#i have too many hrs and am so mirage for me to give it up
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apex legends breakout trailer having one of my fave punk songs is such a win
#vark posts#every animated trailer they make always has bangers but this one is for me only sorry guys#apex pls pls pls pls make alt skins#mirage would be a punk i just know it#ik im seein the trailer so late but i havent logged on to apex in a million yrs#havent logged in since early last year wtf happened to literally everything#dont think im gonna play anytime soon i mostly just wanted to look around#one day tho#i have too many hrs and am so mirage for me to give it up#im yappin too muchbbut i also apparently got a gift?? from someone i dont recognize the user of??#literally was sent like a week ago#and the info tab thing says u gotta be friends for at least 2 weeks to send a gift#WHO ARE YOU...
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Critical Mass - Part II.
I wrote the original Part II in a long and stormy writing session two nights ago, and then my browser crapped on me, my screen went white, and i hadn’t saved my draft. I can’t bring myself to recreate what i wrote. Moving on.....
#13.
I. AFTER OAKLAND
I literally spent more time in Robin’s truck than i did anywhere else this weekend..... ..Shouts out to the man for letting his sister take his car and trek across and across and ACROSS the state for business and pleasure (my car = lease = limited mileage).
SUN >> MON recap: behold 24 hours, 3 hours of sleep, insanity.
1:00PM Change cars with Robin
2:30PM 5 hr rehearsal
8:00PM Get home, pack
9:00PM 6 hr drive to Oakland
3:00AM Arrive and crash at Mitzi’s
6:00AM Get up & Get Ready
7:00AM Leave for Callback
8:00AM 4 hr Callbacks
12:15PM 7 hr drive to LA
9:00PM I’m home
10:00PM Write blog
12:30AM Lose my entire draft
12:35AM Lose my mind
1:00AM Go to sleep (work at 8:30am)
TL;DR I did get a callback. I didn’t get the job.
No more Oakland daydreams for now! The “what if”s dissipate just like that.
But the damned thing about life-changing opportunities is the magnifying glass it burns on your present life. Unfortunately, any discontent that emerged in all the hemming and hawing of “this or that” “pros and cons” is real and won’t disappear just like that.
Maybe instead of burying them once again, i hold it close to my heart. like oil for fire. close to my heart, burning hotter fuel. praying for its ashes. close to my heart to keep it away from my eyes that must see all the life ahead of me. away from my guts that must fight, not flight. close to my heart because the antidote is to be made in the heart, too.
II. BEFORE THE SHOW: SHIFTING GEARS
I’m in the thick of working on my show - and i love it and hate it and bemoan the little time i have to get so much done. Times like these...What motivates me counts.
I think about the life we want, versus the life we are grateful for.
I think about how our choice to source our energies from either pool shapes us, limits us, or frees us.
I am seeking a way for my dreams to not feel so heavy, my desires less burdensome. That might sound funny but for someone who suffers great ambitions and destructive habits, wanting can turn into longing and longing brings pain and pain makes bad habits look medicinal. Ultimately, sabotage. Like when they say “you are your own worst enemy”, i’m like “yeah, yep, me.”
I am melting my visions of the future. I’m at a point where all the things i want, but don’t have, no longer motivate me in the right way. Rather than renewing my spirits, the “Have Not” attitude now threatens my sensitivity to the beauty in my life as it is. This is a particular shift for me at a particular time. I’m sure in time, my winds will change again.
For now, i’m done feeling like following my dreams is a burden. The weight of success is slowing me down.
I’ve been fixated on proving myself right.
The pressure i’m adding onto myself is, at this point, extraneous. It’s also tied to my fear, anxieties, and hubris. I feel nervous and i scramble to control what i can. Control is not the treatment i need. Nor is willing myself to go above and beyond what is healthy for me.
I find that being driven by the things i want often leads me to disregard my own well-being. I am just the kind of person who will crash through heaven and hell for what i want. Sometimes it makes me brilliant. Other times i’m wasting myself. an unfortunate side effect in the blending of certain character traits..
So what’s the difference between being driven by what we want, and being driven by what we have?
I’m pointing at our polymorphous existences. All the multifarious sides of our selves that come and go based on an array of environments, moods, stimuli or lack thereof.
In especially grueling times, my appetite mutates into greed. I may be exhausted with enough on my plate, but when i am feeling my smallest, my most Without, it’s like a mirage appears -- my dreams harden from beautiful mystery worth discovering to obvious images i need to “have” -- i forsake taking care with what’s in front of me because now i’m busy, just, chasing, and drooling, and lusting.
I might waste all my time and energy chasing the objects of my affection and collapse every other stretch of distance because there’s “Too much to do”.
There is love that shows up in the smallest and brightest ways at random hours of my day. These blessings bring me back to the joys in my life right now. And i remember front and center, the sight of my PURPOSE right the fuck now.
It’s a trippppppppp when the very thing you love doing starts to feel like a chore.
There is magic in giving thanks.
Gratefulness fills me up timelessly.
My gratitude has no expiry date.
And counting my blessings is, actually, motivating.
Is it as motivating as honing in on what i want want want want want?
no. it’s totally different.
To move with thanks is to move with grace.
Graceful movements abound with attention and purpose, without the snarl of impatience, with an ease marked by a deep, disinterested serenity. There’s no “too much” or “too little” because the paradigm here has shifted from “being the best right now” to “i’ll do my best right now”. I am marking a distinction between the psyche of someone who wishes to Be and someone who wishes to Do.
And the doing gets tough when you’re like me and images cease to move your body. Images aren’t the energy that plows me forward.
for me, it’s always been people. my energy draws upon the people who seek me as i seek them. I am thankful for so many people i’ve met, have known, and still know.
that’s the beauty of my art. the real real gift theatre gave me is the people i get to care for and be cared for by.
for me, it’s never been enough to look good, seem good, appear good. The insides always matter. My insides always mattered. And more than that, connecting from my insides to yours, creating the opportunities for such encounters,
My life has been blessed with this art. and with people who believe in me.
And i can keep trying to belittle myself - so anxious to beat anyone else to it - by saying shit like nobody cares and nobody’s coming, but if i remember what i’m grateful for, i know how untrue those statements are. And the brilliant visions i have for myself are released because with only two hands and two feet, i will cup the face of my ever-volatile world with both hands, and we’ll dance. One another, back and forth, up and down, riding the beats, stepping lithe and dexterous into existence our mysterious future.
Like this, i am OCCUPADO.
i have no more feet to chase the mirage.
i have no more hands to grub for more.
Biiiiich, take care of the things that are nowwwwwww.
I dream now of dancing with my life as it is, taking it somewhere not by telling it where to go but by our natural twists and turns together befitting the beat of the moment.
This is all to say my way of focusing on what’s important.
Presently, i find myself in GO TIME.
No more wasting time on what could be, what might be, what i wish would be.
GO TIME = crucial and fragile. Time to rise and shine. Give thanks. Feel, soakkkk, bask in the everything of everything right now. and move with grace. and FOR GODS’ SAKES,
ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY IT.
2 WEEKS until my self-produced, self-directed, self-written and self-performed show is open to the public. Holy shit ^_^
* * *
i’ve committed to being vulnerable in writing every week.
previous letter: #12.) Wtf is going on - Part I.
drop me a line
http://monolid-monologues.tumblr.com/ask
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affordable insurance beeville texas
affordable insurance beeville texas
affordable insurance beeville texas
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affordable insurance beeville texas
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7 Days And 6 Nights Of Climbing Kilimanjaro- Rongai Route
Climbing Kilimanjaro. pic credit: Justin Brown
History is filled with stories which never got told, however, I promise you this one will not be it.
Ok, cut to the chase and drama, here is my story of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Mountains have always inspired me and after the EBC Trek (Everest Base camp) it was time for my new adventure and it was only Mount Kilimanjaro on my mind.
The usual suspects were taken into confidence, my teammates Meera and Justin from the last trek, my mom to babysit and hubby to agree to the plot. The planning started months in advance and soon it was time to set off to climbing Kilimanjaro.
Now for the story…
Climbing Kilimanjaro: Acclimatisation Day
I arrive at the Kilimanjaro airport
We arrived from different parts of the world to Springland hotel in Moshi. It was a 16 member team, including our team leader and guide, Sanjeev Ganju from White Magic Adventure Travel. Meera, Justin and I knew each other from our last EBC trek. There was a Singaporean gang and an Indian gang. There was Jackie, Chisa, Carrie, and Rupinder, then there was Ajai with his two kids Ahilya(22) and Ahan(16) and Arun from Singapore. From Dubai, we had a mother-son duo, Alka and Aashay and Dr. Sanjiv and Jayesh Choksi from India.
Basically, Moshi is at 1400 mtrs above sea level and we stayed at the Springland Hotel here for a day to acclimatise. We got to meet and mingle with our team followed by a briefing from our team leader. Our support staff from the local agency of Zara Tours, consisted of 45 Tanzanian individuals – porters, cooks, guides, etc. This time I had a personal porter as well because I had a shoulder injury(minor cartilage tear) and I didn’t want to carry any heavy loads. Whew! That was a lot of people!
Day 1 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Camp Simba final altitude 2600 mtrs
We were driven to Kilimanjaro National Park at 2340 mtrs from Springland hotel on a bus.
Ready to go!! pic credit: Carrie Chow
The ride is around 2.5 hours. One thing to observe is no one drives fast even if the road is empty. There are cops hiding everywhere.
It was an “easy day”, consisting of about 4 hrs of easy walking through a rainforest. We could have definitely walked faster but our team leader set the technique of walking ‘Pole Pole’ or slowly in a line, which was frustrating at this gradient but would help us when it gets tougher. Since you walk through the rainforest today, you hardly get to see any views today. We camped at Camp Simba that day which is at 2600 mtrs.
There was also an oxygen level check done every evening to check how our lungs were coping with the altitude. It was almost like getting marks after a school test and became a competition and betting point.
Day 2 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Camp Kikewaki final altitude 3600 mtrs
Meera and I were sharing a tent and after sharing a few adventures together we have become comfortable and have a system in place on how to share and pack and get ready. Honestly, having at least one friend on a trek is a huge comfort factor.
On Day 2 there was gradation as we were climbing a 1000 meters but it wasn’t tough. In fact, I found all other days apart from the summit night and day pretty average. After walking for four hours our porters created a makeshift camp on top of a hill and served us lunch. Talk about comfort and camping in the wild.
We walked through the Kilimanjaro national park with hardly any views. After a few hours of walk, we got the first glimpse of Kilimanjaro but very soon it went behind the clouds. I prayed to ‘Jua’ or the Sun God, every day to stay with us and it had been working. It took us another 3 hours to reach our campsite Kikewaki at 3600 mtrs.
pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
First view of Kilimanjaro
Unlike EBC where we did not climb more than 500 mtrs in a day, we were gaining altitude fast on this trek but as our oxygen rating showed we all were coping pretty well. It was already getting cold and I wondered what the summit will feel like.
Also, unlike EBC here after reaching our camp, we would change, eat dinner and just retire to our tents. It was just too cold to sit and chat or bond with teammates for long.
Day 3 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Camp Mawenzi -final altitude 4350m
The temperature was starting to dip – we had frost on our tent overnight.
Mawenzi is one of the craters of Mount Kilimanjaro and it means the mountain that cannot be climbed. Did you know Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain made of three craters, Mawenzi, Kibo, and Shira? And that it is actually not a typical mountain but years of volcanic ash piled on.
In just 3 hours of walking ie by 1 pm, we had reached Mawenzi but it was a steep climb today and I was surprisingly a bit tired.
pic credit: Justin Brown
The campsite was around a waterbody and after we reached there, ‘Jua’ was shining bright on us today and we had half a day to lounge around. I think it just uplifted our spirits.
It got us out of our tents and into squeals of laughter over card games like ‘Oh, hell!’ and ‘Dhumaal’ all games courtesy our EBC trek :). We even had people singing at the lunch table and no oxygen levels did not drop :).
Well, the sun does make you want to pose :). That’s Rupinder and Justin for you!!
I even managed to shoot this lovely mountain song to which I owe my knowledge of Swahili.
Jambo! Jambo bwana! Habari gani? Mzuri sana! Wageni, mwakaribishwa! Kilimanjaro? Hakuna matata!
Tembea pole pole. Hakuna matata! Utafika salama. Hakuna matata! Kunywa maji mengi. Hakuna matata!
Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro, mlima mrefu sana.
Which basically means, welcome guest you are here for Climbing Kilimanjaro, no problem. Just go slow and drink lots of water for Kili is a huge mountain.
Day 4 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Acclimatisation day at Mawenzi
I call these the bonus days in my mind. They break the monotony of the climb and give me a chance to breathe. Acclimatisation day does not mean a complete rest day though we did get to sleep in a little late as today we were to do a mock climbing exercise on scree. Think of scree as loose gravel and climbing on it needs concentration. The summit climb is full of scree so this was a good practice. We started hiking only at 10 am. Today, Sanjeev gave us our positions based on our speeds and made sure we kept in a line. This was a good thing I thought, so no one gets left behind or marches ahead.
Each day is a step closer to climbing Kilimanjaro
It’s pretty dusty so a breathable buff comes in very handy. At the top, Meera, Justin and I were shooting our Bollywood Slo-Mos in memory of our EBC times.
From the left. Sanjeev, Meera, Justin and Me.
It was fun as usual and our new teammates were either aghast or enjoying our craziness. Descending the scree was fun but I fell a few times and so did others. Jackie slipped 5-6 times and injured her back.
Once back, we had our card games on and the fun continued. I couldn’t find my Nalgene bottle and panicked. Babbu, the lead guide from Team Zara offered me his bottle which I was grateful for but finally, we found my bottle and didn’t need his. We packed for the summit night as we knew the next day there was going to be no time or respite.
Day 5 and 6- Kibo Huts and Final summit and descent to Horombo Huts- 4850 mtrs- to climbing 5895 mtrs to- descent to 3700 mtrs
I have put the days together as it was difficult for me to say when one ended and the other began. Day 5 we started our walk from Mawenzi to Kibo huts, this is an almost flat but a vast stretch and is known as the saddle, as it connects Mawenzi to Kibo.
pic credit: Justin Brown
This was the most boring stretch I have walked on this trek. While it was flat we were not to break the line and Kibo huts can be seen from a far distance but take forever to reach. Almost, like a mirage in the desert. When we finally reached there it was cold and at 4850 mtrs we were breathless.
We somehow managed to click pictures, eat our lunch and just retire into our tents till it was dinner time at 6 p.m. The idea was to conserve energy and rest as much as possible. We were asked to wear our entire gear and sleep after dinner as we would have to start climbing from 11.30.
We had an early dinner, followed by a debrief about our summit attempt starting at midnight. We set our alarms for 10.30 pm, we didn’t want to rush and up we were and raring to go. We were given some hot porridge before we started. Some of us missed the guides call and so we got a bit delayed and finally left at 12.15 pm.
I wasn’t tired or sleepy. In my mind, I had played this night many times. The one thing I hadn’t planned well was a good playlist, as you need to keep your mind occupied. We set off into the darkness under the starry skies in a line towards our goal. It was the biggest eclipse of the century and it had come right after a full moon night. Our world was a zone we created around ourselves. The light from our headlamp, gave us view only of the person in front and you followed their rhythm. We took short standing breaks every hour. We would have water, some chocolates, energy gels, and it was super tough to do this with gloves on. Our porter helped us with this and I didn’t complain or feel The climb was steep and the air kept thinning. I was gasping for breath. In contrast, our Tanzanian guides were in full swing, they kept singing in Swahili;
“Jambo…Jambo Sana..! Kilimanjaro? Hakuna Matata!
On our way up, we could see other groups as well. An Asian girl struggling her way up, with her guide literally holding her hand and leading her. ‘Keep your focus’, I had to keep reminding myself. Somewhere between the second and third stops, I started shivering through all my layers. It was just too cold and I remembered Sanjeev telling us that a lot of people give up because of the cold. I gathered all my strength and told Babbuu our guide that I was feeling cold. He immediately gave me his heavy-duty Parka which brought back life into my being. What happened afterward is a blur. I just remember reaching Gilman’s point just as the sun rose up the mountains in its full glory.
Sunset At Gilman’s Point. Pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
It was too cold for me to even want to take off my gloves. We were given a hot cup of ginger tea at the top and God, I was grateful for that!
All 16 of us made it!! pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
Meera was still coming up, so I waited for her and it is at this point, we got separated from the rest of the group, which decided to plod on. Jackie had been unwell for the last 2-3 days and how she managed until here was also commendable. She returned after Gilman’s point. Unlike, what we had expected the next 200 mtrs to Uhuru peak was not a gentle walk, unlike our briefing. While it’s not a steep climb anymore, you push beyond exhaustion, there are many sharp turns with deep We kept trodding on and somewhere between Stella point and Uhuru Peak, I realised a guide was walking along with me who kept nudging us to not give up. While I am not the kind to ever give up, it just was good for my morale.
The never ending walk to Uhuru Peak. Pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
Usually, you don’t see snow at the top in July but this year, there was plenty and we were prepared with our cleats to handle it. Snow slows you down further. By this time, I had forgotten hunger or thirst, there was just one goal to reach Uhuru Peak. I would walk ten steps and stop to breathe. After what seemed almost a decade I reached the Peak and was happy to see the rest of our team. I had made it and I knew I would be fine now.
pic credit: Justin Brown
Our group was ready to leave in five minutes but I wanted to wait for Meera who joined us soon enough. On my way, I saw a woman being rescued and a guy being given oxygen. The altitude here at 19000 plus feet is not a joke.
Godfrey, my guide kept insisting I keep moving so I started walking. A downward slope has always been my forte and the goal was already achieved. I walked through the ice really quickly. Somewhere between Stella and Gilman’s point, Meera started feeling dizzy and the first signs of AMS started showing. I was worried. Luckily we had two guides and a porter with us. Our group was nowhere in sight and I knew we had to get her down quickly. In the middle of giving instructions and quick action, somewhere I heard a familiar voice. It was Arun, he was behind us and had assessed the situation. He just overtook, giving porters clear but firm instructions which they apparently followed without a question. We sent a porter ahead to catch up with Sanjeev so that he could take care of the situation while we headed to Gillman’s point. Once we reached there, we realised that the group had already moved on. It is at this point that I got a bit dizzy too. I checked with Arun and he wasn’t feeling great either. We had spent too much time on the top and the altitude was playing havoc. We discussed one ill person with 3 porters was better than three ill people with three porters. Meera was still a bit behind, we shouted to her to let her know that we were going to descend fast and the porters were going to get her back to safety. I am not sure how much she heard. Arun led the way and after Gillman’s point, it was mostly scree. We screed down at some amazing speed and we saw our group on their way down.
We screed down at some amazing speed and we saw our group on their way down. While we shouted and informed Sanjeev about Meera’s condition, a mild snowstorm had started even before we could reach them and we had lost them again in the mist. Arun and I continued screeing down and many times, I felt we had lost our way.
“We have been walking down for so long, did we really climb this much? Are you sure we are on the right path”, I would keep asking him and he told me to keep the faith.
It is said by porters that had the climb been done in the daylight most people would give up midway.
We took a good 6 hours to climb down all the way from Uhuru. Meera reached almost at the same time as us. Descending fast had helped her and she was her chatty self again and I was relieved. The day had cleared up and once again ‘Jua’ was bestowing us with a smile.
This was not the end of the day though. Everyone had lunch and we had to leave Kibo huts immediately. It was another 4 hours of walk from Kibo Huts to Horombo Huts. The day that had started at 12.15 pm the previous night, ended at 8.15 pm in the night.
This was not the end of the day though. Everyone had lunch and we had to leave Kibo huts immediately. It was another 4 hours of walk from Kibo Huts to Horombo Huts. The day that had started at 12.15 pm the previous night, ended at 8.15 pm in the night.
Climbing Kilimanjaro is definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done after the 100 kms Oxfam walk. Unlike EBC, this was a summit and summits required a different level of push.
Day 7 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro: Marangu gate 1,860 mtrs
You would think now that the goal of climbing Kilimanjaro is done we will get to rest a bit but no, the last day was another 6 hours of walk to Marangu gate. Meera, Justin and I trodded on peacefully, chatting as the goal was done and now we were just walking to leave the National Park. With our feets already swollen and this being a downhill rocky path, we soon developed blisters which made the rest of the walk a little painful but the excitement and the endorphins kept us going.
pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
When you exit the park, you have to register with the authorities who will give you a certificate saying that you have sucessfully completed your trek.
Before leaving we had our troop of 45 guides, porters, and cooks singing for us. It was a lovely end to yet another adventure.
The post 7 Days And 6 Nights Of Climbing Kilimanjaro- Rongai Route appeared first on Maa of All Blogs.
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7 Days And 6 Nights Of Climbing Kilimanjaro- Rongai Route
Climbing Kilimanjaro. pic credit: Justin Brown
History is filled with stories which never got told, however, I promise you this one will not be it.
Ok, cut to the chase and drama, here is my story of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Mountains have always inspired me and after the EBC Trek (Everest Base camp) it was time for my new adventure and it was only Mount Kilimanjaro on my mind.
The usual suspects were taken into confidence, my teammates Meera and Justin from the last trek, my mom to babysit and hubby to agree to the plot. The planning started months in advance and soon it was time to set off to climbing Kilimanjaro.
Now for the story…
Climbing Kilimanjaro: Acclimatisation Day
I arrive at the Kilimanjaro airport
We arrived from different parts of the world to Springland hotel in Moshi. It was a 16 member team, including our team leader and guide, Sanjeev Ganju from White Magic Adventure Travel. Meera, Justin and I knew each other from our last EBC trek. There was a Singaporean gang and an Indian gang. There was Jackie, Chisa, Carrie, and Rupinder, then there was Ajai with his two kids Ahilya(22) and Ahan(16) and Arun from Singapore. From Dubai, we had a mother-son duo, Alka and Aashay and Dr. Sanjiv and Jayesh Choksi from India.
Basically, Moshi is at 1400 mtrs above sea level and we stayed at the Springland Hotel here for a day to acclimatise. We got to meet and mingle with our team followed by a briefing from our team leader. Our support staff from the local agency of Zara Tours, consisted of 45 Tanzanian individuals – porters, cooks, guides, etc. This time I had a personal porter as well because I had a shoulder injury(minor cartilage tear) and I didn’t want to carry any heavy loads. Whew! That was a lot of people!
Day 1 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Camp Simba final altitude 2600 mtrs
We were driven to Kilimanjaro National Park at 2340 mtrs from Springland hotel on a bus.
Ready to go!! pic credit: Carrie Chow
The ride is around 2.5 hours. One thing to observe is no one drives fast even if the road is empty. There are cops hiding everywhere.
It was an “easy day”, consisting of about 4 hrs of easy walking through a rainforest. We could have definitely walked faster but our team leader set the technique of walking ‘Pole Pole’ or slowly in a line, which was frustrating at this gradient but would help us when it gets tougher. Since you walk through the rainforest today, you hardly get to see any views today. We camped at Camp Simba that day which is at 2600 mtrs.
There was also an oxygen level check done every evening to check how our lungs were coping with the altitude. It was almost like getting marks after a school test and became a competition and betting point.
Day 2 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Camp Kikewaki final altitude 3600 mtrs
Meera and I were sharing a tent and after sharing a few adventures together we have become comfortable and have a system in place on how to share and pack and get ready. Honestly, having at least one friend on a trek is a huge comfort factor.
On Day 2 there was gradation as we were climbing a 1000 meters but it wasn’t tough. In fact, I found all other days apart from the summit night and day pretty average. After walking for four hours our porters created a makeshift camp on top of a hill and served us lunch. Talk about comfort and camping in the wild.
We walked through the Kilimanjaro national park with hardly any views. After a few hours of walk, we got the first glimpse of Kilimanjaro but very soon it went behind the clouds. I prayed to ‘Jua’ or the Sun God, every day to stay with us and it had been working. It took us another 3 hours to reach our campsite Kikewaki at 3600 mtrs.
pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
First view of Kilimanjaro
Unlike EBC where we did not climb more than 500 mtrs in a day, we were gaining altitude fast on this trek but as our oxygen rating showed we all were coping pretty well. It was already getting cold and I wondered what the summit will feel like.
Also, unlike EBC here after reaching our camp, we would change, eat dinner and just retire to our tents. It was just too cold to sit and chat or bond with teammates for long.
Day 3 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Camp Mawenzi -final altitude 4350m
The temperature was starting to dip – we had frost on our tent overnight.
Mawenzi is one of the craters of Mount Kilimanjaro and it means the mountain that cannot be climbed. Did you know Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain made of three craters, Mawenzi, Kibo, and Shira? And that it is actually not a typical mountain but years of volcanic ash piled on.
In just 3 hours of walking ie by 1 pm, we had reached Mawenzi but it was a steep climb today and I was surprisingly a bit tired.
pic credit: Justin Brown
The campsite was around a waterbody and after we reached there, ‘Jua’ was shining bright on us today and we had half a day to lounge around. I think it just uplifted our spirits.
It got us out of our tents and into squeals of laughter over card games like ‘Oh, hell!’ and ‘Dhumaal’ all games courtesy our EBC trek :). We even had people singing at the lunch table and no oxygen levels did not drop :).
Well, the sun does make you want to pose :). That’s Rupinder and Justin for you!!
I even managed to shoot this lovely mountain song to which I owe my knowledge of Swahili.
Jambo! Jambo bwana! Habari gani? Mzuri sana! Wageni, mwakaribishwa! Kilimanjaro? Hakuna matata!
Tembea pole pole. Hakuna matata! Utafika salama. Hakuna matata! Kunywa maji mengi. Hakuna matata!
Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro, mlima mrefu sana.
Which basically means, welcome guest you are here for Climbing Kilimanjaro, no problem. Just go slow and drink lots of water for Kili is a huge mountain.
Day 4 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Acclimatisation day at Mawenzi
I call these the bonus days in my mind. They break the monotony of the climb and give me a chance to breathe. Acclimatisation day does not mean a complete rest day though we did get to sleep in a little late as today we were to do a mock climbing exercise on scree. Think of scree as loose gravel and climbing on it needs concentration. The summit climb is full of scree so this was a good practice. We started hiking only at 10 am. Today, Sanjeev gave us our positions based on our speeds and made sure we kept in a line. This was a good thing I thought, so no one gets left behind or marches ahead.
Each day is a step closer to climbing Kilimanjaro
It’s pretty dusty so a breathable buff comes in very handy. At the top, Meera, Justin and I were shooting our Bollywood Slo-Mos in memory of our EBC times.
From the left. Sanjeev, Meera, Justin and Me.
It was fun as usual and our new teammates were either aghast or enjoying our craziness. Descending the scree was fun but I fell a few times and so did others. Jackie slipped 5-6 times and injured her back.
Once back, we had our card games on and the fun continued. I couldn’t find my Nalgene bottle and panicked. Babbu, the lead guide from Team Zara offered me his bottle which I was grateful for but finally, we found my bottle and didn’t need his. We packed for the summit night as we knew the next day there was going to be no time or respite.
Day 5 and 6- Kibo Huts and Final summit and descent to Horombo Huts- 4850 mtrs- to climbing 5895 mtrs to- descent to 3700 mtrs
I have put the days together as it was difficult for me to say when one ended and the other began. Day 5 we started our walk from Mawenzi to Kibo huts, this is an almost flat but a vast stretch and is known as the saddle, as it connects Mawenzi to Kibo.
pic credit: Justin Brown
This was the most boring stretch I have walked on this trek. While it was flat we were not to break the line and Kibo huts can be seen from a far distance but take forever to reach. Almost, like a mirage in the desert. When we finally reached there it was cold and at 4850 mtrs we were breathless.
We somehow managed to click pictures, eat our lunch and just retire into our tents till it was dinner time at 6 p.m. The idea was to conserve energy and rest as much as possible. We were asked to wear our entire gear and sleep after dinner as we would have to start climbing from 11.30.
We had an early dinner, followed by a debrief about our summit attempt starting at midnight. We set our alarms for 10.30 pm, we didn’t want to rush and up we were and raring to go. We were given some hot porridge before we started. Some of us missed the guides call and so we got a bit delayed and finally left at 12.15 pm.
I wasn’t tired or sleepy. In my mind, I had played this night many times. The one thing I hadn’t planned well was a good playlist, as you need to keep your mind occupied. We set off into the darkness under the starry skies in a line towards our goal. It was the biggest eclipse of the century and it had come right after a full moon night. Our world was a zone we created around ourselves. The light from our headlamp, gave us view only of the person in front and you followed their rhythm. We took short standing breaks every hour. We would have water, some chocolates, energy gels, and it was super tough to do this with gloves on. Our porter helped us with this and I didn’t complain or feel The climb was steep and the air kept thinning. I was gasping for breath. In contrast, our Tanzanian guides were in full swing, they kept singing in Swahili;
“Jambo…Jambo Sana..! Kilimanjaro? Hakuna Matata!
On our way up, we could see other groups as well. An Asian girl struggling her way up, with her guide literally holding her hand and leading her. ‘Keep your focus’, I had to keep reminding myself. Somewhere between the second and third stops, I started shivering through all my layers. It was just too cold and I remembered Sanjeev telling us that a lot of people give up because of the cold. I gathered all my strength and told Babbuu our guide that I was feeling cold. He immediately gave me his heavy-duty Parka which brought back life into my being. What happened afterward is a blur. I just remember reaching Gilman’s point just as the sun rose up the mountains in its full glory.
Sunset At Gilman’s Point. Pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
It was too cold for me to even want to take off my gloves. We were given a hot cup of ginger tea at the top and God, I was grateful for that!
All 16 of us made it!! pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
Meera was still coming up, so I waited for her and it is at this point, we got separated from the rest of the group, which decided to plod on. Jackie had been unwell for the last 2-3 days and how she managed until here was also commendable. She returned after Gilman’s point. Unlike, what we had expected the next 200 mtrs to Uhuru peak was not a gentle walk, unlike our briefing. While it’s not a steep climb anymore, you push beyond exhaustion, there are many sharp turns with deep We kept trodding on and somewhere between Stella point and Uhuru Peak, I realised a guide was walking along with me who kept nudging us to not give up. While I am not the kind to ever give up, it just was good for my morale.
The never ending walk to Uhuru Peak. Pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
Usually, you don’t see snow at the top in July but this year, there was plenty and we were prepared with our cleats to handle it. Snow slows you down further. By this time, I had forgotten hunger or thirst, there was just one goal to reach Uhuru Peak. I would walk ten steps and stop to breathe. After what seemed almost a decade I reached the Peak and was happy to see the rest of our team. I had made it and I knew I would be fine now.
pic credit: Justin Brown
Our group was ready to leave in five minutes but I wanted to wait for Meera who joined us soon enough. On my way, I saw a woman being rescued and a guy being given oxygen. The altitude here at 19000 plus feet is not a joke.
Godfrey, my guide kept insisting I keep moving so I started walking. A downward slope has always been my forte and the goal was already achieved. I walked through the ice really quickly. Somewhere between Stella and Gilman’s point, Meera started feeling dizzy and the first signs of AMS started showing. I was worried. Luckily we had two guides and a porter with us. Our group was nowhere in sight and I knew we had to get her down quickly. In the middle of giving instructions and quick action, somewhere I heard a familiar voice. It was Arun, he was behind us and had assessed the situation. He just overtook, giving porters clear but firm instructions which they apparently followed without a question. We sent a porter ahead to catch up with Sanjeev so that he could take care of the situation while we headed to Gillman’s point. Once we reached there, we realised that the group had already moved on. It is at this point that I got a bit dizzy too. I checked with Arun and he wasn’t feeling great either. We had spent too much time on the top and the altitude was playing havoc. We discussed one ill person with 3 porters was better than three ill people with three porters. Meera was still a bit behind, we shouted to her to let her know that we were going to descend fast and the porters were going to get her back to safety. I am not sure how much she heard. Arun led the way and after Gillman’s point, it was mostly scree. We screed down at some amazing speed and we saw our group on their way down.
We screed down at some amazing speed and we saw our group on their way down. While we shouted and informed Sanjeev about Meera’s condition, a mild snowstorm had started even before we could reach them and we had lost them again in the mist. Arun and I continued screeing down and many times, I felt we had lost our way.
“We have been walking down for so long, did we really climb this much? Are you sure we are on the right path”, I would keep asking him and he told me to keep the faith.
It is said by porters that had the climb been done in the daylight most people would give up midway.
We took a good 6 hours to climb down all the way from Uhuru. Meera reached almost at the same time as us. Descending fast had helped her and she was her chatty self again and I was relieved. The day had cleared up and once again ‘Jua’ was bestowing us with a smile.
This was not the end of the day though. Everyone had lunch and we had to leave Kibo huts immediately. It was another 4 hours of walk from Kibo Huts to Horombo Huts. The day that had started at 12.15 pm the previous night, ended at 8.15 pm in the night.
This was not the end of the day though. Everyone had lunch and we had to leave Kibo huts immediately. It was another 4 hours of walk from Kibo Huts to Horombo Huts. The day that had started at 12.15 pm the previous night, ended at 8.15 pm in the night.
Climbing Kilimanjaro is definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done after the 100 kms Oxfam walk. Unlike EBC, this was a summit and summits required a different level of push.
Day 7 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro: Marangu gate 1,860 mtrs
You would think now that the goal of climbing Kilimanjaro is done we will get to rest a bit but no, the last day was another 6 hours of walk to Marangu gate. Meera, Justin and I trodded on peacefully, chatting as the goal was done and now we were just walking to leave the National Park. With our feets already swollen and this being a downhill rocky path, we soon developed blisters which made the rest of the walk a little painful but the excitement and the endorphins kept us going.
pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
When you exit the park, you have to register with the authorities who will give you a certificate saying that you have sucessfully completed your trek.
Before leaving we had our troop of 45 guides, porters, and cooks singing for us. It was a lovely end to yet another adventure.
The post 7 Days And 6 Nights Of Climbing Kilimanjaro- Rongai Route appeared first on Maa of All Blogs.
7 Days And 6 Nights Of Climbing Kilimanjaro- Rongai Route published first on https://bestbabyinc.tumblr.com
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7 Days And 6 Nights Of Climbing Kilimanjaro- Rongai Route
Climbing Kilimanjaro. pic credit: Justin Brown
History is filled with stories which never got told, however, I promise you this one will not be it.
Ok, cut to the chase and drama, here is my story of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Mountains have always inspired me and after the EBC Trek (Everest Base camp) it was time for my new adventure and it was only Mount Kilimanjaro on my mind.
The usual suspects were taken into confidence, my teammates Meera and Justin from the last trek, my mom to babysit and hubby to agree to the plot. The planning started months in advance and soon it was time to set off to climbing Kilimanjaro.
Now for the story…
Climbing Kilimanjaro: Acclimatisation Day
I arrive at the Kilimanjaro airport
We arrived from different parts of the world to Springland hotel in Moshi. It was a 16 member team, including our team leader and guide, Sanjeev Ganju from White Magic Adventure Travel. Meera, Justin and I knew each other from our last EBC trek. There was a Singaporean gang and an Indian gang. There was Jackie, Chisa, Carrie, and Rupinder, then there was Ajai with his two kids Ahilya(22) and Ahan(16) and Arun from Singapore. From Dubai, we had a mother-son duo, Alka and Aashay and Dr. Sanjiv and Jayesh Choksi from India.
Basically, Moshi is at 1400 mtrs above sea level and we stayed at the Springland Hotel here for a day to acclimatise. We got to meet and mingle with our team followed by a briefing from our team leader. Our support staff from the local agency of Zara Tours, consisted of 45 Tanzanian individuals – porters, cooks, guides, etc. This time I had a personal porter as well because I had a shoulder injury(minor cartilage tear) and I didn’t want to carry any heavy loads. Whew! That was a lot of people!
Day 1 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Camp Simba final altitude 2600 mtrs
We were driven to Kilimanjaro National Park at 2340 mtrs from Springland hotel on a bus.
Ready to go!! pic credit: Carrie Chow
The ride is around 2.5 hours. One thing to observe is no one drives fast even if the road is empty. There are cops hiding everywhere.
It was an “easy day”, consisting of about 4 hrs of easy walking through a rainforest. We could have definitely walked faster but our team leader set the technique of walking ‘Pole Pole’ or slowly in a line, which was frustrating at this gradient but would help us when it gets tougher. Since you walk through the rainforest today, you hardly get to see any views today. We camped at Camp Simba that day which is at 2600 mtrs.
There was also an oxygen level check done every evening to check how our lungs were coping with the altitude. It was almost like getting marks after a school test and became a competition and betting point.
Day 2 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Camp Kikewaki final altitude 3600 mtrs
Meera and I were sharing a tent and after sharing a few adventures together we have become comfortable and have a system in place on how to share and pack and get ready. Honestly, having at least one friend on a trek is a huge comfort factor.
On Day 2 there was gradation as we were climbing a 1000 meters but it wasn’t tough. In fact, I found all other days apart from the summit night and day pretty average. After walking for four hours our porters created a makeshift camp on top of a hill and served us lunch. Talk about comfort and camping in the wild.
We walked through the Kilimanjaro national park with hardly any views. After a few hours of walk, we got the first glimpse of Kilimanjaro but very soon it went behind the clouds. I prayed to ‘Jua’ or the Sun God, every day to stay with us and it had been working. It took us another 3 hours to reach our campsite Kikewaki at 3600 mtrs.
pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
First view of Kilimanjaro
Unlike EBC where we did not climb more than 500 mtrs in a day, we were gaining altitude fast on this trek but as our oxygen rating showed we all were coping pretty well. It was already getting cold and I wondered what the summit will feel like.
Also, unlike EBC here after reaching our camp, we would change, eat dinner and just retire to our tents. It was just too cold to sit and chat or bond with teammates for long.
Day 3 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Camp Mawenzi -final altitude 4350m
The temperature was starting to dip – we had frost on our tent overnight.
Mawenzi is one of the craters of Mount Kilimanjaro and it means the mountain that cannot be climbed. Did you know Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain made of three craters, Mawenzi, Kibo, and Shira? And that it is actually not a typical mountain but years of volcanic ash piled on.
In just 3 hours of walking ie by 1 pm, we had reached Mawenzi but it was a steep climb today and I was surprisingly a bit tired.
pic credit: Justin Brown
The campsite was around a waterbody and after we reached there, ‘Jua’ was shining bright on us today and we had half a day to lounge around. I think it just uplifted our spirits.
It got us out of our tents and into squeals of laughter over card games like ‘Oh, hell!’ and ‘Dhumaal’ all games courtesy our EBC trek :). We even had people singing at the lunch table and no oxygen levels did not drop :).
Well, the sun does make you want to pose :). That’s Rupinder and Justin for you!!
I even managed to shoot this lovely mountain song to which I owe my knowledge of Swahili.
Jambo! Jambo bwana! Habari gani? Mzuri sana! Wageni, mwakaribishwa! Kilimanjaro? Hakuna matata!
Tembea pole pole. Hakuna matata! Utafika salama. Hakuna matata! Kunywa maji mengi. Hakuna matata!
Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro, mlima mrefu sana.
Which basically means, welcome guest you are here for Climbing Kilimanjaro, no problem. Just go slow and drink lots of water for Kili is a huge mountain.
Day 4 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Acclimatisation day at Mawenzi
I call these the bonus days in my mind. They break the monotony of the climb and give me a chance to breathe. Acclimatisation day does not mean a complete rest day though we did get to sleep in a little late as today we were to do a mock climbing exercise on scree. Think of scree as loose gravel and climbing on it needs concentration. The summit climb is full of scree so this was a good practice. We started hiking only at 10 am. Today, Sanjeev gave us our positions based on our speeds and made sure we kept in a line. This was a good thing I thought, so no one gets left behind or marches ahead.
Each day is a step closer to climbing Kilimanjaro
It’s pretty dusty so a breathable buff comes in very handy. At the top, Meera, Justin and I were shooting our Bollywood Slo-Mos in memory of our EBC times.
From the left. Sanjeev, Meera, Justin and Me.
It was fun as usual and our new teammates were either aghast or enjoying our craziness. Descending the scree was fun but I fell a few times and so did others. Jackie slipped 5-6 times and injured her back.
Once back, we had our card games on and the fun continued. I couldn’t find my Nalgene bottle and panicked. Babbu, the lead guide from Team Zara offered me his bottle which I was grateful for but finally, we found my bottle and didn’t need his. We packed for the summit night as we knew the next day there was going to be no time or respite.
Day 5 and 6- Kibo Huts and Final summit and descent to Horombo Huts- 4850 mtrs- to climbing 5895 mtrs to- descent to 3700 mtrs
I have put the days together as it was difficult for me to say when one ended and the other began. Day 5 we started our walk from Mawenzi to Kibo huts, this is an almost flat but a vast stretch and is known as the saddle, as it connects Mawenzi to Kibo.
pic credit: Justin Brown
This was the most boring stretch I have walked on this trek. While it was flat we were not to break the line and Kibo huts can be seen from a far distance but take forever to reach. Almost, like a mirage in the desert. When we finally reached there it was cold and at 4850 mtrs we were breathless.
We somehow managed to click pictures, eat our lunch and just retire into our tents till it was dinner time at 6 p.m. The idea was to conserve energy and rest as much as possible. We were asked to wear our entire gear and sleep after dinner as we would have to start climbing from 11.30.
We had an early dinner, followed by a debrief about our summit attempt starting at midnight. We set our alarms for 10.30 pm, we didn’t want to rush and up we were and raring to go. We were given some hot porridge before we started. Some of us missed the guides call and so we got a bit delayed and finally left at 12.15 pm.
I wasn’t tired or sleepy. In my mind, I had played this night many times. The one thing I hadn’t planned well was a good playlist, as you need to keep your mind occupied. We set off into the darkness under the starry skies in a line towards our goal. It was the biggest eclipse of the century and it had come right after a full moon night. Our world was a zone we created around ourselves. The light from our headlamp, gave us view only of the person in front and you followed their rhythm. We took short standing breaks every hour. We would have water, some chocolates, energy gels, and it was super tough to do this with gloves on. Our porter helped us with this and I didn’t complain or feel The climb was steep and the air kept thinning. I was gasping for breath. In contrast, our Tanzanian guides were in full swing, they kept singing in Swahili;
“Jambo…Jambo Sana..! Kilimanjaro? Hakuna Matata!
On our way up, we could see other groups as well. An Asian girl struggling her way up, with her guide literally holding her hand and leading her. ‘Keep your focus’, I had to keep reminding myself. Somewhere between the second and third stops, I started shivering through all my layers. It was just too cold and I remembered Sanjeev telling us that a lot of people give up because of the cold. I gathered all my strength and told Babbuu our guide that I was feeling cold. He immediately gave me his heavy-duty Parka which brought back life into my being. What happened afterward is a blur. I just remember reaching Gilman’s point just as the sun rose up the mountains in its full glory.
Sunset At Gilman’s Point. Pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
It was too cold for me to even want to take off my gloves. We were given a hot cup of ginger tea at the top and God, I was grateful for that!
All 16 of us made it!! pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
Meera was still coming up, so I waited for her and it is at this point, we got separated from the rest of the group, which decided to plod on. Jackie had been unwell for the last 2-3 days and how she managed until here was also commendable. She returned after Gilman’s point. Unlike, what we had expected the next 200 mtrs to Uhuru peak was not a gentle walk, unlike our briefing. While it’s not a steep climb anymore, you push beyond exhaustion, there are many sharp turns with deep We kept trodding on and somewhere between Stella point and Uhuru Peak, I realised a guide was walking along with me who kept nudging us to not give up. While I am not the kind to ever give up, it just was good for my morale.
The never ending walk to Uhuru Peak. Pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
Usually, you don’t see snow at the top in July but this year, there was plenty and we were prepared with our cleats to handle it. Snow slows you down further. By this time, I had forgotten hunger or thirst, there was just one goal to reach Uhuru Peak. I would walk ten steps and stop to breathe. After what seemed almost a decade I reached the Peak and was happy to see the rest of our team. I had made it and I knew I would be fine now.
pic credit: Justin Brown
Our group was ready to leave in five minutes but I wanted to wait for Meera who joined us soon enough. On my way, I saw a woman being rescued and a guy being given oxygen. The altitude here at 19000 plus feet is not a joke.
Godfrey, my guide kept insisting I keep moving so I started walking. A downward slope has always been my forte and the goal was already achieved. I walked through the ice really quickly. Somewhere between Stella and Gilman’s point, Meera started feeling dizzy and the first signs of AMS started showing. I was worried. Luckily we had two guides and a porter with us. Our group was nowhere in sight and I knew we had to get her down quickly. In the middle of giving instructions and quick action, somewhere I heard a familiar voice. It was Arun, he was behind us and had assessed the situation. He just overtook, giving porters clear but firm instructions which they apparently followed without a question. We sent a porter ahead to catch up with Sanjeev so that he could take care of the situation while we headed to Gillman’s point. Once we reached there, we realised that the group had already moved on. It is at this point that I got a bit dizzy too. I checked with Arun and he wasn’t feeling great either. We had spent too much time on the top and the altitude was playing havoc. We discussed one ill person with 3 porters was better than three ill people with three porters. Meera was still a bit behind, we shouted to her to let her know that we were going to descend fast and the porters were going to get her back to safety. I am not sure how much she heard. Arun led the way and after Gillman’s point, it was mostly scree. We screed down at some amazing speed and we saw our group on their way down.
We screed down at some amazing speed and we saw our group on their way down. While we shouted and informed Sanjeev about Meera’s condition, a mild snowstorm had started even before we could reach them and we had lost them again in the mist. Arun and I continued screeing down and many times, I felt we had lost our way.
“We have been walking down for so long, did we really climb this much? Are you sure we are on the right path”, I would keep asking him and he told me to keep the faith.
It is said by porters that had the climb been done in the daylight most people would give up midway.
We took a good 6 hours to climb down all the way from Uhuru. Meera reached almost at the same time as us. Descending fast had helped her and she was her chatty self again and I was relieved. The day had cleared up and once again ‘Jua’ was bestowing us with a smile.
This was not the end of the day though. Everyone had lunch and we had to leave Kibo huts immediately. It was another 4 hours of walk from Kibo Huts to Horombo Huts. The day that had started at 12.15 pm the previous night, ended at 8.15 pm in the night.
This was not the end of the day though. Everyone had lunch and we had to leave Kibo huts immediately. It was another 4 hours of walk from Kibo Huts to Horombo Huts. The day that had started at 12.15 pm the previous night, ended at 8.15 pm in the night.
Climbing Kilimanjaro is definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done after the 100 kms Oxfam walk. Unlike EBC, this was a summit and summits required a different level of push.
Day 7 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro: Marangu gate 1,860 mtrs
You would think now that the goal of climbing Kilimanjaro is done we will get to rest a bit but no, the last day was another 6 hours of walk to Marangu gate. Meera, Justin and I trodded on peacefully, chatting as the goal was done and now we were just walking to leave the National Park. With our feets already swollen and this being a downhill rocky path, we soon developed blisters which made the rest of the walk a little painful but the excitement and the endorphins kept us going.
pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
When you exit the park, you have to register with the authorities who will give you a certificate saying that you have sucessfully completed your trek.
Before leaving we had our troop of 45 guides, porters, and cooks singing for us. It was a lovely end to yet another adventure.
The post 7 Days And 6 Nights Of Climbing Kilimanjaro- Rongai Route appeared first on Maa of All Blogs.
7 Days And 6 Nights Of Climbing Kilimanjaro- Rongai Route published first on https://parentcenternetwork.tumblr.com/
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7 Days And 6 Nights Of Climbing Kilimanjaro- Rongai Route
Climbing Kilimanjaro. pic credit: Justin Brown
History is filled with stories which never got told, however, I promise you this one will not be it.
Ok, cut to the chase and drama, here is my story of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Mountains have always inspired me and after the EBC Trek (Everest Base camp) it was time for my new adventure and it was only Mount Kilimanjaro on my mind.
The usual suspects were taken into confidence, my teammates Meera and Justin from the last trek, my mom to babysit and hubby to agree to the plot. The planning started months in advance and soon it was time to set off to climbing Kilimanjaro.
Now for the story…
Climbing Kilimanjaro: Acclimatisation Day
I arrive at the Kilimanjaro airport
We arrived from different parts of the world to Springland hotel in Moshi. It was a 16 member team, including our team leader and guide, Sanjeev Ganju from White Magic Adventure Travel. Meera, Justin and I knew each other from our last EBC trek. There was a Singaporean gang and an Indian gang. There was Jackie, Chisa, Carrie, and Rupinder, then there was Ajai with his two kids Ahilya(22) and Ahan(16) and Arun from Singapore. From Dubai, we had a mother-son duo, Alka and Aashay and Dr. Sanjiv and Jayesh Choksi from India.
Basically, Moshi is at 1400 mtrs above sea level and we stayed at the Springland Hotel here for a day to acclimatise. We got to meet and mingle with our team followed by a briefing from our team leader. Our support staff from the local agency of Zara Tours, consisted of 45 Tanzanian individuals – porters, cooks, guides, etc. This time I had a personal porter as well because I had a shoulder injury(minor cartilage tear) and I didn’t want to carry any heavy loads. Whew! That was a lot of people!
Day 1 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Camp Simba final altitude 2600 mtrs
We were driven to Kilimanjaro National Park at 2340 mtrs from Springland hotel on a bus.
Ready to go!! pic credit: Carrie Chow
The ride is around 2.5 hours. One thing to observe is no one drives fast even if the road is empty. There are cops hiding everywhere.
It was an “easy day”, consisting of about 4 hrs of easy walking through a rainforest. We could have definitely walked faster but our team leader set the technique of walking ‘Pole Pole’ or slowly in a line, which was frustrating at this gradient but would help us when it gets tougher. Since you walk through the rainforest today, you hardly get to see any views today. We camped at Camp Simba that day which is at 2600 mtrs.
There was also an oxygen level check done every evening to check how our lungs were coping with the altitude. It was almost like getting marks after a school test and became a competition and betting point.
Day 2 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Camp Kikewaki final altitude 3600 mtrs
Meera and I were sharing a tent and after sharing a few adventures together we have become comfortable and have a system in place on how to share and pack and get ready. Honestly, having at least one friend on a trek is a huge comfort factor.
On Day 2 there was gradation as we were climbing a 1000 meters but it wasn’t tough. In fact, I found all other days apart from the summit night and day pretty average. After walking for four hours our porters created a makeshift camp on top of a hill and served us lunch. Talk about comfort and camping in the wild.
We walked through the Kilimanjaro national park with hardly any views. After a few hours of walk, we got the first glimpse of Kilimanjaro but very soon it went behind the clouds. I prayed to ‘Jua’ or the Sun God, every day to stay with us and it had been working. It took us another 3 hours to reach our campsite Kikewaki at 3600 mtrs.
pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
First view of Kilimanjaro
Unlike EBC where we did not climb more than 500 mtrs in a day, we were gaining altitude fast on this trek but as our oxygen rating showed we all were coping pretty well. It was already getting cold and I wondered what the summit will feel like.
Also, unlike EBC here after reaching our camp, we would change, eat dinner and just retire to our tents. It was just too cold to sit and chat or bond with teammates for long.
Day 3 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Camp Mawenzi -final altitude 4350m
The temperature was starting to dip – we had frost on our tent overnight.
Mawenzi is one of the craters of Mount Kilimanjaro and it means the mountain that cannot be climbed. Did you know Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain made of three craters, Mawenzi, Kibo, and Shira? And that it is actually not a typical mountain but years of volcanic ash piled on.
In just 3 hours of walking ie by 1 pm, we had reached Mawenzi but it was a steep climb today and I was surprisingly a bit tired.
pic credit: Justin Brown
The campsite was around a waterbody and after we reached there, ‘Jua’ was shining bright on us today and we had half a day to lounge around. I think it just uplifted our spirits.
It got us out of our tents and into squeals of laughter over card games like ‘Oh, hell!’ and ‘Dhumaal’ all games courtesy our EBC trek :). We even had people singing at the lunch table and no oxygen levels did not drop :).
Well, the sun does make you want to pose :). That’s Rupinder and Justin for you!!
I even managed to shoot this lovely mountain song to which I owe my knowledge of Swahili.
Jambo! Jambo bwana! Habari gani? Mzuri sana! Wageni, mwakaribishwa! Kilimanjaro? Hakuna matata!
Tembea pole pole. Hakuna matata! Utafika salama. Hakuna matata! Kunywa maji mengi. Hakuna matata!
Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro, mlima mrefu sana.
Which basically means, welcome guest you are here for Climbing Kilimanjaro, no problem. Just go slow and drink lots of water for Kili is a huge mountain.
Day 4 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro– Acclimatisation day at Mawenzi
I call these the bonus days in my mind. They break the monotony of the climb and give me a chance to breathe. Acclimatisation day does not mean a complete rest day though we did get to sleep in a little late as today we were to do a mock climbing exercise on scree. Think of scree as loose gravel and climbing on it needs concentration. The summit climb is full of scree so this was a good practice. We started hiking only at 10 am. Today, Sanjeev gave us our positions based on our speeds and made sure we kept in a line. This was a good thing I thought, so no one gets left behind or marches ahead.
Each day is a step closer to climbing Kilimanjaro
It’s pretty dusty so a breathable buff comes in very handy. At the top, Meera, Justin and I were shooting our Bollywood Slo-Mos in memory of our EBC times.
From the left. Sanjeev, Meera, Justin and Me.
It was fun as usual and our new teammates were either aghast or enjoying our craziness. Descending the scree was fun but I fell a few times and so did others. Jackie slipped 5-6 times and injured her back.
Once back, we had our card games on and the fun continued. I couldn’t find my Nalgene bottle and panicked. Babbu, the lead guide from Team Zara offered me his bottle which I was grateful for but finally, we found my bottle and didn’t need his. We packed for the summit night as we knew the next day there was going to be no time or respite.
Day 5 and 6- Kibo Huts and Final summit and descent to Horombo Huts- 4850 mtrs- to climbing 5895 mtrs to- descent to 3700 mtrs
I have put the days together as it was difficult for me to say when one ended and the other began. Day 5 we started our walk from Mawenzi to Kibo huts, this is an almost flat but a vast stretch and is known as the saddle, as it connects Mawenzi to Kibo.
pic credit: Justin Brown
This was the most boring stretch I have walked on this trek. While it was flat we were not to break the line and Kibo huts can be seen from a far distance but take forever to reach. Almost, like a mirage in the desert. When we finally reached there it was cold and at 4850 mtrs we were breathless.
We somehow managed to click pictures, eat our lunch and just retire into our tents till it was dinner time at 6 p.m. The idea was to conserve energy and rest as much as possible. We were asked to wear our entire gear and sleep after dinner as we would have to start climbing from 11.30.
We had an early dinner, followed by a debrief about our summit attempt starting at midnight. We set our alarms for 10.30 pm, we didn’t want to rush and up we were and raring to go. We were given some hot porridge before we started. Some of us missed the guides call and so we got a bit delayed and finally left at 12.15 pm.
I wasn’t tired or sleepy. In my mind, I had played this night many times. The one thing I hadn’t planned well was a good playlist, as you need to keep your mind occupied. We set off into the darkness under the starry skies in a line towards our goal. It was the biggest eclipse of the century and it had come right after a full moon night. Our world was a zone we created around ourselves. The light from our headlamp, gave us view only of the person in front and you followed their rhythm. We took short standing breaks every hour. We would have water, some chocolates, energy gels, and it was super tough to do this with gloves on. Our porter helped us with this and I didn’t complain or feel The climb was steep and the air kept thinning. I was gasping for breath. In contrast, our Tanzanian guides were in full swing, they kept singing in Swahili;
“Jambo…Jambo Sana..! Kilimanjaro? Hakuna Matata!
On our way up, we could see other groups as well. An Asian girl struggling her way up, with her guide literally holding her hand and leading her. ‘Keep your focus’, I had to keep reminding myself. Somewhere between the second and third stops, I started shivering through all my layers. It was just too cold and I remembered Sanjeev telling us that a lot of people give up because of the cold. I gathered all my strength and told Babbuu our guide that I was feeling cold. He immediately gave me his heavy-duty Parka which brought back life into my being. What happened afterward is a blur. I just remember reaching Gilman’s point just as the sun rose up the mountains in its full glory.
Sunset At Gilman’s Point. Pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
It was too cold for me to even want to take off my gloves. We were given a hot cup of ginger tea at the top and God, I was grateful for that!
All 16 of us made it!! pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
Meera was still coming up, so I waited for her and it is at this point, we got separated from the rest of the group, which decided to plod on. Jackie had been unwell for the last 2-3 days and how she managed until here was also commendable. She returned after Gilman’s point. Unlike, what we had expected the next 200 mtrs to Uhuru peak was not a gentle walk, unlike our briefing. While it’s not a steep climb anymore, you push beyond exhaustion, there are many sharp turns with deep We kept trodding on and somewhere between Stella point and Uhuru Peak, I realised a guide was walking along with me who kept nudging us to not give up. While I am not the kind to ever give up, it just was good for my morale.
The never ending walk to Uhuru Peak. Pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
Usually, you don’t see snow at the top in July but this year, there was plenty and we were prepared with our cleats to handle it. Snow slows you down further. By this time, I had forgotten hunger or thirst, there was just one goal to reach Uhuru Peak. I would walk ten steps and stop to breathe. After what seemed almost a decade I reached the Peak and was happy to see the rest of our team. I had made it and I knew I would be fine now.
pic credit: Justin Brown
Our group was ready to leave in five minutes but I wanted to wait for Meera who joined us soon enough. On my way, I saw a woman being rescued and a guy being given oxygen. The altitude here at 19000 plus feet is not a joke.
Godfrey, my guide kept insisting I keep moving so I started walking. A downward slope has always been my forte and the goal was already achieved. I walked through the ice really quickly. Somewhere between Stella and Gilman’s point, Meera started feeling dizzy and the first signs of AMS started showing. I was worried. Luckily we had two guides and a porter with us. Our group was nowhere in sight and I knew we had to get her down quickly. In the middle of giving instructions and quick action, somewhere I heard a familiar voice. It was Arun, he was behind us and had assessed the situation. He just overtook, giving porters clear but firm instructions which they apparently followed without a question. We sent a porter ahead to catch up with Sanjeev so that he could take care of the situation while we headed to Gillman’s point. Once we reached there, we realised that the group had already moved on. It is at this point that I got a bit dizzy too. I checked with Arun and he wasn’t feeling great either. We had spent too much time on the top and the altitude was playing havoc. We discussed one ill person with 3 porters was better than three ill people with three porters. Meera was still a bit behind, we shouted to her to let her know that we were going to descend fast and the porters were going to get her back to safety. I am not sure how much she heard. Arun led the way and after Gillman’s point, it was mostly scree. We screed down at some amazing speed and we saw our group on their way down.
We screed down at some amazing speed and we saw our group on their way down. While we shouted and informed Sanjeev about Meera’s condition, a mild snowstorm had started even before we could reach them and we had lost them again in the mist. Arun and I continued screeing down and many times, I felt we had lost our way.
“We have been walking down for so long, did we really climb this much? Are you sure we are on the right path”, I would keep asking him and he told me to keep the faith.
It is said by porters that had the climb been done in the daylight most people would give up midway.
We took a good 6 hours to climb down all the way from Uhuru. Meera reached almost at the same time as us. Descending fast had helped her and she was her chatty self again and I was relieved. The day had cleared up and once again ‘Jua’ was bestowing us with a smile.
This was not the end of the day though. Everyone had lunch and we had to leave Kibo huts immediately. It was another 4 hours of walk from Kibo Huts to Horombo Huts. The day that had started at 12.15 pm the previous night, ended at 8.15 pm in the night.
This was not the end of the day though. Everyone had lunch and we had to leave Kibo huts immediately. It was another 4 hours of walk from Kibo Huts to Horombo Huts. The day that had started at 12.15 pm the previous night, ended at 8.15 pm in the night.
Climbing Kilimanjaro is definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done after the 100 kms Oxfam walk. Unlike EBC, this was a summit and summits required a different level of push.
Day 7 Of Climbing Kilimanjaro: Marangu gate 1,860 mtrs
You would think now that the goal of climbing Kilimanjaro is done we will get to rest a bit but no, the last day was another 6 hours of walk to Marangu gate. Meera, Justin and I trodded on peacefully, chatting as the goal was done and now we were just walking to leave the National Park. With our feets already swollen and this being a downhill rocky path, we soon developed blisters which made the rest of the walk a little painful but the excitement and the endorphins kept us going.
pic credit: White Magic Travel Adventures
When you exit the park, you have to register with the authorities who will give you a certificate saying that you have sucessfully completed your trek.
Before leaving we had our troop of 45 guides, porters, and cooks singing for us. It was a lovely end to yet another adventure.
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