Into Africa

In December, seven of us embarked on a journey to Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and go on a photo safari. This essay chronicles the first half of the trip - the attempt at summitting Kilimanjaro. Next essay, we'll go on safari. The text is, for the most part, transcribed from a journal that I kept during the adventure.

The cast of characters:

Greg - that's me. A sometime computer consultant who much prefers vacations over work and has a penchant for trying just about anything once.

Denise - my girlfriend, who works as a Family Services Coordinator for the county Headstart program.

Joy - a girl who, many years ago, used to work for a company I worked for. She now works as a guidance counselor in Dar Es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania. It was Joy who made most of the arrangements for the trip.

Louisa - Joy's mother, who lives here in Belfast, Maine. Denise met Louisa one day while out running. It was many months before we put 2+2 together and realized that Louisa was Joy's mother. Louisa is director of a child care program in Belfast.

Susan - Louisa's sister (and Joy's aunt, of course), form Buffalo, New York. Recently retired (last day of work was the day before she took off for the trip) from the city of Buffalo.

John - Susan's husband. An economics professor at SUNY Buffalo.

Kathy - A friend of Joy's from when they were in the Peace Corps in Nepal. She now lives and works in the Washington DC area as a civil engineer.

Getting There

I suppose if Africa were close, more Americans would travel there. So its distance is a bit of a mixed blessing. How does one get to Africa from Maine?

• Get in a car and drive down to Boston (4 hours)
• Board a Continental flight to Newark, New Jersey (45 minutes)
• Take an Ethiopian Airlines flight from New Jersey to Rome (8 1/2 hours), remain on the plane in Rome while they refuel and get a new flight crew (1 1/2 hours). Then fly from Rome to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (5 1/2 hours). Change planes and fly to Nairobi, Kenya (2 1/2 hours).
• Spend the night in Nairobi. Then take a bus from Nairobi to Moshi, Tanzania (6 hours).

There, wasn't that easy? On top of all of this, you lose 8 hours in the time change between Maine and Tanzania. Now you're ready to climb a mountain, aren't you?

Tuesday, December 19

We are in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia after about 15 hours on the plane. I didn’t sleep at all, while Denise was able to get some. They kept feeding us on the plane and they wouldn’t let you say “no” – they gave you food whether you wanted it or not. Lunch was chicken breast and potatoes. Steamed vegetables for Denise. Dinner was chicken breast again, this time cold. Pasta for Denise. Breakfast was some sort of omelet and round little potato things.

The plane was quite full. We had seats in front of the movie screen, so we had extra leg room, but it also meant people kept cutting across the aisle in front of us. Most of the passengers wore sweaters or coats, even though it was very warm in the plane – strange.

A vacant seat next to us was an invitation to a 5-year-old who made himself comfortable. He and his friends played and talked for an hour or two – when he left, a very tall man (at least 7 feet) decided to take advantage of the extra leg room.

On the plane, they showed a “Candid Camera” type show in which one of the gags was in a fast food restaurant and when the people opened the containers for their hamburgers, there was a live mouse inside. They all laughed, and I couldn’t help but think about how many lawsuits that would bring in the U.S.

Joy’s friend Kathy was supposed to sit with us, but ended up in first class. We finally met her about 3 hours into the flight.

The weather in Ethiopia is quite pleasant – warm but with a breeze and low humidity.

When we got off the plane, a man who was traveling to Uganda told us how to say “Thank You” in Swahili, but we’ve already forgotten it.

We finally relaxed with a couple of beers at the Hilton in Nairobi. When we got to the airport, we got confused as to whether or not we needed a visa for Kenya. Turns out we did - $20 each. Got “jumped on” by tour guides as we left the airport – they arranged our bus to and from Arusha and the hotel when we get back. They are overly eager to please. Walked through Nairobi – not a whole lot going on. Ate at an Italian place – the three of us for $20 US. Now – finally to get some sleep!

Wednesday, December 20

So many observations today, it’s best to just jot some thoughts down.

• Up at 6 a.m. after a good sleep. Breakfast buffet was good. Then on to the bus.
• Saw some definite squalor while driving through Nairobi on the bus – people camping in alleys, etc.
• Bus ride was okay, but long. Definitely able to see more of the area/culture from a bus than from a plane.
• Masai (or other tribes, not sure if they are all Masai) are everywhere, herding their goats and cattle. Dressed just like you see on TV.

• Lots of people walking, standing around, selling things. Hard to tell who is working and who is just sitting around sometimes.
• Bought a wooden bowl at a bathroom stop. Got ripped off, but I like the bowl. Paid in a combination of Kenyan and American money ($20+) and the guy selling me stuff made sure I gave him the cash out of site of the cash register – he just pocketed it, which I’m sure they do all the time.
• Villages are very different – shacks, stone buildings, many under construction or seemingly halfway finished, then just left. Hard to tell the difference between something being built and something deteriorating.
• Lots of schools and churches. Schools seem to be either “girls” school or “boys” school. Yet I wonder who is in these schools because many kids were either herding or hawking goods (Note: I later realize that it is summer, so school is out).
• At border crossing into Tanzania, we had to get passports stamped, then get all of our luggage down from the top of the bus and have it “inspected.” Inspection consisted of “feeling” a few bags and then marking them with chalk. Waste of time.
• Tanzania countryside seemed much less populated than Kenya, and much neater – until you get into cities.
• Only got a view of the base of Kilimanjaro – clouds on top, so not really sure what we’re getting into at this point.

• Quite a bit hotter in Moshi than in Nairobi. Humid, oppressive. Can’t wait to get into swimming pool.
• Got the scoop on “local beer” from the bus driver. Combine a mash with mashed bananas. Can’t buy it in a store, but the locals can get it from the people who make it. Kids are allowed to drink it as well. They also make a more potent version using “maize” that kids aren’t allowed to drink. Also something else they distill that “makes people crazy” – six months in jail if you are caught with it.
• Kathy and I swam in the pool. Denise watched from the side. As we swam, children from the village began to gather at the fence around the pool. It was as if they had never seen people swimming before. Then, the workers at the hotel and the pool also started gathering and watching. I felt like I was on display and didn’t want to disappoint the audience, so I kept swimming. Finally, enough was enough, and I got out and had a beer with Denise and Kathy.
• The beer is good and cheap. In Nairobi, Tusker beer was $2 for a 1/2 liter bottle and the Hilton. In Moshi, the beer was $1 for a bottle of Kibo at the in. I made the mistake of asking for a Tusker when I got to Moshi – thinking it was like the “Budweiser” of Africa. Turns out that all the beers are local, and the locals get a bit offended if you ask for a non-local beer. Seems to be a bit of national pride at stake between Kenya and Tanzania.

Thursday, December 21

Slept pretty well last night. Up at 6:30, cold shower (no choice – no hot water) and finished packing.

Breakfast consisted of some fruits – passion, orange banana. Tried my hand at cutting a mango that Kathy had bought, and failed miserably. Then had toast and a western omelet.
The bus ride to the park gate was about an hour. Talked with John a lot about world affairs – well, actually, he knew all about the world affairs, I mostly just listened.

Checked in at the park entrance. Still haven’t really seen Kilimanjaro because it has been in the clouds.

Started on the hike at 11 a.m. Guides are Thomas and Earnest. Thomas has been guiding for 18 years, Earnest 7-8. They estimate they go up about 10 times per year.

The hike today is to Mandara hut. We start at 1600 M and hike to 2727 M (9000 ft.). The trail is quite easy – crushed volcanic rock all the way. Temperature is hot, but not oppressive since we are under the cover of the rain forest.

The forest is quite pretty, very lush, lots of moss and vines. Some very large trees as well, which Earnest estimated to be 200+ years old. It is strange to think that a good portion of the continent looked like this at one time and now it is all lost. Heard lots of birds, but didn’t see many.

The hiking was easier today than comparable hikes in Maine – not many rocks or boulders to walk up, over, and around. The hardest part of the hike was going s-l-o-w. They have this thing about hiking slow, which I’m sure makes a lot of sense at the higher elevations, but it’s a bit of overkill in my opinion, down here.

We got a few sprinkles off and on, but not the “downpour” I would have expected. Stopped for lunch half way – they had packed it for us beforehand – bacon sandwiches, cheese sandwiches, boiled egg, orange, and banana.

More rain forest hiking after lunch, then it almost abruptly changed to a different climatic zone. Lowland elevation brush resembling pines, ferns, and fewer large trees.

Arrived at Mandara hut at 3 p.m. Accommodations are pretty nice – A-frames, each room with four beds. Me, Joy, and Kathy are in one unit, and Denise, Louisa, John, and Susan in the “old folks home” near the bathroom.

After popcorn, tea, and hot chocolate, we hiked to Maundi Crater. On the hike in, we were surprised and delighted to see a group of “blue” monkeys in the trees. Some were even engaging in “monkey business,” which has been a good source of amusement.

Good views from the crater of the countryside, but still no view of the top of Kili.

Supper consisted of soup, bread, potatoes, cabbage, rice, and a beef brew of some sort. Bananas for desert. Lots of food!

Up at 7 a.m. for breakfast tomorrow – promises to be a bit more strenuous than today.

Friday, December 22

First, a bit of a look back on last night. It being the solstice, Louisa did an impromptu solstice dance, to the amusement of the guides and porters that were around. After some discussion, we determined that the solstice we were celebrating was actually the summer solstice, and thus the “longest day of the year,” since we are south of the equator. This marks the first time most of us have experienced two summer solstices in the same year.

Kathy and I played Frisbee until it got too dark to see it. Then everyone went to bed, leaving me wondering what to do. I stood outside listening to the sounds and watching the stars for awhile. The sounds from the jungle were curious – certainly nothing we could identify. Well, except for the moo of a cow, which we all thought was one of the guides being funny, but which turned out to, indeed, be a lost cow. We also heard some sort of animal making a barking sound, which we christened as the often heard but seldom seen jungle poodle.

Slept well at first, but at a point we were all awake and Joy looked at her watch and declared it was only 11:30. And we were all ready to get up! After that I slept lousy – off and on for short spells all night.

Seven a.m. breakfast – eggs, toast, bacon, bananas, and the usual tea and hot water, which I always use to make a hot chocolate drink.

The hike to Horombo hut took us about 5 1/2 hours. Again, the hiking terrain was quite easy – a gently inclining path. Again, we had to take it very slowly, although near the end we left the guides behind a little bit and picked up the pace.

The scenery was much different from the previous day – lowland brush – grasses, shrubs, flowers. Reminiscent of lowland bush in the alpine zones back home, but with slightly different varieties of plants.

The weather was mostly cloudy and foggy – not unlike many Maine days. As a result, we couldn’t really see the rest of the mountain (again). However, during a short hike after we arrived at the hut, the clouds briefly broke and we got our first glimpse of the Kili summit. As Denise said, there was less snow than expected, but we only saw it from one angle, so who knows?

As a group, we seem to all be getting along great. Unfortunately, Joy is coming down with some sort of illness, so she will be hiking back down tomorrow. Everyone tends to go to bed early – like 7 p.m. – which is frustrating for me because I can’t go to sleep that early and would rather be sociable than reading a stupid book!

In a moment of historic importance, I managed to take my first dump today since starting the journey. This is no easy feat, giving that you have to stand up to do so. The toilets are little more than a hole in the ground. If I am allowed to complain at all on this trip, it would be about the rather disgusting toilets.

There are more people at this hut than at the one last night, due to the fact that you stay here on the way down, as well as the way up, and also because you spend two nights here on the way up, the second day being used to acclimatize to the altitude. We all wonder how we are going to stand staying in one place for so long, but it’s probably worth it if we hope to make the summit.

Speaking of summitting, we are hearing many stories from people who are on their way down. One Australian’s summary was “I’ll be straight, it was just fucking difficult.” Another British guy said that only one of five people in his group made it to the summit. So, yes, it will be a physical and mental challenge, but so far I’m still optimistic.

Part of the fun of a trip like this is meeting and/or observing many different nationalities. There are a few other Americans, but not a whole lot. We’ve also encountered British, Norwegian, Australian, Canadian, and, by far, the most populous contingent – Asians. Of course, it’s not really fair to group them all together – there are Japanese, Thai (Singapore), and others. Everyone is very nice, and everyone speaks English, so we’re all able to communicate.

A frequent topic of conversation among our group has been whether or not to take Diamox, a drug that can help limit the effects of altitude. The drawbacks are that it is a diuretic, so it makes you pee a lot and it can make your extremities tingle. I’ve decided to forgo it, instead using a regimen of two aspirin in the morning and at night. Denise started taking it today. So, we’ll see how it all works out!

The porters have amazing strength and endurance, carrying luggage and supplies on their heads and shoulders and often in their hands as well. One group of porters was singing – quite nice. Found out that Norwegians had built the huts we are staying in as part of a Peace Corps-like operation.

Saturday, December 23

Had a lousy sleep last night – low level headache all night. It looks like the altitude is going to get to me after all. As a result, I broke down and started taking Diamox. So far it hasn’t eliminated the headaches, but it does seem to have dulled them. There don’t seem to be any bad side-effects – I am peeing a little more often, but nothing excessive.

Took a 2 1/2 hour walk to Zebra Rock and back. Good to get some elevation gain and a bit of vertical. We were hoping to see another side of the mountain from there, but clouds moved in by the time we got to the top of our hike.

Speaking of clouds, they were gone this morning! So, we finally got to see the top of the mountain. Far less snow than expected on top, but Thomas says that can change daily/weekly. Breakfast was the familiar scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Lunch was cabbage/bean/carrot blend, fried bread, and fried potato slices.

Joy headed down at 8 a.m. to the gate and back to Moshi. So Denise has moved into our cabin!

Took a nice, long nap after lunch.

During our hike to Zebra Rock, Thomas spoke of a group who comes here every year, hikes Kilimanjaro, and then, the very next day, runs anywhere from 10K to 40K. He said the most he runs is 10K, but there are many who run marathons. The Norwegian guy had mentioned that they try to talk the Masai into running marathons, but they are too proud and will not compete.

For dinner today, we had rice, a vegetable/gravy mix, and “pancakes” – somewhat greasy crepe-like things. Not having done much since lunch, none of us had much of an appetite.

After dinner, we took a little hike to the end of a peninsula-like outcropping. Very nice hike. On the way back, a bunch of porters were running down the trail with a gurney-on-a-wheel contraption which held a young man. When another guide/porter walked by, we asked what happened and he made the and motion for someone going crazy, meaning that the guy had HACE or HAPE and needed to be taken to a lower elevation immediately. The guide/porter said they were bringing him down from Kibo hut, so he probably ran into trouble somewhere near the summit. Very sobering.

After our short hike, most of us got together in our hut for “aromatherapy” – Kathy had brought a small candle that is supposed to burn with aromatherapy vapors. After a while, we heard rumbling, and upon getting out to check it out, were treated to a rather impressive lightening display in the southern (I think) sky. Overhead, the sky was clear and you could see the stars.

My headache is mostly gone now, probably thanks to the Diamox. It does make my face and other parts of my body numb and tingly, though. I took three pills today (a normal dosage) since one didn’t seem to be doing the trick. I feel far from 100 percent, both in terms of headache and digestive system. I just hope I can improve or ignore it in time for the big climb in just a little over 28 hours from now.

Denise, on the other hand, says she feels great and is always out front on our hikes. I think out of all of us, she is in the best shape right now to make the summit. As for me – well, the mind is willing but the body may be weak. Altitude will stop me if anything does, but judging how I’ve felt at 12,000 feet, I’m only cautiously optimistic how my body will react at 19,000 feet.

Thomas was quite concerned that we did not have climbing poles for the final ascent, so he took it upon himself to scrounge up some from the guides/porters. Five dollars per pole for “rental,” but he did come through. I asked him whether the poles were necessary mostly for the ascent or the descent, and he said the ascent and for leaning your body on when you get tired.

Tomorrow, a five hour climb to Kibo, then meals and an attempt to sleep before waking up at midnight to summit. So this will be my last chance for prolonged sleep for the next couple of days!

Sunday, December 24

Christmas Eve – unlike any I have ever experienced before.

Got the best sleep of the journey last night – thankfully! The only problem was that it was very windy and the door to our hut was missing it’s latch inside, so it kept blowing open. We had been using a hiking boot to keep the door shut, but that did not prove heavy enough of the wind we had last night. So I added one of my hiking boots as a door stop as well. The two boots proved to work for most of the gusts, but not all. Being the one sleeping closest to the door, I ended up having to re-close the door about 5-6 times during the night. As you can imagine, if this is how I define a good night’s sleep, then the others must have been really bad!

The sunrise was spectacular – low clouds filling the valley, and clear up where we were and at the summit.

The hike to Kibo was pretty gradual, although tougher than the hike to Homboro – especially near the end when we were above 15,000 feet and the incline was pretty big.

It was sunny all day during the climb and I discovered, too late, that the back of my legs got very sunburned. Kathy noticed the emerging burn and gave us some sunscreen during the climb, or it would have been a lot worse.

The wind on the climb up was noticeably colder. We all wore jackets and many wore gloves and hats. At the hut, it is getting very cold. Wear are at a little over 15,500 feet. Many of us, including me, have headaches. I’m hoping it will go away with more Diamox, but I’m afraid it might not.

We met a lot of people coming down from the climb. To a person, they all said it was very difficult – nobody said it was anything less than grueling, so I’m sure we are in for unsurpassed physical and mental pain.

Monday, December 25 – Christmas Day

The previous night, we got into bed at about 6:30. Me, Louisa, and Kathy all have headaches despite the Diamox. I try to sleep, but the headache and a less-than-comfortable stomach make the 4 1/2 hours we have before wake-up call a sort of groggy exercise in sleeplessness. Denise, however, claims she had to reach up and shake me to stop me from snoring, so apparently I did get some sleep. I wish she would have left me be!

They came in to wake us up at 11 p.m. I felt quite miserable and queasy and wished the people stirring in the bunks below would just shut up.

They fed us “biscuits” (cookies, really) and tea. Then we went through the paces of clothing ourselves for the climb. Thomas told us to start out with everything we planned to wear, and then remove clothes as necessary as we climbed. I go outside and discover that although it is cold, it’s not really too cold and not all that windy. I decide to wear two poly-pro long underwear tops, my expedition weight long underwear bottom, wind pants, a fleece top, and the Marmot Windshirt top. I have my parka in my pack, but won’t put it on until necessary.

We are all ready to disembark at 12:20. Thomas gives us all a small chocolate bar as a Christmas gift. We all have our headlamps on and venture out into the night. It is very clear and there are stars everywhere.

As the hike begins, my fingers and entire face feel numb – not sure if it’s from the Diamox, the altitude, or a combination of both. We, of course, move “pole pole” – very slowly. Only this time I am thankful for the slow pace because of the way my body feels.

About 20 minutes into the hike, I pass on of the members of the group standing off to the side of the trail. At first, I don’t recognize who it is, but then she speaks and I realize it is Denise. She says she feels like throwing up and is turning back. I am shocked, as up to now she has had no complaints or ill effects. I will come to find out later that she momentarily blacked out. It is sad to see her have to quit. But I plod on, knowing that we had agreed beforehand that if one of us should stop, the other should continue.

The sky is beautiful, but it does little to relieve the discomfort of the climb. The light from the headlamp bounces off the ground, making me dizzy as I try to watch where I am going. I turn the light off and depend on the light from the others in the group to illuminate the way.

We move very, very slowly, but moving at all is still very difficult – you are always winded. I make a comment to Kathy that now I know what it will be like to be 80.

At times, I develop a rhythm and stretches of the climb seem to come easy, but just as quickly I experience stretches where I become very nauseous, and other stretches where my legs feel like collapsing. Then, I get another stretch of feeling okay. The whole hike up is like this – I don’t think I was ever at a point where I felt confident that I would be able to reach the top, yet I also don’t think I ever reached the point where I was at the brink of turning back. I knew, however, that sheer will couldn’t get me up that mountain and that at any time I might pass out, or collapse, or throw up and my continuing would be in serious jeopardy. Earlier in the trip, Earnest told us of Japanese who insisted on continuing even though they were resorting to crawling on their hands and knees. I wasn’t that desperate to make the summit.

At about the 3 hour mark we came to a stone outcropping that formed a cave. Here, we got to sit down and rest. We also learned that this was the halfway point. I must admit that this was quite a mental disappointment, since I thought we might be 2/3 of the way up or so.

I ate the chocolate bar that Thomas had given me and we continued the ascent. You could see the lights of the other groups above and it gave you a good idea of the distance you still had to go. This was both an inspiration and a disappointment in that you could see that others were doing it, but you could also see that you still had a long, steep way to go.

Part of the frustration of this climb was that at times you would get into a rhythm and then someone else in the group would have to stop for some reason – to change batteries in their headlamp, drink some water, adjust their poles, or what not. Other times I was dying for a break but we kept pushing on.

At about 5 a.m., five hours into the hike, the darkness finally started giving way to daylight. It was a very gradual process – a faint glow of white on the horizon, then a bit of pink, then bright pink, then orange, and then bright orange.

In an attempt to keep sane and divert attention from my mental and physical anguish, I starting singing “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” to myself. I faithfully sang it through to it’s conclusion, twice. After the second count-down, I realized that the damn song was becoming more of a torture than the hike.

Daylight, which came at about 6 a.m., revealed the rest or our task to us. We come to a section near the top that takes us over rock outcroppings rather than on the gravel scree that we have been walking on over the past five hours. This is a refreshing change and one of my favorite parts of the day’s climb. The comments of others in my group indicate that they do not hold this portion of the hike to the same high esteem to which I do.

About 100 yards from the top (the “top” being Gillman’s Point, not the true summit, Uhuru peak, which is still over 2 hours away), it sets in that I am going to make it. Normally, at this point in a hike, this realization results in a burst of adrenaline and an increased pace up the final stretch. But at this altitude, I find this is impossible – it takes all I can muster just to get up those final meters.

At long last, I reach Gillman’s Point. Exhilaration comes from two fronts – the fact that I made it, and the fact that I get to take a considerable rest break.

Feliciano, who has been pacing the climb, congratulates me, shakes my hand, and then lifts my arm in the air in triumph. I am happy to be here, but already know that I want to take the two-hour hike to the summit (people often turn back at Gillman's, rather than continuing to the summit).

It took us about six hours to reach Gillman’s Point, which is probably a bit slower than average. There is a sign marking Gillman’s Point and the elevation, and we take many pictures of us next to the sign. Two Canadian girls reach the point shortly after we do, and have come prepared with a small Canadian flag which they hold up while getting their pictures taken.

We also run into the Norwegians at Gillman’s. They are returning from Uhuru peak and encourage all of us to take the hike to the peak, saying it is pretty much all flat except for a small section of uphill. Susan, who has been debating whether or not to continue on to Uhuru, decides she should. A group of us – me, Kathy, and John – are feeling rested enough to continue and head out on the trail.

The trail from Gillman’s to Uhuru is the only part of the hike that is snow covered. To the right side of the trail is a rather steep, snow-covered embankment. While walking the trail, it occurs to me that if one were to slip, the fall would no doubt be lengthy and most probably painful. I make it a point to stay alert.

About an hour into the hike to Uhuru, I am cursing the Norwegians. Easy, my ass. Although the incline is nothing like we experienced on the main climb, it is a steady incline nonetheless. And at 19,000 feet, it is far from easy.

As we continue, Kathy stops frequently to rest. I begin to wonder if she is going to make it. Further into the hike, Earnest decides to carry her backpack. John and I continue ahead without waiting for Kathy, knowing that Earnest will stick with her.

The final push continues to be difficult, but, at last, we come to the official summit. We are on the top of the African continent! I drop my backpack and sit down in the snow – pictures can wait until I catch my breath. One of the girls from Singapore reaches the peak shortly after we arrive and I take her picture using her camera, and she takes our pictures using our cameras.

There is a Tanzanian flag at the top, and I hold it up while my picture is being taken, a tribute to all the great Tanzanian people who have helped us reach this point. Louisa and Kathy and, eventually, Susan, all join John, Thomas, Feliciano, Earnest, and I at the summit. Of the seven of us that started the journey, five of us have reached the summit – well above the 50 percent “summitting” average.

After a few more pictures and drinking the last drop out of one of my water bottles, we decide to begin the journey down. Down – it has a wonderful ring to it. It will certainly be nice to get into progressively thicker air.

The hike back from Uhuru to Gillman’s takes about 45 minutes. Certainly not as tiring as going uphill, but not really easy, either, since the downhill was only gradual and my legs were tired. That, and the fact that I was on hour 9 of the hike after having gotten almost no sleep the night before.

At Gillman’s we stop and let everyone catch up. From Gillman’s, the trip is definitely down hill. Louisa is afraid of the height and the climb down and insists that Thomas lead her down, staying close in front. We ask how long to get from Gillman’s point to the hut, and Thomas says between an hour and an hour and a half. Thomas, Louisa, and I take off first, since we are ready to go and the others aren’t. The top goes smoothly – the rocks aren’t that difficult to negotiate, and even Louisa admits that her fear is gone and that it’s not as bad as she had expected.

After the rocks, we hit the “scree” – loose, almost sand-like dirt. Thomas shows us how to “surf” down it – shuffling straight down while walking/sliding – sort of like running down a soft ski slope with ski boots on. And while it does save time, it is harder work than I expected going down because it ends up really taxing your knees and quads – not something I was looking forward to after the climb.

About an hour into the downhill, we come upon the cave that serves as the halfway point between Gillman’s Point and Kibo Hut. This was a truly amazing revelation, both in the fact that we were still only halfway down, and in the realization that when we were climbing up and had reached this point, we still had so much more to do. We all agreed that had it been light out when we began the climb, and we got to this point, we would have likely been demoralized and a few of us likely would not have gone on.

Downward, we continue. Thomas, Louisa, me, Kathy, John, and Susan – and Earnest and Feliciano bringing up the rear to make sure everyone gets down. About 3/4 of the way down, I duck behind a boulder to go the bathroom. The remnants of toilet paper scattered about indicate that mine was not an original idea. By the time I got back on the trail, John was ahead of me. He is moving quite slowly, however, and I quickly overtake him. It turns out that his left knee was giving him problems and he was in a lot of pain. In retrospect, I probably should have stuck with him awhile to make sure he was all right, but after the events of the increasingly long day, I trudged forward, firmly focused on Kibo Hut in the distance.

The “hour and a half” hike down from Gillman’s point turned out to be about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Louisa, Thomas, and Kathy preceded me by a few minutes. Denise was waiting for us near the hut, offering each of us congratulations. I’m sure she was disappointed that she was not one of us completing the climb, but at the same time I knew she had made the right decision – the mountain proved unforgiving and it would have been difficult to continue under the best of circumstances, much less when one’s body was telling them they should seek other forms of recreation.

Denise was sporting a nice sunburn – it turns out the Norwegians had made it down by 8:30 and told her we weren’t far behind. But, in fact, we were – 4 hours behind, in fact.

I had depleted my water supply during the trip down, so the porter who greeted me with a cup of orange drink at the base was a godsend.

As weary as we all were, our day’s journey was not yet over. Kibo hut was only for those going up the mountain. After a short rest and some soup, we would have to continue our hike to Horombo hut. What none of us realized at the time was that the hike from Kibo to Horombo was about 9 1/2 miles. Again, ignorance of the reality of the situation undoubtedly helped us, as the knowledge of knowing we would need to hike another 9 1/2 miles certainly would have left us wondering if we could actually complete the task.

Leaving Kibo, Denise shot out ahead of the pack, choosing a pace that left the rest of us far behind. I just wanted to get the day over with, so I kept a steady, somewhat fast pace. (as fast as I could manage at the time.) As the hike wore on, I found myself completely alone on the trail, with nobody else in sight ahead or behind me. I had no water with me, since I knew Denise had some but I didn’t know that she was going to take off on her own. As the hike down progressed, the temperature grew progressively higher, and over time I stripped down from a fleece and long pants to a t-shirt and shorts. To amuse myself and try to make time go by faster, I sang Christmas songs – out loud, since there was no one around to have to endure the audible pain I was inflicting on the world. Two hours and fifteen minutes later, I at last arrived at Horombo hut. The first thing I did was buy a Coke and two beers – the Coke to quench my thirst, and a beer for Denise and I. The others arrived in intervals afterwards – Louisa, Kathy, John, and, far back, Susan. Dinner was once again ample, but none of us were very hungry. Immediately after dinner, I went to bed. I had hiked for a total of 14 hours, on little or no sleep. On this night, I would have no problem sleeping!

Tuesday, December 26

Up at 6:30, sore, but rested. My feet are pretty beat up from my hiking boots – a big blister on my right heel, the makings of one on my left – despite the fact that I used moleskin since the second day of the climb.

Today, we are to hike down to the gate, which would take 4-6 hours, we were told. Although we were all tired of hiking at this point, the prospect of a shower this evening, after six days without, was more than enough motivation to get us moving.

The trip down was delightfully uneventful. Denise and I, along with Thomas and a porter, led the way. John and Susan were still hurting from the previous day, so we knew that we should all to at our own paces and meet up at the end.

Stopped to have lunch at Mandara hut – the usual potatoes, soup, fried bread, etc. that we’d been getting all week and which we were now pretty tired of.

Following lunch, it was nice to hike back down into the rain forest, since it was getting quite hot in the sun. There was quite a bit more mud on the way down due to rain that happened during the week, so it was slow going in a few places. About halfway down to the gate, the porter slipped on a wet log on the trail and wiped out. He was okay, but since he was carrying Denise’s luggage, I commented that “all of our fine crystal was now broken.”

It took us about four hours overall to reach the gate. Joy was there, having come in with the bus from the Mountain Inn that morning (we arrived at the gate at about 12:45). While waiting for the others to show up, I took off my hiking boots and put on my Teva’s. I was dismayed to find that my nail on the big toe was black and blue. I would be losing the nail for the third time in as many years.

When we at last made it back to the Mountain Inn, the long-awaited showers took place. We got the same room as we had previously, which we had hoped wouldn’t happen since the shower did not have hot water. Too tired and hot to complain, we made due with a cold shower - a most satisfying and welcome cold shower!

Tonight, we repacked all of our bags for the safari portion of the trip that is to begin tomorrow. It feels good to not have to haul the cold weather gear around and all that stuff sure smelled bad anyway!