Climbing Kilimanjaro

10th Day after Climbing Kilimanjaro

2008-02-04T11:29:00.000+02:00

It has now been 10 days since we left the mountain and it is time to finish this blog and post the last of the pictures. This is a harder task than I thought it would be.

The mountain has consumed me. For the last 6 months we have talked about nothing else, we have been preparing, training, purchasing equipment, asking “what if” questions and considering every eventuality. Before we left we were ready. We were fit and had all possibilities covered.

Then came the day and we left with excitement in our hearts and just a little trepidation in our minds. What would we find when we get there?

Well… it was nothing like our expectations. We had enjoyed the training and were expecting to enjoy the walk up the mountain but after the first day it was less enjoyment and more just hard work. Each day we pushed ourselves harder than we ever thought possible, reaching and surpassing personal boundaries. We experienced every possible weather condition from hot sun through rain, biting cold, sleet, high winds and deep snow.

Altitude sickness affected us all and despite the Diamox tablets that we debated prior to trip, in the end it was the altitude that stopped me from getting right to the top. I lived with the nausea for 4 days, coming in waves especially at meal times, but it was my inability to get enough oxygen into my lungs that was the most disabling. Sheila got an infection that slowed her down considerably. Pam (our hitchhiker) got fed up with throwing up all the time but John, although he had some of the symptoms of altitude sickness, seemed to be less affected than the rest of us.

So Sheila and John summitted at Gilman’s Point (a fantastic achievement at 5681m) and my personal achievement was 5081m which got me to Indian Rock on the last morning, 600 meters lower before my body gave in to the altitude and I passed out.

So what have we learnt? My first reaction was that I have failed. I set out to climb a mountain and despite 6 months of training and preparation, I wasn’t able to do it. The next reaction was to think of all the reasons I was not able to make it. I needed to forgive myself for this failure (I am not used to failure and am not comfortable handling it) but everything I thought of just sounded like an excuse.

Now I see it differently. With the benefit of hindsight, I can see that each of us succeeded. Climbing Kilimanjaro is not just about getting to the top. Once you have been there you know how arbitrarily the mountain chooses who should reach the top and who shouldn’t. If there is a prize at all it should go to the guides who climb the mountain 20 times a year with less equipment and far less effort than the tourists.

Climbing Kilimanjaro is all about breaking personal barriers. Each one of us walked harder and climbed higher than we ever have before. Each one of us pushed ourselves further than we thought possible. Each one of us faced the real possibility of dieing on the mountain (that may sound dramatic at sea level but up there it is in your mind). Each one of us came back with a greater understanding of ourselves. And, of course, each one of us helped to raise over R60,000 for Reach for a Dream. Sounds like a success to me.

Finally before I wind this whole thing up and get on with my life, I would like to place on record how much we all appreciated the contribution made by our Guide Juma and his assistant Rashedi. Juma in particular was an exceptional and caring guide who went well beyond the call of duty to help us reach our goals.

6th Day on the Mountain

2008-01-24T21:53:00.000+02:00

I have just re-read the blog entry for yesterday and hope that my daughter was able to translate it into English! [Cherri: I think I managed ok!] I will ask my daughter to save it and later next week publish it in its entirety. One of the things about altitude sickness is that your mind goes to mush [Cherri: So with me being pregnant with a preggie mush brain we're doing well!!!].

One thing I left from the day's activities yesterday is that once Sheila and John arrived back at the hut at Kibo (4700m) from their exhausting but successful summit at Gillman's Point they had only one hour to rest before we all made our way back to Horombo (3700m). So, they have done the most amazing, but draining thing in their entire life - sleep for just one hour then walk another 11Kms before the Sun went down.

Sheila and I were wasted. John on the other hand was fine (John is such a strong person both physically and mentally). We arrived at Horombo just as the Sun was going down.

So, once we got up this morning, we all readied ourselves for the last downward trek.

Today was a very tough day. In many ways going down hill is harder than going up... and we never practised going down so I have really stretched muscles I didn't know I had.

I am still breathing heavily even though I am down at a reasonable altitude, but for the rest...a few days in Zanzibar will do the trick.

This will be the last blog entry for about 10 days. I intend to put up lots of photographs and a summary of what we have achieved. So pop back after about 10 days or so. Don't forget that it is not too late to make a pledge, and if you feel lick it, click on the "comments" button below and say a few words.

One last thing, well done to John and Sheila for summiting at Gillman's, I am very proud of you.

Day 5 on the Mountain

2008-01-23T08:44:00.000+02:00

Just to let you know that all are safe and well. We are half way back down the mountain and sleeping, looking forward to the race tomorrow back down to the Marangu gate...but I am getting ahead of myself...

At about 10.30PM lasst night, we were woken to get ready for the final push up the mountain to Uhuru Peak, which is right at the top of the mountain and the ultimate target for all climbers.

The day was clear with a full moon so we didn't need our headlights on.

As soon as we were out of camp we started to walk through thick snow. We weren't really prepared for this as we didn't have crampons, ironic really as I had had the idea to climb the mountain as Al Gore had recognised that the snow will be gone in 10 years - next time Al, take on the mountain yourself! For us, tackling the mountain has always been about the significance of the journey - firstly of course seeing it still laden with snow, the personal journey, but later on it also became about a journey to assisting others to fulfill their dreams, by using our journey to raise funds for the Reach for a Dream Foundation.

The snow was beautiful of course, but every step forward, was a step sidewards.

We were all very tired, but the first casualty was Pam, she had nausea (didn't we!) but hers was very severe, so she asked to go back. Then we were down to three. The climb was getting interesting until the next thing that happened - I went from standing straight, to straight up with my face in the snow! Jamu and all had no problem with me going back, I was proud that the others went on, but I achieved Inbian Rock at 5000m above sea level and no-one can take that away...sure, it isn't Uhuru Peak (5895m above sea level), only three of our troop got there today as the weather was so bad. I cannot tell you how Sheila and John performed, but I am very proud of them, summitting at Gillman's Point 5680m above sea level before they were also sent back.

That's the end of the message I received from my Dad.

I just received a telephone call from very good family friends Geoff and Sue Stephens in England who rang to check that our travellers are safe and healthy and to say how proud they are of our travellers achievements and to send love to them.

Mum, Dad, John we are all so proud of you for your extraordinary accomplishments, and I have to tell you, I was inundated with phone calls, sms's and emails yesterday from family and friends enquiring after your wellbeing. You guys have all done remarkably well.

Wish I were there to give you all huge hugs, I'm sure Linda will oblige though when she meets up with you all in Zanzibar.

Namasté.

Evening of Day 3 on the Mountain - Horombo Camp

2008-01-21T16:42:00.000+02:00

We are all resting in the hut now, waiting for dinner. It is just too cold to do anything other than get in your sleeping bag fully clothed. I am wearing fleece trousers, thermal underwear, 2 pairs of socks, a t-shirt, fleece jacket and a rain jacket.

[There seems to be some text missing from the sms from my Dad, so I shall update when I receive the rest].

Day 3 on the Mountain continued...

2008-01-21T15:08:00.000+02:00

To raise funds for Reach for a Dream...

At least the Sun is now out, so we can dry our clothes.

Sheila is also suffering this morning, but John and Pam seem to be managing better. The Diamox probably helps, but nobody is going to stop taking it to find out...Not a chance! I am also wearing wrist straps that are meant to reduce nausea. They were my Mother's. She didn't believe that they worked, but she wore them just in case, now I know how she felt.

It is just amazing how many people we have seen here in Horombo Camp who didn't make it to the top. I certainly don't blame them.

So this is a rest day. Just as the rain starts we walk to Zebra's Rock, which is just over 3 hours our guide, Juma tells us. But, they were the hardest 3 hours of the trip so far. My mind wandered constantly to how I could go back now without losing face...maybe I could just give Reach for a Dream the money, then I could give up.

Back at Horombo Camp 3 hours later and all thoughts of giving up are gone. Having been to Zebra's Rock at 4050m, the camp is at 3750m, which is much easier to cope with.

Tomorrow is the big day - we'll be up early for an 11km walk and 1km up. We'll arrive at around 4PM for a rest and then the final summit from 11PM. I can't wait.

Please feel free to add your comments to the blog by clicking on the word "comments" below.

Day 3 on the Mountain

2008-01-21T14:53:00.000+02:00

Just got word in from my Mum that they are back down from Zebra's Rock, which is at 4050m, to acclimatise, she says that it is raining, very cold and she's very nauseous. She says they're taking what they can, but she and my Dad have been incredibly ill, she says she can breathe, but she'd rather throw up or sleep! She says that this is the most difficult thing she has ever done in her life. Mum says their guide, Juma, is amazing!

Next text came in from my Dad, he says: Today is a rest day... yeah right! When I woke up I felt worse than ever!

Remember, the travellers summit tomorrow night... keep them in your thoughts and send them strength.

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End of Day 2 (Sunday) on the Mountain continued...

2008-01-21T14:40:00.000+02:00

News just in from the travellers about the end of Day 2 on the Mountain...

It has rained all day today and we are all very tired and wet. Our duffle bags that the porters carry are not waterproof, so we all have wet gear. We are praying for warm weather tomorrow.

Altitude sickness has really grabbed me (Richard) and I am feeling nauseous all the time. In addition, I just can't get enough oxygen and this is only the second day. I slept badly last night, so I shall take a sleeping pill tonight.

Despite the weather and lack of oxygen, this mountain is spectacular, she occasionally peaks through the clouds, tempting us to go on. The peak is covered with snow, which will be great for pictures, but not so good for the cold.

I am off to sleep now, sleeping is the only time I don't feel like throwing up!

We have a rest day tomorrow, I can't wait!

End of Day 2 on the Mountain

2008-01-20T17:37:00.000+02:00

I just had an sms from my Mum, to say that it is really cold where they are...they're currently at 3720m above sea level. She said that they've found today rather difficult and that it had rained all day today, so they're cold...and wet - hopefully the rest at the end of this long day will give them an opportunity to have something warm to eat and drink to warm them up a bit and keep them strong.

Mum said that my Dad's cellphone is rather swimmingpool-like at the moment and Mum's camera appears to have suffered a similar fate!

I hope the travellers will be able to have a better night's sleep tonight, ready for their day tomorrow.

You will see above that I have included a weather report, this is so that you can get an idea of the conditions that Mum, Dad, John and Pam are walking in...so keep them in your thoughts and send them strength. Remember, they summit on Tuesday night.

Please feel free to add your comments by clicking on the word "comments" below.

Day 2 on the Mountain

2008-01-20T09:45:00.000+02:00

We are up early this morning, this is probably due, in part, to an early night, but mostly, that most of us didn't sleep so well. I probably only slept 4 hours out of the 9 we were in bed. Altitude sickness has given me a hangover and we are going to take Diamox this morning.

Today we walk out of the rain forest and into our second climate - Moreland. It is wet and cold, but we are told that it will brighten up.

The food last night was not special, but ok...lots of Potatoes. We have to eat lots now as we will have no appetite as we climb higher.

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Day One on the Mountain Continued...

2008-01-19T16:36:00.000+02:00

We arrived at the first camp, to find that it is considerably better than we had expected.

Today's walk was steep and brisk. The tropical rain forest is almost prehistoric with ferns and lichen hanging from every branch. The local superstition here suggests that he who sees Kili before you climb it will not get to summit, on the basis that you have seen it already, so you don't have to bother getting to the top!

The mountain was draped in clouds when we approached, so the gods are with us!

Feel free to add your comments to the blog, by clicking on the word "comments" below.

4 Days to the Summit

2008-01-19T10:29:00.000+02:00

We're now at Marangu gating filling in the required forms and have picked up a new member of our group...Pam, who didn't want to travel alone. So, we now have someone to take genius shots like this one!

This is our first day on the mountain and the weather is perfect for walking. We are all itching to get going. The porters have to weigh their load as they are not allowed to carry more than 15kgs. And...we're off!

Please feel free to add your comments to the blog by clicking on the word "comments" below.

Leaving Johannesburg

2008-01-18T23:12:00.000+02:00

I have just dropped my folks and John off at the airport, having managed to get there in very comfortable timing, despite the majority of the robots on the way being out thanks to load-shedding!

On the left is a pic of the troop taken this morning in our little garden with all their hiking gear, fired up and ready to go.

Hopefully I'll have a further update for you this evening when the troop arrives at the Springlands Hotel...until then...feel free to add your comments by clicking on the word "comments" below.

5 Days to the Summit

2008-01-17T21:32:00.001+02:00

We all had a long and difficult night last night. We were in bed early as it was bl***dy cold and misty. I woke at midnight and had great difficulty sleeping for more than an hour without waking up. I certainly had the headache and nausea that goes with the altitude. Good thing really. At least I know what to expect, only more so.....

The drive down Sani Pass was much more fun than driving up. They are laying tarmac on the road so it will be an easy drive soon. Good for the tourist trade but not so good for the 4x4 clubs.
Ten and a half hours later we are in Johannesburg staying with my daughter and her husband for a night and then off to Tanzania tomorrow.

No time yet to feel any apprehension. I guess that will click in as we start the climb. As I type this John is unpacking and repacking his gear on the floor in the lounge. Mark, my son-in-law, is worried that we are moving in and not, in fact, climbing the mountain.

The gear on the floor is very impressive. If you are thinking about doing the trip you need to put asside R15,000 for the gear in addition to the price of the airfare and climb. This is not a cheep holiday, I will let you know if it is worth it next week.

Please feel free to add your comments as you read this blog. Just click on the button below and type away.

6 Days to the Summit

2008-01-17T13:40:00.000+02:00

Okay.... So here we are at the top of Sani Pass 2874m up in the mist. It is cold and wet but the drive was wonderful.

We left Durban at 09:45 after packing John's Hyundai 4x4 with all the gear for the three of us. There was much hilarity when John admitted to packing 3.5 kilograms of snacks for the climb. Now we are encouraged to take energy bars and snacks but 3.5 kg?

The drive up to Sani is most definitely for 4x4 drivers. I found it exciting but hard work however John found it harder as he has some difficulty with heights. (and he is climbing to the highest point in Africa?) The mist came down just as we got to the part where the best pictures can be taken. Tomorrow the weather will be better..... I hope.

Bright Blessings on Your Journey

2008-01-16T21:44:00.000+02:00

As my Dad has mentioned, I will be updating the blog whilst my folks and John are climbing Kili...

At the moment, the three of them are on their way to Sani Pass for the night. They'll then make their way up here to Johannesburg tomorrow to spend the night with Mark and I before embarking on their trip to Kili on Friday.

My Dad has wanted to do the Kili trip for many years now, and I am so glad that he finally has not only the opportunity, but the perfect climbing partners too.

All three of them are very strong willed mentally, and by that, I mean nothing other than that when they set their minds on achieving a particular goal, they will stop at nothing to reach that goal. I know that they will have the same resolve for summitting Kili and wish them Brightest Blessings on their journey.

I thought I'd take this opportunity to say how proud I am to have such special parents and John of course, being a very dear family friend whom I have known since I was rather young, who are all doing something so remarkable and for such a worthy cause. Mum, Dad, John... Namasté.

Love
Cherri

7 Days to the Summit

2008-01-15T19:44:00.000+02:00

Written in Durban - 56m above sea level

We are off tomorrow so we are just putting the last finishing touches to the packing. We have put all the things that we just can't climb without in our rucksacks and the rest in the duffle bag. The principle here is that all the baggage handlers in Kilimanjaro international Airport and at O. R. Tambo airport know exactly what is in the bags flying to Kilimanjaro so they are very tempting. Not only that, bags get lost at airports. No?..... Oh Yes... sometimes. And we don't want to get to the mountain and not have the really essential stuff. We can manage with only the underpants we are standing in but we couldn't manage without all the warm gear needed at the top.

So in the rucksack (carry on luggage) we have the fleece jacket, fleece trousers, balaclava, outer gloves and inner gloves, thermal underwear, waterproof trousers and sleeping bag, etc. We will be wearing our walking boots, windproof trousers and carrying out hi tech jackets. That should do it.

Next stop Sani Pass. I am really looking forward to this stage in the trip. If you want to know why we are going to Sani Pass (which is not exactly on the way to Kilimanjaro) then read back a few entries in this blog.

I have put in a few pictures of what we expect to find when we start to climb at the end of the week. We will be updating this blog at least daily from now so keep coming back and see what we are up to.

By the way... Please feel free to add your comments as you read this blog. Just click on the button below and type away.

10 Days to the Summit

2008-01-13T08:46:00.000+02:00

Our last training walk and we are at Shongweni on an overcast but beautiful Sunday. The trail here is closed so we have had to make our own hike through the bush. Actually it has been great fun and are now half way round and testing the blog update system.

The principle is that I email this message to my daughter, Cherri, as we break for lunch and she updates the blog. Lets see how that works.

We will break for a few days and then off on Wednesday.

11 Days to the Summit

2008-01-12T11:58:00.000+02:00

It was our last evening training walk last night before we leave next week. We will have a longish hike on Sunday and that will be it for training. Two or three days rest then we are off. It we are not fit enough now we will never be.

As a group we all get on very well and are always chatting as we walk but last night we were surprisingly quiet on the outward leg. All deep in our own thoughts of the hike up Kilimanjaro and the potential problems we may face. Sheila and I have been avid readers of the Kili Climbing exploits that are so prevalent on the net. Everybody seems very keen to describe in detail the worst moments, the hardest climbs, the coldest weather and the most revolting long drop toilets. I guess the principle here is that if it was that bad then it was that much more amazing that they got to the top. So our thoughts right now are for the hardships we may face and the pain we will inevitably have to endure if we are to make the summit.

But what about those many thousands of hikers who don’t make it? Where are their stories on the internet? There are many different numbers quoted in various publications about how many people climb the mountain each year and how many make it. The Tanzanian authorities know of course, but they aren’t telling so it seems that there are between 20,000 and 35,000 people who attempt the climb each year and between 50% and 65% make it. That means between 7,000 and 17,500 people don’t get to the top each year. A sobering thought after they have spent so much time and money in the attempt. The most likely to fail apparently, are young fit men. AMS gets them because they try to go to quickly, don’t eat the right food and generally don’t treat the climb with the respect it deserves.

We have also heard stories of people crawling up the mountain on the last day as they drag themselves towards the summit. Taking in 50% less oxygen, panting like a steam train with the mother of all hangovers that is AMS (altitude sickness). Your muscles screaming at you to stop and only the last few drops of your positive mental attitude driving you on. Then of course, there are at least 10 people each year who die in the attempt to get to the top. Altitude sickness is a killer if it is not treated or ignored.

So our thought on the outward journey were on these things. We stopped after an hour and a half at my favourite break spot overlooking the bush and onwards to the sea. The mood lightened as we sat and eat out energy bars and apples, talking about the final purchases (surely there can’t be anything more to purchase) and the detailed plans. I took the inevitable pictures and then we started the one hour walk back.

The mood was much less sombre on the inward journey. We sang songs and made up words telling of successful days ahead. We were stopped on the way by a young man wishing us well on the trip ahead. He had, apparently, read the story in the newspaper and recognised us on the road.

14 Days to go to the Summit

2008-01-09T08:33:00.000+02:00

Last night we walked for two and a half hours in the rain. We have avoided rainy evenings to train in the past, but it was good to test out the rainwear. The rucksack covers are really bright -luminous actually (see picture). I guess that is so we don’t lose each other in the clouds!

We have also learnt to appreciate the wonderful flora that we have, even in built up areas like Durban. I can’t wait to see all the different plants and flowers in the 4 different climates that we walk through up Kilimanjaro.

This flame lily is in Virginia Bush and the beautiful display of lilies was on the side on the road. It is amazing what you miss when you drive everywhere.

15 Days to go to the Summit

2008-01-08T10:11:00.000+02:00

Do you remember holidays when you were young? In my family as a child, for as long as I can remember, we had a two week holiday every year without fail. It was organised well in advance, always by the seaside, (the destination changing as my father earned more) and we all looked forward to it for months. We would discuss what we were going to do while we were away, buy new cloths for the occasion, each of the children would have some new toy to take with them and we would pack and repack a week in advance. These holidays lasted until I was old enough to prefer staying with my girlfriend at home, but I remember them all as if they happened yesterday.

That tradition of annual holidays has slipped away… until now. Climbing Kilimanjaro is just the same. We have been planning this “holiday” for months now. We know every detail, have discussed every eventuality, trained daily to be fit enough, bought new cloths, and Sheila and I have bought each other a new “toy” to take with us for the three days in Zanzibar after the climb. Our bags have been packed for weeks with the specialised clothes we have bought for the trip and we discuss the trip for at least an hour every night.

Not only that… How many of you have planned a holiday in such detail that you have a blog to record the occasion? Such Fun!

We have a week to go before we leave so we are walking every night. I know we are fit enough but the feeling is that if we work harder now it will be easier on that dreaded last few meters to the summit from midnight on the 23^rd January.

I managed to get hold of the Stedman book on trekking up Kilimanjaro and I recommend it to anybody thinking of doing the same. Of course, I can’t tell you how accurate it is until I come done on the 24^th but it is a great read.

I am still working on converting one of my walking poles to a camera tripod. I have a light aluminium tripod that travelled Africa with me but it is bulky and slow to erect. I have a feeling I will need something instant to catch that special picture. I will let you know how it works out.

17 Days to go to the summit

2008-01-06T12:42:00.000+02:00

Are you taking the pill? When I was much younger and single, this question had quite a different meaning and a positive answer promised good things for the near future.

The pill on my mind today is quite a different prophylactic called Diamox and when taken at the rate of three a day will, apparently, reduce the effects of AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). We are still discussing the relative merits of taking “The Pill” or not but I went ahead and bought some anyway. My first surprise came when I got to the till at the pharmacy. R1700.00! And this was for the generic equivalent. I would probably have had to sell my car to buy the real thing. If they work, (there is some debate on this matter) and if we get AMS (not everybody is susceptible) I am sure this amount will be considered to be a good investment, but it is possible that we may not use them at all.

The argument seems to go like this:

Diamox is a prophylactic (preventative measure) but it is also a diuretic (takes water out of the body). Most of the specialists tell us that the best way to avoid AMS is to drink lots of water so the Diamox will counteract this solution.

If we take Diamox and then get AMS we will have nothing to treat it with because we are already taking the treatment.

Unfortunately medicine is not an exact science. The effects of AMS seem to be like the mother of all hangovers, made worse, apparently, by drinking alcohol on the way up.

The way we are talking at the moment, John and Sheila want to take the tablets from day one, but I want to avoid the tablets unless I need them. I will keep you posted.

20 Days to go

2008-01-03T09:54:00.000+02:00

I love living in Durban. Having spent the first 38 years of my life in the UK, the weather is just right for me here. It doesn’t have the pace of Johannesburg which suits me fine and I am 20 minutes away from an airport to take me anywhere I need to work. I love Durban… but.

To climb Kilimanjaro, or apparently any height above 2,400 meters, we will need to manage AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) and people from the coast are more susceptible than people from higher altitudes, say Johannesburg. The theory is that you climb high and sleep low, getting higher and higher as you go.

To counteract the effect of living in Durban we have decided to get to the highest possible point in South Africa and stay over night on the way to Johannesburg, and then fly to Tanzania. I have booked the three of us in backpackers accommodation (might as well get used to it) at the top of Sani Pass (2874 meters) on the 16th January. We will stay with my daughter in Johannesburg (1800 meters) on the 17th and stay over night in Moshi Tanzania (1800 meters) on the 18th and then start the climb. With a bit of luck that will help us to acclimatise

The Photo Routine. We are getting into a habit now. Every time the cameras come out we know how to get the best of the photography. Sheila is very good at reminding us “Sunglasses off so that the camera can see your eyes, Caps turned round so there is no shadow on the face and stomachs in!”

John and I went for an excellent walk around Virginia Bush last night. Two and a half hours at a fairly steady pace. Sheila couldn’t come as she had to do the airport run. You will notice from the picture that we forgot the last part the photo routine.

We have been blessed with wonderful children two of whom (Cherri and Keylim) live and work in Johannesburg (Cherri with her husband Mark). It was delightful to have all three of them for the Christmas Season but surely they can arrange to travel together. No…. Six flights! And. Of course, 6 flights mean 6 trips to the airport. Oh well….

21 Days to go

2008-01-02T01:03:00.001+02:00

Christmas has come and gone and we have missed out on the regular training sessions. John went with his family to Cape Town to spend Christmas with his daughter and Sheila and I had hundreds here so it was harder to walk.

John did manage 18 km to Hout Bay but we hadn’t walked at all until yesterday evening. Saturday was very hot so we decided to wait until 16:30 and walk from then. Two and a half hours around the streets of Durban was fun. We always seem to have things to chat about and plan for. I am beginning to wonder what we will do after Kilimanjaro. Will we still walk in the evenings? Somehow I doubt it, which will be a shame because we all enjoy the exercise and the camaraderie.

It is amazing what you can see when you are walking. What about this metal man with his dog outside a house.

The moon was full last week. The next time it is a full moon we will be summiting Kilimanjaro. I am beginning to get excited. I have posted a picture of the moon last night, New Years Eve.(I can’t get over what an amazing camera this is) It was lovely clear evening here in Durban and we celebrated with the family.

31 Days to go

2007-12-18T23:51:00.000+02:00

The test for the training to climb Kilimanjaro is to see if we can walk for 7 hours up fairly steep hills and still be prepared to walk the next day. We have just taken the test….. and passed!

Monday was a public holiday in South Africa so we took this opportunity of looking for a really demanding walk. John picked us up at 5am and we motored for 3 hours to get to the Drakensburg. With a short break for breakfast we arrived at Giants Castle and we were ready to walk at 9am. There was a little tension in the air as we knew it would be a long day. We were carrying our regulation three liters of water, all the emergence stuff, two walking polls each and waterproof clothing just in case. We decided to walk out towards the Langalibalele Pass, cut across country and walk back from Bannerman’s Hut. This should be a 9hour 30minute walk with plenty of steep hills on the way. I figured we needed to test ourselves, and we did.

The way up is very steep and it seemed to take us forever. I was beginning to worry about time and considered turning around after 4 hours walking because we hadn’t managed half way by then. The group opinion was to go on. It should be down hill and easier to make up time traveling back.

We climbed higher that we have before (2,200 meters) and the flora was quite different. There had been a lot of rain recently so the rivers were full as well. One of the rivers we had to cross would have been impossible had the water been just a little higher. My new camera was working overtime and I took a movie as well to get some practice with camera angles. I must say the results are excellent.

In the end we arrived back at 18:45, and after a brief break made for the gate. Unfortunately the gate was locked by the time we got there but a guard let us out anyway. (Make mental note to be out of the park by 19:00 next time)

We were all exhausted by the time we got back to the car and the 3 hour drive home was very draining. Having been up at 04:30, driven three and a half hours to get there, walked for over nine hours, it was pretty silly to be driving in the dark for another three hours.

We all agreed, however, that this was a great day out and well within our capabilities. Next stop Kilimanjaro!

34 Days to go

2007-12-16T09:09:00.000+02:00

The Flu or not the Flu.

We were all set to go to the Drakensburg last Monday (Public Holiday in SA). Sheila had spent Sunday doing the last of the Christmas Shopping (although I am sure there will be a few things that we just have to rush out for on Christmas Eve), and I prepared the rucksacks, washed and filled the new Camelbak water bags, and generally looked forward to the long walk in the Drakensburg. Sheila was sick when she got home from shopping and later we decided to give the Drakensburg a miss. Later still I rang John and told him that I would go but at 04:15 am on Monday I had succumbed to the bug, so we really had to cancel. Sheila and I have felt bad all week and only now coming round. We have decided to go on Saturday. I hope we will both be well then.

I have spent some of the week watching the other Kilimanjaro videos on Youtube. These are very interesting and have given me an idea how best to film the event (and what not to do as well). One Video used the music from the beginning of the Lord of the Rings movie (not right at the beginning, but where Gandalf arrives). I am sure there are some copyright issues that still have to be sorted in Youtube, but the music was perfect for the video.

One video showed a hapless couple who seemed to have rain the whole way and then couldn't stay at the top to take pictures because the mist came down and they couldn't see a thing. This is now my worst nightmare. To get all that way to see the view and pick a bad day…...

38 Days to go

2007-12-15T22:24:00.000+02:00

To Gu or not to Gu?

I think we have most of the major stuff now. We went out today and bought what I hope is the last of the clothing that we will need. I will be doing a complete list of what we purchased and the prices later. It will be interesting to do another list when we are back of what we actually needed. I feel very much in the hands of the 4 main shops in South Africa that sell this stuff. Do we really need all of it? I will never know. One thing's for certain. I don't want to get nearly there at -20C and wish we had bought something that seemed a waste of money in the Durban Sunshine. So we have everything... and then some!

Anyway, back to my first statement. We have satisfied or outside needs. We will be warm at the top! but what about what goes on the inside? Everybody we have talked to suggest that we take a good supply of our favorite snack, energy bar, Hawaiian Mix, Tex, or whatever, but what about the energy glup that comes in a sachet and supplies you with the extra energy to get to the top. (So it says on the packet). This has got to be another one of those expensive cons..... Hasn't it?

This morning I picket up 6 different brands of energy glup, "GU" being the most famous (and, of course, the most expensive) Now if we take it like it says on the packet we will need 6 each a day at prices up to R15.99 each. Surely we don't need to spend another R1,000 on this stuff? And which brand to choose? The ingredients look really interesting but it could be written in Greek for all that it means to me. I have purchased a product called "Breakthru" which seems to have the same amount of Kj as the ones 3 times the price and we will try them on Monday in the Drakensburg. I haven't tasted it yet, it probably tastes like s**t. I will let you know.

The next decision is whether to take Diomax? This is a tablet that is meant to help with the symptoms of Altitude Sickness. Now if there is one thing that might prevent us from getting to the top it is the Nausea and Headache that comes with high altitudes. It's not just the pain, Altitude sickness is a killer so we have to be careful.

Then there is the snack bars to take. Which is your favorite brand? This may not be important to you but in the back of my mind I am imagining myself 5000 km from the nearest Engen Onestop, with a snack bar I am sick off.

One Last thing.... if you are in SA and you are thinking of doing this hike, consider looking in Mr Price Sports for some of the clothing before you spend R300.00 for teeshirt. Okay... they won't be able to help with the really specialisd stuff, but you could save at least R1,000 by visiting there first.

By the way. The picture is the flag that Chantell made for us. This ones going to the top and will be waived as the Sun raises..... with a bit of luck!

42 days to go

2007-12-12T15:24:00.001+02:00

Just a quick note to say that the video is now available on You Tube. Click on this link to get there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTuU22Eaepk

A really big thank you to The Missing Link Team who donated their time and expertise to produce the video. Lets hope it will encourage more people to get involved.

45 Days to go

2007-12-09T21:09:00.000+02:00

Had a great training hike today in Paradise Valley. It is not a very long walk (only about 90 minutes) so we did it twice. There is a good steep hill about half way round, just what we need to train our legs to climb.

We had a chat about Kili on the break and I was interested to hear that Sheila and John are beginning to get concerned. There is no doubt that it will be both physically and mentally challenging to do the climb but I haven't started to concern myself with that yet. Too many other things to think about. We have had so much advice from people who have made the climb I hope we don't forget anything. All the shops have lists of the things we need to get to the top. Frankly I think they overdo the stuff that they are very happy to sell us but I will only know that when we have done the trip.

We are now using a bladder in the rucksack that holds the water. This makes sense of course, as we don't have to stop to get a water bottle out of the pack. The first water bladders we purchased tasted of plastic despite the fact that we were told that they wouldn't. Mine also had a leak and the mouth piece didn't seal. I have taken it back, but they are thinking about what to do with it. We will see.

I also decided to buy myself a really good camera at the weekend. When I was in the Grand Canyon last month I took pictures with my compact 6 megapixle camera and a friend took some with his top of the range SLR. The difference was so dramatic I knew I would have to buy a new camera... but which to buy?

My son Chait is a specialist so I chatted to him and looked around. I didn't want a big SLR but I did want all the features, so we ended up with the best compact available, the Canon G9. 12 megapixles, 6 times optical zoom and the quality of the pictures is just amazing. Of course the guy behind the camera is still the same so I will need to get some training if I am to use it properly.

47 Days to go

2007-12-07T08:19:00.000+02:00

Two hours walking last night. Nothing very exciting happened but it was very tiring after speaking all day. Nothing much to report then, except this picture taken at the local McDonald's. Maybe it is just me but this sign seems to suggest that the parking space is for a big Scotsman who enjoys eating customers.

48 Days to go

2007-12-05T19:46:00.000+02:00

Less that 50 days now and we are really working hard on the fund raising but alas, not so hard on the training. Yesterday I flew to Johannesburg to meet with the Reach for a Dream guys and be interviewed for an advert that the really great people at Missing Link are doing. It never fails to amaze me how many fantastic people there are in the world, all of whom seem to be prepared to give their time and money without any possibility of reward. Thanks to Sean and his team for doing a great job yesterday.

I have committed to getting this blog updated twice a day with pictures and a story while we are actually climbing, so this will be the place to be between the 18th and the 23rd of January. In the mean time I would really like to get involved with a radio station, who would welcome the sort of daily input I could offer from the mountain as well as an interview at the summit. This would really help to bring in more pledges of funds for the Reach for a Dream Foundation. If you can help with this sort of contact this would be great.

No training since Sunday so no really exciting pictures of the team, but I thought I would post a picture of me and my grandson during our training on Sunday. (I am the one on the right).

51 Days to go

2007-12-02T23:28:00.000+02:00

Lots of interesting things happening this week. Rich Mulholand has offered to create a video to publicise the climb for Reach for a Dream on the internet which is wonderful news. This will help to get the word out to a much larger audience. I am flying to Johannesburg on Tuesday to be interviewed for the video along with the RFAD team.

We have also been training of course. This afternoon we went to Virginia Bush again to get in as much hill work as possible. It is lovely in the bush and although it is not far from home it is quiet and beautiful. I took the video camera with me to get some footage to take with me on Tuesday. I am thinking of making a video of the whole thing from training to climb. Might be fun.

Chantell has also kindly personalised our kit with the new logo and created a fantastic flag to take with us to the top. Thanks Chantell.

57 days to go

2007-11-26T20:51:00.000+02:00

No training today but such a lot of Kilimanjaro activity. I sent out an e-mail this morning to some friends and customers to let them know what I am doing and how they can help if they want to. I have spent the rest of the day fielding the phone calls and e-mails of support, many of them pledging funds for RFAD. The comments have been many and varied from "Mulvey's midlife crisis" (thanks Clive) to "Well done, I wish I was going". A few people have made contact with advice, most of it very useful.

Most of all I am amazed by the generosity of many people. We now have pledges for over R27,000 so I am thinking that my original target of R100,000 may be well under what is possible. We will see. This blog has had 75 hits today so far so I am hoping that there is still plenty of interest to be generated. I don't have any pictures of training today so I thought I would add another one from the Grand Canyon last week.

59 Days to go

2007-11-25T09:19:00.000+02:00

I am back from the USA now and back into the training program with Sheila and John. We did 9 km around the streets of Durban on Saturday and then had a great 3 hour walk in Paradise Vally Nature reserve today. The paths on the reserve were badly washed away from the rain during the week but it was great fun none the less.

The fund raising is starting to show some progress and on my return from the States I was delighted to find that Clive Simpkins and Jacques de Villiers had both put up a page on their Blog. The Lions club in Port Shepstone have also come to the party with a wonderful contribution so we are moving ahead.

The list of things we need for the climb seems to be never ending. I will post a list here in a few days but to give you an idea we have already spent over R12,000 each on kit and there will be more I am sure. (Boots R1,400, Jacket R1,000, Waterproof pants R500, Windproof pants R500, Sleeping bag R1,500, etc, etc.) One thing is for certain, when the weather gets cold at the top of the mountain (-20C) we will be ready for it!

63 days to go

2007-11-22T19:29:00.001+02:00

Had a great day today. Walked 9 km to the local shopping center in down town Tempe. The first thing I noticed during the walk is that nobody walks in Arizona. I don't mean that there are very few walkers, I mean that there were no walkers on the 9 km trek to the local Mall. I did pass 4 people in a bus shelter waiting for a bus, I guess they must have got a lift to the bustop. Even the buses have a place on them at the front for bicycles so that the poor cyclists don't have far to ride.

Phoenix also has other interesting problems. As you can see from the picture the bug problems seem to be rather more interesting than our cockroaches in Durban.

64 Days to go

2007-11-20T18:05:00.000+02:00

I haven’t entered anything into this blog for 19 days. I have, to say the least, been a bit busy. I have been away a lot of the time but John and Sheila have continued to get in as much training as possible.

I have been at a weekend meeting at the National Speakers Association head office. Unfortunately the NSA Head Office is in Phoenix Arizona! Still, I haven’t been shirking my responsibilities and did some training yesterday at the Grand Canyon.

If you haven’t been here before you have a treat in store. My first site of the Canyon was breath taking, literally! I had to sit down I was so awed by the site. Emotion welling up inside of me I sat for 30 minutes in silence just taking in the enormity of it all. I have added a couple of pics here but they cannot do it justice.

I have now seen 2 of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World (Grand Canyon and Victoria Falls), 5 to go!(Everest, Northern Lights, Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Paricutin Volcano in Mexico, the harbour of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil)

83 Days to go

2007-10-31T21:08:00.000+02:00

Had some great news today! Reach for a Dream has (finally) agreed to let me raise some money for them with the climb. I have been waiting for this permission before I can get the word out that I will be climbing to the highest point in Africa. I have fulfilled some dreams for them over the last two years (go here to have a look http://www.richardmulvey.com/content/view/137/81/) and as it has been my dream to do this climb for seven years it is entirely appropriate to combine my dream with some of theirs and raise money while I am climbing. The target I set myself is R100,000. This will be challenging now but I am sure I can do it with a little help from the local media. (With a bit of luck)

86 days to go

2007-10-28T20:55:00.000+02:00

We left early this morning for Kloof Gorge and had our hardest walk by far. Six hours up and down the side of the Gorge was great exercise and I am beginning to feel as if we are getting fit enough to make it to the top of Kilimanjaro. The map we had wasn't very good (at least, that’s my story and I am sticking to it) and we came out of the reserve too early. We (I) must have missed a path earlier on and we were not in the mood to back track and find our (my) mistake so we walked around Kloof for a while looking lost until a friendly local (who happened to be a long standing customer) took pity on us and offered to drive us back to the car. (Thanks Robert).

Despite the mistake we had a good day and I was exhausted by the time we got back home

87 Days to go

2007-10-27T17:39:00.000+02:00

Great News.... John has decided to come with us up the mountain. He has the stamina and he is a good friend so I am sure he will add to the event. We had a good walk through the Virginia Bush today. Tried some of the new twists and turns and found a lovely picnic spot that I am sure is a great place for lovers... Oh to be young again! John led the way and he will have to learn to slow down his pace. He is a fast walker and that will not do on Kili. We went shopping for him this morning and bought boots, a rucksack and walking poles. R3,500. I think he was a bit surprised! Oh well... you don't want to get to the top and realise that you should have bought better boots.

We still have a lot of purchases to make but we are leaving the clothing until we have found out more from the people who have done it.

At the bottom the weather seems to be warm and maybe wet, so that will be easy to dress for with a waterproof something to cover it all. The best advice for the top (where the temp can get as low as -25C apparently) seems to be four layers on the top (Thermal vest, t-shirt (not cotton) fleece and waterproof jacket with hood) and three on the bottom (Thermal pants, fleece and waterproof pants). Most of all we will need flexibility as the weather can change instantly.

We are still waiting on “Reach for a Dream” to see if they will allow us to raise funds for them and Geoff to see if he is joining us.

Off to Kloof Gorge tomorrow. We really battled to do that walk two months ago so it will be really interesting to see if we are fitter now.

101 Days to go

2007-10-14T12:17:00.000+02:00

We discovered Shongweni Dam and Reserve this weekend. What a lovely place! We arrived, put on all our kit and made for the only hiking trail in the reserve only to discover that it had been closed. There are a few paths we could have taken to start the walk so we decided that we had taken another path and had not seen the notice! :-)

The walk only took 2 hours but it is most beautiful and rewarding.

We had plenty of time when we arrived back at the camp so rather than do the trail again we walked to the dam and back. This proved to be more draining than the trail but just as rewarding.

104 Days to go

2007-10-07T20:00:00.000+02:00

We have just had a wonderful weekend at Giants Castle. The weather looked really bad all week and we couldn’t decide whether to go or not. Right up until Saturday morning we were still undecided. But we left anyway. It was raining in Durban but it cleared up on the way which was promising. Michaela came with us as we had decided to stay over and get in two days walking up the mountains.

At Giants we put on all our kit and set out for Meander Hut and Beacon Ridge. Within 2 minutes this walk gets very steep for about 30 minutes and you wonder if you have made the right decision, however it levels out and after that the views are spectacular.

The walk is about 15km and it took us about 4 hours with a break at the Beacon for a snack. Michaela was skipping ahead all the time. How does she do that?

It didn’t rain until we were just about back at the camp.

That evening we spent at White Mountain resort which was fun. Although the beds were hard we all slept until 08:00 on Sunday.

The morning climb included the caves and the river walk. Nice, but not mind blowing.

We are worried that we won’t be getting enough time to exercise in November. I am away for a lot of that month so we will have to be careful to walk when we can.

108 Days to go

2007-10-01T21:26:00.000+02:00

Monday evening walking is always a challenge. After a hard day at work and school to worry about tomorrow there is never enough time. It was raining at 17:00 as well so the temptation to give it a miss is strong. We didn't give in however, and had a good 90 minute walk (about 7 km) in a circle around Durban North.

We are still doing a lot of reading about the climb and trying to make decisions. The main one at the moment is whether to take tablets to avoid Altitude Sickness. There seem to be two problems:

The best way to avoid altitude sickness is to drink plenty of water. Four litres a day seems to be the optimum. On the other hand the tablets seem to be diuretic, taking water out of the body which defeats the object.
The other reason to be concerned seems to be that the tablets seem to hide the symptoms, but if you don't know feel the symptoms how will you know if you have a problem?

The symptoms to watch out for seem to be: headache, nausea, dizziness, and difficulty sleeping, and are aggravated by not drinking enough water, drinking any alcohol, cold weather and climbing too high too quickly. I think we had better get some tablets (Diomax) and give them a go.

109 Days to go

2007-09-30T18:18:00.000+02:00

We were up at 05:45 this morning and we drove half way to the Drakensburg today only to be driven back by the weather. I don’t mind rain but knowing that it would be wet and muddy kinda put us off the whole idea.

Back in Durban an hour later we drove to Umhlanga Rocks and walked two and a half hours on the Lagoon walk and then onto the beach before the rain sent us back.

Actually had a great day and having Michaela with us helped to make it even better. We saw a tiny deer on the path the size of a cat (Sheila called it a Piete Buck and who am I to argue) He was very friendly and didn’t mind having his picture taken.

We have started to investigate the equipment we will need. The boots we were using, although comfortable, were not good enough so we had to buy the real thing (R1200.00 each). Typically they are less comfortable than the R300.00 pair but these will last at least until the end of the climb in January at least. They are welded rather than sewn so there is no chance of letting in any water. The rest of the gear will be about R8,000 each I think, so I just have to get a couple of extra speaking engagements over the next three months to pay for them.

110 Days to go

2007-09-29T17:53:00.000+02:00

Just did 2 hours walking around Virginia Bush today. I love that walk and being so close to home is a great attraction. There are a lot of flowers around as we walk. I will put a few on here when I see them.

We will need to go father tomorrow and we are planning to take Michaela to the Drakensburg early and get in a good 6 hour walk. The movie below is just a little snipit of Virginia Bush

115 days to go

2007-09-24T17:02:00.000+02:00

Discovered a great walk today. We went to Giants Castle in the Drakensburg and walked to “World’s View” 5 Hours (14km). The weather wasn’t great but the walk was very exhilarating with fantastic panoramic views and plenty of flora and fauna to keep us interested. We are getting a lot fitter now and I am sure we will make the main climb. Reading the other Kili climbers Altitude Sickness is the main thing to worry about and it will be difficult to know if that will affect us or not. We will need to get to higher altitudes in our training soon.

This picture shows where we were going to end up on the walk. We didn't know that when we started of course!

129 Days to Go

2007-09-10T11:23:00.000+02:00

Monday is not a good time to get away to train. by the end of the working day there is food to cook and children to look after, but we got in a 2 hour walk (8km) around the area, and both came back exhausted. I have just looked at the Photo on the previous entry... I expect we will look more the part in 130 days, especially if we keep up this level of training.

The trip is paid for now so there is no going back. Reading some of the other blogs from people who have done the assent it seems really tough but really worthwhile. We will see.... (Watch this space).

I have decided to raise funds for Reach for a Dream with this trip. I should at least raise R100,000 if I put some effort into it.

130 Days to go

2007-09-09T21:26:00.000+02:00

Had a great walk today. We, of course, had the parental duties to perform as well so we didn’t go far, but we did find a great walk on our doorstep. Just 5 minutes walk from our house lays “Virginia Bush”. I have known it is there for the 14 years we have been in the area but I have never visited the place. Today we went for a fascinating walk in the bush which was both tiring and interesting – just what we need. The place is amazing and will certainly be an attractive 2 hour walk in the future. Apart from anything else it was totally empty. You get the feeling of being a hundred miles from anywhere deep in the bush, but just 5 minutes from home. Great!

We are both getting fitter – I can feel it, and tomorrow is the day when I pay for the trip, so there is no going back after that.

131 Days to go

2007-09-08T08:14:00.000+02:00

After Kloof last week, we didn't find time to walk at all during the week and only managed 7 km today. We Dropped Michaela off at school to play Soccer and took 90 minutes to walk 7km in a round trip from the school, over the hill in Umhlanga Rocks Drive and down nearly to the Mall before walking back up to the school. It was a fast walk but enjoyable none the less. Tomorrow we will need to do something more strenuous.

I have found some pictures on Kilimanjaro that I will post on the side of this blog. They show the receeding snowline. This is the reason I need to do this now. When Michaela wants to climb Kilimanjaro there probably wont be any snow on top.

137 Days to Go

2007-09-02T08:01:00.000+02:00

We have started to train in ernest now. For the last couple of weeks we have been walking 3 times a week but we will need to move on if we are going to be fit enough to do the climb.

We drove up to Kloof and walked the Yellow Route on Kloof George. This was particularily draining, especially the hard climb on the way back. This really focuses the mind, and makes you wonder how hard the Kili Climb will be. I have no fear of the actually walk. I know it will be hard and I will wonder on the way up why I do these things to me body, but I think that the altitude will be the real risk.

Sheila has been doing a lot more reading up about the climb than I have. She tells me that 10 people each year die trying to climb the Kilimanjaro. Strangely this news excits me. This means that the walk isn't just a "walk in the park", and it will be tough.

138 Days to go

2007-09-01T00:03:00.000+02:00

Finally decided to take the plunge and Climb Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa.

Interestingly the few people I have told about this have all, without exception, asked "Why?" and I have yet to come up with a good answer. Of course "Because it's there" seems to put them off asking more questions, but in truth I am not quite sure. I have been talking about this climb for 7 years but there has never been a time where all the factors came together. Now I have discovered that there may not be snow on the top of the mountain in a few years so now is the time I guess.

It’s more than that though. I need a challenge. I haven’t done anything that stretches me for years, and now is the time to explore.