Kilimanjaro - to Uhuru and back (day 6)

We get up and put on at least two base layers, winter/ski pants, soft shell and winter/ski jackets. I push myself to eat two bowls of porridge, although I feel sick from it. Stan feels worse that yesterday and doesn't want to eat any porridge. We start walking little after 2 o'clock and we can see some groups of lights up on the hill. The serious slope starts right away from the camp and almost without exception will make our life harder in the next vertical 1,300 m/4,300 ft. It gets harder for Stan and Chewa takes his dayback. The path winds around rocks and scree.

After an hour or two we meet the first group that has given up. We can't laugh at them not making it, because we know very well what they have been up to and a part of us wants to turn away to the camp as well. I feel for them and tell myself that I am going to get to the top for them as well. After some time we meet another group of one that are going back untimely. Stan's state doesn't improve and he frequently needs rests, he feels dizzy, but continues.

The sky is starting to lighten up behind Mawenzi and every time we walk to the right we manage to feast our eyes on the unbelievable colors of the sky. We won't make it on time to see the sunrise on Stella point at about 5,700 m/18,700 ft, but it doesn't matter. I look upwards from time to time and the crater's edge doesn't come any closer, as if somebody stacks more and more rocks on top. If you hurry little bit the mountain takes away from you the little oxygen that it has given you, it is very impatient with the impatient ones.

Mawenzi and the sunrise

Kilimanjaro - Barafu camp (day 5)

Probably this is the first night that we all manage to get a good sleep. The headaches are gone. The camp is rather windy and there is no frost on the ground, no condensation in the tent. We go for a walk around the camp before having the usual breakfast.

Down

Kilimanjaro - Barranco camp (day 4)

This morning is no different than the previous, that's why you know what awakens me and where I go first. Outside everything is again covered in frost, the clouds are beneath us and only Mt. Meru stands out.

Morning panorama

Kilimanjaro - Shira 2 camp (day 3)

I don't know what the time is, but my digestive system as every morning takes me out of the sleeping bag. Outside everything is covered in frost – the tent, the vegetation, even the dust. I go into the most leaning toilet and while I pull my pants down I wonder if the shitty tower of Shira will fall down, while I am inside. I go out victoriously with my hands up in the air, I hum the Rocky theme song, I turn around me and go to receive the applauds of the just awaken sleeping beauty-machines.

All is frosty

Kilimanjaro - Shira 1 camp (day 2)

In the morning, while I fight with the need of my bladder to get emptied and my unwillingness to go out of the cozy sleeping bag, I hear three laser-like sounds from the near tent and later Sasho claims the fame. The first night in my life in a tent and a sleeping bag is successful and most probably I will repeat it this night (do I have a choice).

The beautiful flora

Kilimanjaro - to Big Tree Camp (day 1)

A lot of time has passed since my last post, which is partly due to the fact that I was far from civilization for some time and partly because I was being lazy to write afterwards. So, the next 4-5 months should be devoted to the extraordinary adventure in Africa, which I experienced in the end of 2013. Now I'm gonna stop writing endless introductions, because somebody has to translate them in English afterwards (as I write them first in my native language), which is not my favorite part of my blog writing experience. Also, I will try to make the posts less texty due to the same reason. However, the travel photo book that I make after every major trip of mine will be very lengthy word-wise and will include all of my thoughts.

The last explanation about what I saw and what you can expect to see on my blog – the first part of my adventure was a one week ascent of Kilimanjaro together with three friends of mine, which was followed by a one month safari through Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania with no acquaintances at all. Let the journey begin.

I land in the dark of night, very dark, 3:30 dark at the international Kilimanjaro airport. The first real African experience is awaiting me already – getting a visa. I go to desk №1, where I have to pay. I ask for a multiple entry visa as I will have another entry in Tanzania later on my travel, but the desk clerk tells me that I can't, and I should not try to be a wise guy. The last part is self-explanatory, as well as the fact that I'm going to pay $50 each time I enter the country and I am going to pay them like a dude or like white dude, mzungu. For the uniformed this is the name that the Africans use for white people, which comes from the name for wanderers with aimless/lost look, which the first European travelers to this part of the world had. I pay the money and go desk №2, where they take a photo of me and put the visa in my passport. On desk №3 – they make a photo of me again, as well as take my finger prints. Just in case, I ask the guy at desk №4, if I have to go to him as well, to which he looks at me lost in thought and takes my finger prints again. I refuse to ask anybody anything, take my luggage and head to the welcoming party. Unfortunately, I don't see a note with my name, but at least I find one with the name of the company that organizes the hiking trip, Tro-Peaks. Joseph is glad to see me (cause he doesn't have to wait anymore) when I go to him, as I am too. After an hour of driving we reach Moshi and the hotel. We wake some people, among which the security guy, the receptionist lady and lastly Ivan, who opens the door to our room being very sleepy and I go to bed with the hope that I will be able to get some sleep before our hiking start in 5 hours.

Surprisingly, I wake up rested and while I hurry to rearrange my luggage, I panic a little bit not to forget anything important for the climb. Then I go and have a fast breakfast and even faster shower trying not to be late for the departure, a notion, which is almost unknown around. Naturally, things are getting done slowly and we go an hour later. And I was worried that everybody is going to wait for me. The four of us get into a rather large van, as well as many locals, which will be our support crew. There should be an entourage of 14 people – a main guide, an assistant guide, a cook and porters, many porters, but we don't believe that all of them are here. We try to remember how many people we saw boarding the van and count them to a total of 17-18 people, including us, which means that the whole crew is on board. We take a selfie with the idea to count ourselves, but Sasho's large head covers at least 10 people.

Count yourself