 7:30pm. My grandmother would be proud.

Day 3 Climbing Kilimanjaro: Up and up

Wake-up call is again at 6:30am, which is a bit more difficult when you’ve been darting back and forth to the toilet all night. Even if your stomach is not upset, the altitude sickness medication - called diamox - leaves you needing to pee at least twice in the night. If there is any silver lining in this situation, it is that your walk to the toilet tents offers sweeping cross-sky views of what can only be described as the clearest, star-filled sky I have ever seen.

Following another gluttonous breakfast and rapid morning “pack, clean, dress, and go” routine, we set off on a mainly uphill four-hour trek that brings us from 3,400 metres to 4,320 metres at the base of Mount Mawenzi, where we will have an additional day to acclimatise. Today’s walk - while shorter - is a near constant uphill. While the sun is still shining brilliantly, the air is markedly cooler as we continue upward. By now there is very little plant life. Replaced by dramatic rock formations, the landscape becomes almost mysterious, bordering on otherworldly.


We reach camp by lunchtime. The final stretch of trail is actually an ascent into the “mini-Kili’s” crater. Now above the clouds, our tents appear to be literally floating in the sky. Somehow each stopping point manages to be more beautiful and more mesmerising than the last. After another enormous lunch, we all enjoy a mid-afternoon nap in the confines of our tent. Thanks to the direct sunlight and small space, my tents acts as a greenhouse and I am - for the first time in three days - genuinely toasty, cozy, and warm. It is completely brilliant.

Post-nap we regroup for our first of two acclimitisation walks. These walks help to ensure summit success by trekking a short distance upward to 4,700 metres then descending back down to 4,320 metres to eat and sleep. While not physically exhausting, these walks offer yet another gorgeous perspective on where we are and what we are doing.

Our evening includes - yet again - an otherwordly-size dinner, lots of fluids, a deep conversation about our fears and motivations, and yet more laughing that prompts other campers to ask us to quiet down. After all, it is 8pm! We leave the mess tent to find that we have been snowed on during dinner! The light dusting has done something wonderful, offering a layer of insulation that has a warming effect on the air temperature. I drift off into what will be the best night of sleep I have had since we began. I only had to pee once!

--

Kyle Taylor

Day 2 Climbing Kilimanjaro: This is a marathon, not a sprint

We are awakened at 6:30am by our guides, who deliver a cup of tea, coffee, or milo and a bowl of hot water to wash our hands. The mornings are a rather frantic affair as you quickly roll your sleeping mat, stuff your sleeping bag in its case, repack your large bag, pop in contacts, prep your feet to prevent blisters, get dressed, and purify water in a matter of fifteen minutes!

I swing my outer tent flap open and wander down to some of the other folks in our group. They are looking high in the sky behind me and when I ask them what’s up, they just point. I swing around to find the summit of Kilimanjaro is looming high above us. To think that we will be at its peak just five days from now does not yet seem possible.

Breakfast is - as expected - massive. Eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, honey, peanut butter, tea, coffee, milo, and more. We still have our appetites so continue to stuff our faces. By 8:30am we return to our main task - walking pole pole (slowly slowly) up the side of a rather large mountain. The forest begins to turn into shrubs and that outer fleece layer is no longer necessary by 10am, as the African sun is now blazing at a very hot 24 degrees. By 11am we are climbing natural stairs on a particularly steep section that seems to never end. It isn’t until nearly 1pm that we surface to a large plateau and find our mess tent set up. Lunch is served!

By now we are under no false pretenses. There are only three things we need to do for the next several days: Eat, sleep, and walk. Everything else is entirely irrelevant. The faster we eat, the faster we get to our evening’s camp which means we’re chowing down at record speed. It’s only 1:30pm when we set off again. The short rest and large meal leave us re-fueled and ready to charge forward on what will become our longest day of trekking save for summit night.


As 3pm rolls around the group’s exhaustion begins to settle in. We’re taking regular water breaks and telling jokes and stories to keep people motivated. Without warning, my stomach begins to rumble. While it is expected that a little tummy trouble might come your way half way up the world’s fourth-highest peak in the middle of Africa, it is still not something you are ever ready for. I allow the group to wander ahead while I duck behind a rock to deal with the situation. This situation is something that every single person in the group will face before we get back down to sea level. Though it is not a particularly nice topic, it does become an area of necessary support and guidance that works to unify us. The more open and relaxed you become, the easier it is to simply let go and fully take in the experience.

We reach the top of a ridge at 5:30pm and can now finally see camp in the distance. This feeling of “nearly there” is something that cannot quite be explained. After nine hours of walking, to know you are just moments away from warm clothes, a wet wipe bath, and yet another enormous feast feels good. A note on wet wipe bathing: start with your face and then move outward. Cleanse under-underwear sections early on as well, finishing with your feet. It will keep the top-priority zones cleaner and odor-free.

At this point, the flora is no more than fifteen centimetres high which allows for unobstructed 360-degree views of the snows of Kilimanjaro on around to the cliff’s edge and outward to the Kenyan savannah. This place is breathtaking and we do our best to take it in before sliding back off into dreamland by 8pm.

--

Kyle Taylor

Seven Days To The Summit - Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

Though I climbed Kili a few months ago, I only recently had time to write about it! This is the first of a 7-part series on my adventure to the top of the mountain. Enjoy!

Day 1: Where it all begins

We awake in our hotel rested, prepared, and ready to begin our climb up Mount Kilimanjaro. After a very big breakfast the bus is loaded up and we’re off. We won’t see hot water, indoor plumbing, or a real bed again for seven days. The slow and winding road to Rongai Gate - where we will begin our ascent - is lined with one-room homes made of corrugated metal. Barefoot children play while their mothers talk in earnest about events of the day. This journey offers an incredible reminder as to how fortunate we are to have the opportunity of climbing this very big mountain in support of an amazing charity.


Three hours later, we are at the gate. While our bags are weighed and distributed to porters (for each person that climbs Kili there is on average 4 more people that serve a supporting role in the form of guides, cooks, tent experts, and bag porters) we eat another large energy-high meal of bread, eggs, chicken, meat, salad, chips, and fresh fruit. You need all the energy you can muster to make it to the top. Lunch completed and our 3 liters of daily water stuffed into daypacks (you need 4 liters per day to stay hydrated at that elevation), we take a quick “before” photo and finally get on our way.

The day’s trekking winds through tall trees and forest land just slightly upward at all times. Our pace is set for us by the guides - something we are endlessly thankful for. “Pole Pole,” they will come to tell us regularly. “Slowly Slowly.” This isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. The 25-degree heat slowly fades away as we climb higher and higher. Thankfully our first day of trekking is only three hours and we reach camp at 5:30pm just as the sun is coming down.

After signing in (a task that must be completed each evening) we find our already pitched tents, set up home, put on a few more layers, and ready for dinner. Each meal is taken in our mess tent - a large one-room space that quickly becomes synonymous with force-feeding (the guides make sure we eat every last bite), incredibly open conversations, and laughing until you cry. By 8pm we are all completely exhausted and retire to our tents for some much-desired sleep.