27.10.2010 - 8am. I Summited Kilimanjaro. 5895 m / 19341 ft above sea level.
After 7 days treking the Lemosho route in Tanzania, Kilimanjo peak came into view. 12 of us had gathered on the 19th October 2010 at Heathrow to fly out to Tanzania. Landing 8 or so hours later after a few small delays, and then a half day rest and briefing we had spent a comfortable first night in the Arusha lodge hotel, a small oasis of calm overlooked by mount Meru, a sister mountain to Kili.
Over the first few days we ascended the mountain taking in and treking through jungle, moon scapes, rocky outcrops, an area that seemed like the lost world, full of hanging creepers and strange shaped trees, monkeys and ghoulish sounds. A bit of rain didnt slow us down and generally we kept up quite a pace. The whole group were fit, kitted out and we had around 50 or so porters including 7 guides. Everything is carried up the mountain, the portapotty included! Breakfasts were porridge, jam, bread, and scrambled egg and bacon!!
The scenery was as you might expect with the base surrounds of a mountain in Africa. WE started by taking 4WD vehicles out to Londorossi and thats where we began walking at around 2250m, so had a good 3000m to. The days were laid out with a good easy going pace, but slower than you would expect as the whole point of the first, and longer route of the Lemosho is to gain acclimatisation more slowly, thus decreasing the risks of atlitude sickness, which can strike in any number of ways, but most commonly headaches, nausea, diarohhea, vomiting, and then only if its really bad do you get the more nasty pulmonary edoema........we discovered in fact whilst climbing that ginger tea is in fact one of the best things for all of these symptoms, and nearly everyone on the trip felt some effect of altitude at one point or another. The ginger tea was something we noticed all the porters and guides were drinking and found it also something of a relief. I personally failed to sleep over about 3000m and so found that a combingation of the ginger tea and a few tylenol were the only answer to actually getting a few winks each night. i did generally fail to sleep on the mountain, so that became one of my personal battles to cope with. After about a 3-4 hour walk the first day we camped at the Lemosho forest camp (2650m). 
The group was excited and there was a lot of banter and messing about. it was only day one! After a decent night sleep and good breakfast we continued on at around 7 or so in the morning. couming out of the jungly forest we started to ascend to Shira Plateau.The trail starts out in the lush rich montane forest before ascending into the moorland zone of giant heather. The trail climbs steadily
with views across the plains opening out as we reach the rim of the Shira Plateau. There is a tangible sense of wilderness especially if the afternoon mists come in. We camp in the centre of the plateau at “Shira One” (3550 m). Approx 6-7 hours walking in total and we started to notice that the air was getting a bit thinner (you can often ski up to this height) It was also a bit cooler and the 3 girls definitely started to apply the next layer of clothing. Another camp at shira one, at least the porters that tend to motor past you on the mountain despite carrying 3 or 4 times what we were, set up the tents in advance and even boil water for us to have a wash and clean our selves up. "Washy washy" every afternoon and evening before we sat down and had tea in the mess tent, ususally with popcorn and hot choc, coffee etc. After this we did an aclimitisation walk for another hour or so, up to 4000 m and back down. Its important to try and do these extra walks as it allows you to go higher but then camp lower at night. the rule is generally to sleep 500m below the highest point reached during the day.
We'd sort our kit for the next day, have a briefing and then sit and chat waiting for dinner to be brought. WIth only torches and the odd lantern, the aim was to do as much in daylight hours as possible. your body clock moved to day light hours pretty fast. rising early and going to bed by about 9! games of cards and sitting drinking ginger tea in the tent was popular, but we were turning into our tents relatively early so as to try and kip for the next days treking.
Day 3 was continuning on the Shira Plateau with an easy day to help acclimatisation and to explore the grassy
moorland and the volcanic rock formations of the plateau. We walked to the summit of Shira Cathedral, a huge buttress of rock surrounded by steep spires and pinnacles. There is a tangible sense of wilderness here (especially when the afternoon mists come in!) and the views from our camp near Shira Hut (3840m) of Mt. Meru floating on the clouds are simply unforgettable.
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