September 21st 2011 - Tampon

Mawenzi Tarn 4295m – Kibo 4700m

6 hours trekking and preparation for summit attempt

We wake up and everything is damp and cold.  Considering this we have had not a bad nights sleep.  We emerge from our tents and they are covered with frost, last night was definitely colder than any other night; a sign of things to come.

Frosty tents

Lisa has obviously got out of the wrong side of her damp sleeping bag this morning as I am awoken by thermals flying across the tent……“I hate camping…I want to go home”.  Tent tantrum over we head to the mess tent and find a beaming Paul proudly wearing a 50 birthday badge – what a way to spend your 50^th; summit day.

 

Everyone looks and feels that bit more nervous this morning, as today is the day the real summit attempt begins.  We all know it’s been getting closer every day, however today seems that little bit more serious.

This feeling is increased when we learn that unfortunately Jackie has been suffering with altitude sickness all night and although Jenny has been looking after her she is going to have to descend to Horombo Camp which is at a much lower and safer altitude.  This news only brings home to the group the reality of what we are doing and the toll it could take on our bodies.  Altitude sickness is certainly nothing to be ashamed of, equally is not something to be flippant about.  It could hit any one of us at any time from here on in and if we ignore it – well that doesn’t bear thinking about.  You can tell it's in the back of all of our minds.

So after breakfast we say our goodbyes to Jackie and look forward to seeing her again in Horombo.  It felt wrong to be leaving a member of our team behind, we’ve all become so close and have a little ways of getting each other through the tough bits.  We should be experiencing everything together, but we know Jackie is behind all of us all the way and she’ll be checking us into Horombo when the toughest bit is over.

We begin our 6 hour trek to Kibo by negotiating a steep section of boulders.  Once at the top – we can see the next 16 hours laid before us.  We can clearly see the path we will be taking across The Saddle which is dwarfed by the spectacular view of the summit.  The view is incredible and finally the summit seems closer; we can see the glaciers, we can see the paths, and we can also see how big and far away it is.  After numerous photos we start our journey across The Saddle.

You can just see our path across The Saddle

The Saddle is an alpine desert which runs between the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo.  I can only compare it to a lunar landscape.  Although this is a fairly easy walk, its long, very long, with not much to look at except the summit of the mountain, which doesn’t appear to be getting any closer.

The group trekking The Saddle

With the landscape becoming more and more barren this is causing a problem for the girls.  There’s no coverage and the Diamox is really taking effect.  We decide that the easiest way around this problem is group peeing.  Every 40 minutes or so we order the boys to face the other way while we all go to the other side of the path and provide coverage for each other.  Fun times.

What happens on the mountain stays on the mountain girls

During the latter stages of the afternoon Jonathan is found on his knees suffering from a bad nose bleed.  It’s a bad one and tissues just aren’t cutting it when it comes to stemming the flow – Jenny asks any of the girls if they have a spare tampon.   Jonathan is a member of The Serious Fox Team, we all thought he was a valued member.  However none of his team mates seemed concerned at his plight.  There was no enquiries as to whether he was ok or not, just orders to pose for the camera.  Nothing like the support of your mates.  So a suffering Jonathan has to endure trekking the rest of The Saddle with a tampon up one nostril.  Poor Jonathan – one nostril will forever be slightly bigger than the other.

After approximately 6 hours of trekking we finally arrive at Kibo.  The temperature has been steadily dropping as we climb and everyone has put on their down jackets. The walk across The Saddle was fairly steady but to get up to camp we need to climb what looks like a small lump in the ground.  Altitude has kicked in – it feels like Everest.  What would normally be nothing to us is taking every ounce of energy and puff just to put one foot in front of the other.  We hope we acclimatise quickly or tonight will be hellish.

Kibo is a big campsite with a mixture of huts and campsites and is basically the “base camp” before summit for all trekkers, whichever route you chose to get that far.  The camp site is busy, which would explain the long-drops.  They were very special.  

On arrival we are provided with lunch (everyone’s expecting chips now).  It’s not chips but we eat up all the same before we are sent to bed for a few hours sleep before dinner as tonight is the night we start our final ascent.  It’s the big one.

Not much sleep is had, with everyone having conversations and asking the same questions through tent walls; how many layers are you wearing tonight, how much food are you taking, how many spare batteries have you got, girls have you got any spare tampons should I get a nose bleed???

Before we know it we are being called for dinner.  We arrive into the mess tent to the news we have lost another member of our team - Peter has fallen victim to the dreaded altitude sickness and has had to ascend to Horombo.  He's ok but can't face saying goodbye to anyone.  Another man down only adds to the nerves - however at least now Jackie will have some company.

No ones really hungry, a combination of just having had lunch and nerves, but we know how important it is to eat.  Dinner is a potato and banana stew – yes you read correctly, potato and banana.  Most of us pick around the banana and just eat the potato.  Is this payback for the luxury of chips?

This is when Susan makes an incredible announcement – the chef has made Paul a birthday cake.  In Jim comes, in full chef whites, singing Happy Birthday in Swahili with a selection of porters as backing singers.  The cake is amazing – icing, candles, writing and it tastes fantastic.  We have no idea how he did this at 4700amsl but we forgive him for the potato and banana concoction.

Now David has an announcement – he has contacted all of our next of kins’ in secret and asked them for a message they wish to send us on summit night.  Everyone’s in tears, even Foxy, and he hasn’t started yet!  Everyone received a message from home. David what you did for everyone that evening was incredible and so thoughtful.  We were all nervous, exhausted and missing home; it was just what we needed to focus our minds on the night ahead.  We just all felt bad that you were feeling the same and you didn’t get a message.  It was a lovely thing to do David and we are all still very grateful.  Your thoughtfulness that night was one of many highlights of the trip.

Thank you so much David

In a blubbering mess we are all sent to our tents for a few more hours sleep.  It already feels well below freezing, what’s it going to be like in a few hours?  Surprisingly Lisa and I sleep quite well before we are woken at 2300.  We almost wished we hadn’t slept well, we are warm and cosy in our little orange home and stepping outside into what must be about -10 to walk for nearly 12 hours isn’t the most enticing prospect.  But this is what we came here to do.

Wearing as many layers as we can and with cameras and batteries close to our bodies to keep them warm we all meet in the mess tent for hot drinks and fill our water bottles with warm water to prevent it from freezing.  We all hug and wish each other luck; due to the environment this might be the last time we speak to some members of the group until we are back down again. We see our guides hovering outside waiting for us; it’s time.  So by the light of the mighty headtorch and following the glow sticks held by our guides, we begin our ascent to the summit, at midnight, in single file......