September 20th 2011 - Snow

Kikelewa Camp 3678m – Mawenzi Tarn 4295m

5 hours trekking with a 2 hour acclimatisation walk

Another 0630 bed tea wake up call and cold 2 inches of washing water. The new sleeping arrangement has added a new dynamic to the sport of bed sliding – horizontal bed sliding.  We wake up spooning our rucksacks, although we have slept a little better thanks to the drug deal.

Breakfast was pretty much the same, everyone looking more tired and the shouts for Nido increasing.  One thing was different though and even Geordie looked in shock.  After a concerted effort and some panicked packing and less faffing – Lisa and I were ready for breakfast first!  Foxy was spotted trying to use his satellite phone – was he calling the press to inform them of the breaking news?

We head off around 0730, we are all getting better at leaving on time.  We must be, Joseph doesn’t seem to be shouting as much!  This trek is steeper to the volcanic cone of Mawenzi and it is obvious that the vegetation is starting to thin out as the oxygen levels keep dropping.

Mawenzi - where we are heading today

During a quick break (“5 minutes everyone!”) Jason distracts our guides with a copy of Nuts magazine.  With faces like kids at Christmas we are sure we have managed to glean a few more minutes out of them.

All of the group have now noticed that Liam is obviously the one on the anti-malaria drug Lariam which apparently causes psychotic behaviour.  Now there was nothing psychotic about Liam, but we have all noticed that he has been “off roading” quite a lot and today he appears to have found a new pastime…staring a rocks.  Some of the group noticed him selecting a rock from the undergrowth and staring at it lovingly…sniggers from the rest of the group ensued and he was heckled “I love you rock” and “marry me rock”.  Totally oblivious of course.

After lunch we head off on a 2 hour acclimatisation walk. Each day we are supposed to 'climb high and sleep low' to help our bodies get used to the altitude. It’s the last thing we all feel like doing but know it needs to be done and will ultimately make us feel better.

As we climb the temperature drops dramatically.  Then to a cheer from the group the famous Snows of Kilimanjaro come down and although we are freezing and damp we feel privileged to be there.  This was one of the many times that it really sinks in where you are and what you are doing; it's quite and emotional feeling that's very hard to describe.  This mountain is beautiful; but is equally harsh.

The campsite is actually very beautiful. The jagged peaks of Mawenzi loom above us and the campsite is positioned by a small lake (tarn). Its quite disturbing watching the porters drawing water from the lake knowing that's what will be going into our water bottles later.

On the descent from our climb we learn the art of scree walking.  Practicing this now will stand us in good stead for our summit descent.  Walking downhill on scree is pretty much like skiing, this is when our trekking poles really come into their own.

Cold and damp :(

At short while after completing our acclimatisation walk we head to the mess tent for dinner.  With the same vegetable soup doing the rounds we assumed this would be like any other normal dinner time.  Then our main course arrived….the chef had made us chips!  It was like we had been given caviar for dinner.  I guess being on a mountain for a week, cut off from creature comforts really makes you appreciate the little things we take for granted.  As the chips were being passed down the line it all got a bit competitive with who was getting the bigger portions.  Jason suddenly and rather quickly left the tent (obviously not wanting to leave his chips unattended for too long) and re-emerged with a huge bottle of squeezy Heinz Tomato Ketchup!  Good packing Jason.

Dinner was followed by a cheer for the chef.…imagine what we’ll be like when we get a shower! 

It's now that what will be the most famous tale of our trek comes to light.  Kelvin has visited the long drop and had his own little adventure.  Whilst visiting the amenities, Kelvin looked down, causing his sunglasses to fall off of his head, and into the "drop". These holes in the ground have never been emptied or cleaned, ever, and you don't even want to think about whats down there.  Kelvin must love those sunglasses and obviously didnt feel he could continue the trek without them.  We don't want to know how he did it or what happened, but the sunglasses were retrieved.  Kelvin you are our hero.

The Longdrop Kelvin got intimate with

As we made our way to bed the temperature felt even lower than it had on previous nights and we decided it might be time to succumb to filling one of our Sigg bottles with hot water and using it as a hot water bottle.  Pulling the “girl” card for the first time we pathetically managed to persuade Steve to go on the search for hot water.  Minutes later he was outside our tent with warm bottles – heaven.

Today was a hard day considering we had walked less than yesterday.  Everyone is feeling the same, even with the chips. It must be the effects of altitude starting to kick in.  So uphill from here on in looks as though it will also be a downhill for physical and emotional energy.