ON TOP OF THE WORLD

 

It's hard to believe, but I conquered the highest mountain top in Africa. That's 5,895 meters above sea level. And when you see the mountain from below, you think that anyone wanting to do that is well, not right in the head.

I hope I can find the other picture so you an see what I mean.

I won't got into a lot of details this morning. I'm just here to tell you that I made it up and I made it down - more or less in one piece. Don't worry - I'm just fine. there were a few small injuries - bruises and -- yep, not one but likely two toe nails will go. I'll spare you the gruesome photos of that.

The experience was humbling. It was a lot of work and as I have always said, these things are not just physical, but they involve so much mental strength. You have to dig deep and I mean dig really deep to succeed. I am not one to give up, but your mind at the high altitudes just isn't always your mind. Some people had major hallucinations. 

Thankfully I was one of the few in our group who suffered no high altitude sickness at all. No headaches, my oxygen levels dropped from nineties to the 70's on the last day but all was good.

We had a couple yound men, who literally had all the symptoms despite taking the high altitude medication. They were in very bad shape and one of them made it on sheer determination - more about that another day. And the other one was so close to the actual peek, but couldn't make it. He made it to the top of the mountain, but not the peak. It doesnt matter --- we gave him the credit for it. So close -- I would have been totally devasted.

We started the summit climb at midnight and the picture you see is the sunrise as we were approaching the top. Other groups had started their climb before us, so they could be at the top when the sunrise came. I am not that big of a fanatic to have that happen. I got to the top and I saw the sunrise, - that's good enough for me.

There were eight of us in the group. There are only six in the photo - as I mentioned, the one man (30 years) didn't make it and his girlfriend was sticking with him, so she didn't make the photo, but one of the guides got her to the top so she could get a photo.

It was an emotional experience getting to the top and yet it wasn't. The high altitude plays such tricks with your mind. I got my geocache for getting to that sign and that makes me a very happy person. I know - a very expensive and grueling way to get a geocache!

We got back to the hotel last night and DH has now met up with me and we are on the road again. I'll try to post more pictures on Facebook and I really want to post the picture of the mountain here but the darn menu for that isn't coming up.

We got lucky with the weather - the day at the top was perfectly clear. There are any times in the day that the top of Kilimanjaro is shrouded with clouds. The travel gods were with us.

The other luck I had is my health. I was perfectly fine with the high altitude sickness, but I got a sore throat on the day before the summit or was that the day before that? Anyway, it wasn't really an issue on summit day, but yesterday? Oh boy --- I've got a serious lung infection. I'll spare you the details on that as well, except that I'm fine. I've just added more medication to my little bag of tricks.

In all of this, I want to thank Erick (guide leader) and his group of leaders, chefs, and porters. We could not have done this without them. I mean that with all my heart. ALL of the crew was so supportive and always so happy. They made the trip so amazing that I wanted to give them so much more than we did. The company I used is called Intrepid and if ever you are looking for an adventure trip -- CALL them. It's an Australian company, which I guess is why there were so many Australians on the trip. Most of them have used the company before and you know what they say - repeat business is a true sign of quality.

So much more to say, but I'd better bandage up the toes. I've already taken my arsenal of pills. Good lord - for someone who is not the best at taking medication, I've got quite the little medicine cabinet with me. I took a picture, but again, the menu to add pictures isn't showing up. Hmmmm --- one more thing to figure out.

While still coughing like mad, I think my fever broke. I woke up in the night with sweat literally running down my body. That has never happened to me before.

The important thing is that I accomplished my goal, I'm healthy (more or less) and and I am thrilled -- so much so that I actually purchased a t-shirt which I never do! But I also needed something clean to wear. Almost everything I own is filthy, but there was no time to get it laundered here, so that is something to do at the next stop. I don't mean just a litle dirty, I mean a LOT dirty -- beyond the job of hand washing!!!!

The MUD --- you would not believe the mud!!!!

OK --- and now I'm gone,  

Have a super day!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!

 ! . . . . . !!. . d.. . . . d.