Gear Inspection Day

Last night I met my two fellow climbers.  I had noticed these guys around the hotel a couple of times since yesterday morning.  And, going by their names which Kiliwarriors had given me, I decided the names fit their look.  I was walking past reception and saw one of them and so I went up to him and asked if he was Nick Kumar.  He is, and as we were introducing ourselves, Seth Lefkowitz also joined us.

It turned out they were at reception waiting on their luggage - yep, they were one of the unlucky ones to arrive minus their bags - something that happens a lot here.  So they had now been without their luggage for one night and one day.  Their luggage did arrive as we were talking, so we only had a quick chat - but it was long enough to put my mind to rest on one issue that had been niggling at me.

My worst nightmare was that I would arrive and find my two climbing partners were a couple of Alpha Males who were out to show the world how fast they could summit.

My preferred options were that they would be a gay couple - almost always easy to get on with and not usually Alpha types.  Or that they would just be a couple of guys wanting to try something different, maybe their wives having said no way go climb the mountain yourselves and they had nothing to prove to anyone.

So, in our first brief conversation Nick told me that they want to take the climb very slowly and they are not usually hikers.   Great...breath a sigh of relief,  I told him my worst nightmare and he laughed and assured me they are not Alpha Males....I feel so much more confident knowing that we're on the same wave length.

So, today I went on a private Safari to Arusha National Park for half the day.  I didn't see all that many animals and the ones we did see we're quite far off , however I did get my first sighting of a Colobus Monkey and tried to get a decent photo but he kept moving around.  They have beautiful silky looking black and white hair.  Apparently they are often seen near the starting point of our climb so I may get another photo op tomorrow.

Late afternoon, Wilbert of Kiliwarriors came to do our gear inspection and give us a briefing.  I had to lay all my gear out on my bed so he could check I had all the necessaries and he instructed me on which items had to go in the day pack and which are to go in the main duffel bag.  We then met Nick and Seth for our briefing and Wilbert showed us our route up the mountain on a very detailed map.  He also explained there is a change of one camp from Sheffield Camp to Lava Tower Camp as the park has closed Sheffield Camp.

Wilbert told us that he will set the pace based on his assessment of our capabilities and we can tell him to slow down but we can't tell him to speed up.  He stressed there is a maximum pace he will not let us exceed as we need to go slow to acclimatise.  Seth said there was no chance they would be asking for a fast pace and more than likely asking him to slow down......ditto on that from me and I'm liking these guys already!

I asked about Diamox - medication for Altitude Sickness - and Wilbert's advice was that we start taking it tonight and take 125gms twice a day as a preventative measure.  He said it speeds up the bodies ability to acclimatise and is highly recommended.   Based on that, I'm following what he says.

Seth said he didn't bring any, I think he just wasn't sure about it's worth and Nick said he brought some but was not intending to use it unless he actually got sick.  So I think they are undecided on take it or not.

Dr Mullan had prescribed me 250gm tablets to be taken three times per day, I have now cut these in half  to make the 125gm dose .  So I figure that I can start on the low preventative dose and always up it if I still get crook.

Wilbert gave us our duffel bags and helmets and set us off with instructions to be ready to leave at 8.00am and to have an early night......woops better sign off :)

Arusha....One Step Away From Kilimanjaro

Arrived in Arusha with all my luggage....yeeeah that worry is over.

I'm almost there and can feel the pull of Kilimanjaro.

I arrived at Kilimanjaro Airport last night and was met by Wilbert who is one of the owners of Kiliwarriors. His wife was also at the airport and she was going to wait for my two fellow climbers who were scheduled to arrive 30 minutes after me.

Wilbert drove me to the Mount Meru Hotel where I am to stay three nights before my climb.

Driving in Africa is always interesting to say the least. Driving at night adds a little more to the mix and it's a certain way to shock the senses into waking up after a long day of travel.

I was hoping to meet my two fellow climbers, Nick Kumar and Seth Lefkowitz, but looks like I'll have to wait.

The Mount Meru Hotel is very nice  and I settle in for my two day stay.

Today I asked the tour desk person to organise a tour for me of the town. It turned out to be more of a personal driver than a guided tour - bu that was okay. He took me to the local Museum and Cultural Markets but rather than actually guiding me, he sat in the car and waited whilst I looked around inside.

The highlight was a visit to The Central Markets - these being the ones the locals shop at. My driver, Frank, pulled into a parking space at the markets and we were immediately - like before he could even negotiate the parking - surrounded by a group of young guys trying to get my attention. Frank selected one to be my guide of the markets. It turns out he has selected his younger brother, Guideon.

Anyway, Guideon gave me a great tour of the markets and here are some photos;

First Photos of Mt Kilimanjaro

Here are the first three photos of Mt Kilimanjaro, taken from the plane as we were coming in to land at Kilimanjaro airport.  They're not the best quality and I will have to improve them in photoshop when I get home.

Getting In The Zone

I'm now at Nairobi Airport with a three hour wait till my next flight - the last one that gets me to Kilimanjaro.

So far I have had great luck on all four flights. I'm carrying my roll on camera bag (standard cabin size) and a day pack. I've managed to get both in the overhead lockers on all flights, so none of that pushing and shoving a bag under the seat in front leaving no foot room.

Bonus on this last flight from Johannesburg to Nairobi is that I also got an entire row to myself.... bliss!

And very lucky on this flight because when checking in I was told I could only have one carry on bag weighing 8k. My camera bag was weighed in at 11k and I was asked to take some out and put in another bag.....simply not possible, all bags are chocka. The lady doing the check in seemed at a loss when I told her - can't do that. So she let me go and said I would probably get one of the carry on's taken off me when I went through the baggage check. Lucky for me the baggage check guys didn't even question it...someone's looking after me!

I spent the flight getting in the zone. First I finished the book on my iPad by Deb Denis, named Kilimanjaro: One Woman's Journey To The Roof Of Africa and Beyond.

I mentioned Deb in one of my earlier posts, she is one of the ladies who gave me a reference when I was selecting which company to climb with. I didn't actually end up going with the company she recommended. Anyway, Deb recently published a book about her climb and personal issues she was
working through at the time.

So Deb, I've finished your book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am so looking forward to experiencing the mountain and especially sleeping in the crater. The crater camp has been a highlight I have been focusing on since I started planning my climb and your description of it has me keener than ever.

I have been following Kiliwarriors Facebook page and have seen that sometimes climbers feel strong on crater day and decide to continue to the summit and then come straight down to Mweka Camp, completely missing the crater. I am so hoping that is not suggested by my fellow climbers because the crater is really a big part of this challenge for me and I don't want to even think of missing it out!

After finishing Deb's book, I wanted to spend the rest of the flight getting in the zone, so I listened to a Creative Visualisation that Tracey Carmichael prepared for me. It's so relaxing and at the same time inspiring....thanks Tracey :)

Just as I finished this, the captain announced Mt Kilimanjaro could be seen from the right side of the plane. I was on the left but plenty of empty seats on the right so I moved over and got a clear view of her. We weren't very close so it wasn't exactly a "close up" but still a sighting with her snow capped peak glistening in the sun and a ring of clouds below the snow line.

Wow, I'm going to be on that mountain in a few days time....and to be more positive, I'm going to be standing on top of her in about 10 days time!!!!

Next question is.....will my main bag arrive in Kilimanjaro? This last flight is the leg where it is not uncommon for the passenger to arrive without any luggage. Apparently it is usually located within a few days but that could be after the climb starts. So that is why we are asked to wear our boots and carry as much of our essential gear as carry on luggage. Fingers crossed X.

Africa Here I Come...Premium Economy

I was in luck at Sydney airport and scored the nice check in person, who didn't ping me a fine for being overweight... baggage that is!

The person at the check in beside me was not so lucky, she got the check in Nazi who even weighed her carry on bags and the lecture she was dishing out was still going on as I drifted off to the gates.

The flight from Sydney to Johannesburg is 14 hours and Louise and I have always done it crammed into cattle class, which is not that pleasant. However, this trip we both had lots of frequent flyer points saved up so we cashed them in on Premium Economy. Now to those of you fortunate enough to travel Business or First Class on a regular basis....may be thinking - so what, but to us cattle class travelers this is pretty special. And I can say it made the 14 hour flight soooooo much easier. Extra big seats with more room between the rows, foot rests, individual entertainment screens etc and super service with a smile. I was offered champagne or orange juice almost as quick as my bum hit the seat and the drinks kept flowing freely. Nicer food, better presentation and service of food and drinks by a very attentive hostess, made this flight so much better than others I've had.

Something weird happened at Johannesburg airport - I got through without clearing customs. You know how when you arrive in a country you have to get your bags scanned and /or opened and checked - well it just didn't happen.

I did the passport check and then collected my bag from the carousel before heading in the direction of the sign indicating the direction to go if you have items to declare. I am carrying foodstuff in the way of energy supplements and hydration mixes, so figured I should declare these. Next thing I know I'm walking into the arrivals area with people lined up holding name boards to collect travelers. So I just kept walking....half expecting to be tapped on shoulder. I noticed others were doing the same. Strange, that whole bag check step was missed.

I am now at the hotel, had dinner, showered and in bed typing this and making heaps of errors because I'm shattered and dozing off as I type. So goodnight, sleep tight.

I'm Off ....

First leg is Townsville to Sydney and, as I check in at Townsville airport, I am warned my check in bag is overweight by 1k. I am actually quite pleased by this as I thought the allowed weight was 20k and the lady tells me it's 23k.

The check in person suggests I move one item from my main bag to one of my carry on bags before I get to the international check in where they will charge me for the extra baggage weight, but I'm okay for the domestic flight.

My carry on's are also chocka and, at this at point, I am more than pleased to pay 1k over weight.

So off to Sydney I head and Matthew has arrange a special rate at his hotel, Sheraton On The Park, so a luxury room awaits me.

In Sydney I get to catch up with my cousin, Annette and her partner Viti. Only a quick visit to their apartment as Annette broke her ankle 6 weeks ago and she's still not allowed to walk on it, so she can't come out to dinner. Hope she's a bit more mobile in a month when we are on the homeward journey.

Back to the hotel to find Matthew and we set off to the unit he shares with his half sister, Alicia. I finally got to meet her after all these years..at laaaast! She's is a lovely woman and it's clear that she and Mat just get along so well, which is comforting to see.

So off we go to their local for drinks and dinner before a reasonably early night of 10.30 because I have suddenly hit the wall and am totally tied.

Packing.......hate it!

The worst part of any trip is the packing...without doubt I hate it!

So this time I have a packing list to follow curtesy of Kiliwarrors....this is going to make it easy right...wrong! 

I followed the packing list to a T....with the exception of knickers.  Like really, what female do you know who can go up a mountain for nine days with only three pair of knickers ?...yes that is 3!   No way, I'm taking five pair and consider this to be light on.  However, I did the right thing and compensated by leaving out some items I'm sure I won't need.  So all should be good, it should all fit in one bag and should be 20 kilos or less.....yeah right, like that's gonna happen.

Now remember, I'm following the packing list to climb Mt Kilimanjaro.  Nothing on this list allows for my ongoing travels after the mountain.      And my bag is FULL!  Make that bags as in plural.  My main case which gets checked in, my carry on trolley bag with camera equipment and some jackets squeezed into it and my daypack carry on bag which is chocka with things I'll need during the flight....like this iPad that I am currently typing on.

Part of the bulk are the supplements I need for the climb.  I've chosen the brand Endura and have 36 sachets of drink additive to replace electrolytes and magnesium etc, 25 energy gels ...for necessary shots of energy (read caffeine) and 9 protein bars, plus 1 kilo of nuts and trail mix.  All of this takes  up valuable space and weighs heaps but the amounts are actually half of what I originally planned on taking...I had to halve it to get it in the case!

I spoke to the Endura people they helped me calculate what I needed to take...but in the end practicality made me halve it and I trust this will do.

Louise came to the rescue and offered to carry some non mountain climbing clothes for me as she will have room in her bag.  So I dropped off 3 polo shirts and camera bean bag to her...thanks Lou :)

I weighed the main bag and it came in at 24k's, I'm sure the limit is 20k but I'm over it and will face the consequences at the airport.

You Tube Of The Western Breach

On Day 7 of my climb, Sunday 02nd September, we will be climbing from Arrow Glacier Camp to Crater Camp, via the Western Breach.

The Western Breach is the hardest part of this climb and I have been searching for a You Tube video with Kiliwarriors doing this part of the climb.  Unfortunately, I have not been able to find one by Kiliwarriors but have found this very good one by another climbing company named SENE - who incidentally are the second company that were on my final list of two that I got down to when choosing a climbing operator - they were neck and neck and I chose Kiliwarriors.

Click on the following link to watch the video, enjoy :

http://wn.com/Western_Breach

Toes Are Sorted....Finally!

I finally sorted the toe and boot problem. It seems I was lacing the boots too tight and making my feet swell.  I loosened the laces on my last walk and it was much better.

Finished work Friday and I leave on Wednesday. It's now Sunday and I'm only just starting to feel the excitement and focus coming back. I can't believe how much the last few weeks at work threw me off. And disappointing that I have prepared for so long and aren't feeling the vibe I should be at this stage.


Well we're off to lunch with Louise, my friend who I will meet up with after the climb, and some other friends......I am sure that will boost my flagging spirits!

Basics On AMS / Altitude Sickness

There is so much written on this subject that I could fill many pages or at least screens.  Instead, I will list some facts to give you an idea of what it is.

1. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is also referred to as Altitude Sickness.
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2. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is caused by a lack of oxygen as you gain altitude.  This does not mean there is less oxygen at altitude.  Air composition is the same at sea level as it is at the top of Mt Kilimanjaro, that is 20% oxygen and 80% nitrogen.
   
   What differs as you gain altitude is the atmospheric pressure which drops by about a 10th for every 1,000 metres of altitude.  The air pressure at the top of Mt Kilimanjaro is approximately 40% lower than that at sea level.  As there is less pressure, it is harder to fill your lungs.  By the time you reach the summit - in comparison to sea level, you are only getting about half as much air and so oxygen into your system for each breath you take.
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3. Our bodies react to the lack of oxygen and unconsciously we will breath deeper and faster to gather in the oxygen, our blood will thicken and our hearts beat faster.  As a result, our vital organs will receive the amounts of oxygen they require to function.
   
   Whilst we start breathing deeper and faster as soon as there is less oxygen getting in, the following processes take a few days to get going.  Sadly, many routes up Kili only last 3-4 days and those are the routes that have the highest rate of clients getting AMS....and that's one reason I'm taking the 9 day route, so I acclimatise slowly and hopefully dont get the dreaded Altitude Sickness - fingers crossed X
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4. There are three levels of AMS - Mild Altitude Sickness - Moderate Altitude Sickness - Severe Altitude Sickness.  On Kilimanjaro, most people will be effected by the Mid to Moderate levels of AMS.
   
   At the Mild level, most symptoms can be overcome by resting and not climbing higher, drinking lots of water and taking normal headache pain killers.  Once the symptoms go, your climb can continue.
   
   At the Moderate level, more care is taken in monitoring the person and making sure they don't get worse and develop Severe AMS.  It the proper care is taken, as above, there are good chances the person will get better and can continue to climb.
   
   At the Severe Level, this is much more serious and climbers should descend immediately and their climb can not resume.  Even if the person develops Severe AMS in the middle of the night, they must be taken down the mountain immediately to rapidly get them to lower levels with higher oxygen pressure.
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5. Symptoms of AMS - individual suffers may get some or all of the following;
   
   Mild AMS
   Similar to a severe hangover ....most of us will know that feeling :( 
   * a thumping headache and nausea
   * trouble sleeping - light and intermittent
   * lack of appetite
   * should be able to recover and keep climbing
   
   Moderate AMS
   This is more serious and should be monitored carefully
   * the thumping headache will be worse than ever and normal headache painkillers won't work
   * the nausea will turn into vomiting
   * the person will be constantly out of breath even when resting
   * for the person to recover and keep climbing, they will need an extended period of rest.
      This is only possible if the illness occurs at the end of the day or on a scheduled rest day.
      If not they may have to descend as the climbing schedule can not be adjusted.
   
   Severe AMSThere are no options at this level, the person simply has to descend immediately and quickly.
   * lack of coordination and balance - known as ataxia...mmm I get that way on a bad Meniere's Disease day - I  had better warn my guide of that  :) 
   * mental confusion...sounds like me again
   * slurred or incoherent speech...only when I'm drunk
   * an inability to stay awake
   * gurgling/liquid sounds from the lungs
   * persistent watery cough and possibly coughing up blood
   * blueness around the face and lips
   * lack of consciousness
   * elevated heart rate
   The above are either symptoms of HACO (HACE) and/or HAPO (HAPE)
   
   HACO / HACE - High Altitude Cerebral Oedema / Edema
   This is a build up of fluid around the brain and is very serious.   If not treated, and the patient stays at the same altitude, death can occur within 24 hours, if the person keeps ascending death can occur in less time.
   
   HAPO / HAPE - High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema / EdemaThis is the build up of fluid around the lungs and is just as serious.  The only sensible option is to descend quickly
   
   

The Month From Hell ... All Goes Pear Shaped

It is now 14th August and I leave Australia in eight days.  My god that's like a week really!

What happened to July and most of August?

Well everything slowly slipped into a pear shape.  You know the story, first one small thing, that leads to another small thing and so on and so on and before you know it you've lost a month or 6 weeks and starting to panic :)

Townsville has had one of its coldest and most windy winters that I can ever remember.  Now, to be fair to those of you who live in the "colder" climates, you would think this is a joke...but really it was 7C when I went for my walk last Sunday.....yes, very cold for us, and don't laugh!

Anyway, the slow slide started with a few weeks of rain... yes rain in Townsville in winter, most unusual and annoying!  So, at first I thought what a nice change and lets not bother with training in the rain....like who does?  But the rain seemed to keep arriving on the weekends - my most active training time, damn it!

When it stopped raining, off I went up Castle Hill on Saturday followed by Mt Stuart on Sunday, followed by severely damaged toes!  What happened there?  Who knows!  Boots were broken in, or so I thought and now my little toes - both of them - decided they don't like these boots and the big toes are not convinced either.  It's a mutiny of toes!

The boots are fine on the flat and uphill but going downhill my toes are bashed into the front of the toe section and the pain is unbearable after about 30 minutes or so.

So a week of no boots while my toes settled down and back to wearing trainers.

Then the flu virus hit me.  Now I really do object to this because I paid good money for a flu injection only a few weeks ago.... wonder if I can get a refund on that, not likely!

So in bed all weekend and two days off work followed by a week of still not feeling good - and no training and no time to gets boots and/or toes back into shape..... time is slipping by :(

Back to work after my sick leave and work has turned to shit!  I won't go into details, but suffice to say it was not a pleasant experience, that continued for eight days and shattered me.  Physically and emotionally I was wrung out.  Glad to say it is now sorted and we are moving on in a more positive fashion.

However, a month ago I was full of confidence and ego and knew I could do this climb.  In the past two weeks, I have lost my MoJo and have started to doubt my ability to reach the summit.

Now that work is back on track, my focus is back on preparation for my climb and my two most important issues are - my toes, still having problems with the little shits - and getting that positive confidence back on track.  Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro is not just a physical challenge but is also a mental challenge and I have to get the determined focus back on track quickly!

I had a gym session with Christina last week and she put me through the hoops.  She told me I passed and I am still strong and have the endurance....so the only thing I have to work on is getting back the positive mindset and getting those damned toes sorted out! .

Then I went up the hill again, now back in the boots and the toes packed it in again....aaaah, not happy!

I was so worried about it that I decided a last minute change of boots might be required, so off I go to Kathmandu and try on heaps of them and they all feel worse or the same as the ones I have.

Louise suggested she retrieve my old boots that I gave her sister (who is currently in Bali on holiday) as these boots did me well in Rwanda when we climbed to see the Gorillas.  What a great idea, I thought.  So Lou, sends text to Di and finds out where the boots are, retrieves them for me and I find they are tighter on my toes than the new ones.   So no good.

I am currently wearing the new boots every minute I can ...   clumping around the house in them and of course getting in as many hill walks that I can this week.

And now, more illness.  Now I have an ear infection that is effecting my balance and causing me lots of discomfort, not to mention the havoc it is playing with the ringing and roaring sounds I always have in my ears caused by the Meniere's Disease.  Can anything else go wrong ....  NO!