At 5,895 metres or 19,340 feet Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, and the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. We trekked for six days at altitude.  Fatigue, altitude sickness, and sub zero temperatures are part of the norm for this mother of all hills! 

Yesterday is but today's memory, and tomorrow is today's dream. 

Kahlil Gibran

Haha we done it!!!!

The team included 3 staff, 6 service users and friends of the organisation, 

The route we took  is called the Machame route -also known as the “Whiskey” route. It is considered the most difficult, as the days are longer and the walks are steeper, and is better suited to more adventurous folk and those with hiking or backpacking experience. So, with my extensive training history of walking up a Yorkshire peak, then the Sandstone Walk in Frodsham and a trek up Snowdon, with a torn muscle for good measure, this route suited me down to the ground!

·                         Day 1: All 19 of us ambled up to the Machame camp (2980 m). 6 hours - eazy peezy. The forest we walked through was beautiful, although we didn’t see any of the famous blue monkeys.

·                         Day 2:  7 hours walking to Shira camp (3840 m). Again, not too difficult a trek although a bit of sleep on our 1 night in the open would have helped, but some of the young’uns in the group had other ideas about that.

·                         Day 3:  8 hours walking - a climb to the Lava Tower (4630 m), then down again to Barranco camp (3950 m).  Climbing the 800m, then coming down again to eat and sleep helps people acclimatise to the altitude.  We were very tired at the end of this day with the accumulated treks and altitude beginning to take its toll. Sleep rules A-Ok.

·                         Day 4: 8 hours hiking to Barafu camp (4550 m). We are all very, very tired as the past 4 days are now really taking its toll on our body and minds.  There’s only 50% of the oxygen you get at sea level, so some of us were really suffering with altitude sickness.  We all try to eat, 3 or 4 can’t and go to bed, the rest follow at around 6.30pm and we try to get some sleep. We are woken at 11.30pm to begin the final push for the summit.

·                         Day 5: 8 hours climb to Uhuru Peak (5895 m) – then 6 hours down to Millenium Camp (3100 m).

The final climb, in the dark and the freezing cold, was the hardest thing I (and I'm sure the others) have ever done. We had set off at midnight in a single line with our head torches on and although tired, we all had an excited spring in our steps.  We knew this was it and the bonus was the group was still intact, (many people don’t reach the summit).  The first climb took us over a very steep rocky terrain, this was the most difficult stretch to date and claimed 2 of our party plus a porter, who had to return to the camp below. 

As if this was not hard enough with our lungs bursting for oxygen, we then moved onto a softer terrain.  This was volcanic shale, which is like a massive grey sand dune - 3 steps up then sliding down 2.   Never in my life have I experienced anything like this.   It is like waking through a swimming pool, fully clothed, with the water up to your neck. 

The pressure was tremendous and another one of our group sadly had to turn back, with a guide and a porter also having to return because of altitude sickness.  

Those remaining kept plodding on, I continued listening to my mp3 player with tunes from, Shack, Edwyn Collins, Ted Hawkins and Gil Scott Heron - all of whom played a major part in getting me to the top.  The views were stunning – beyond description, and my photos barely do them justice.

Anyway, my hair was cut down the centre by Danni, as promised to Tara who sponsored my ‘Inverted Mohican’  I also had the task at the summit of throwing the collected hair to the winds, completing my promise to return the DNA from where it originated.  

·                         Day 6: We continued our 5 hour descent back through the rainforest to the Mweka Gate.  Walking down is where we bumped into a porter from another group sporting an EFC shirt, so we got a photo of the only blues in our group - hoping for some good luck for the Derby!   Did it work? 2-0 you bet it did!   On arriving at the Gate, my haircut was completed.  

In hindsight, for me at least, my preparation for the climb wasn’t really sufficient and I could have done with a tad more walking, especially together as a whole group. But still we arrived at the summit nearly intact, the 3 who did not reach the sign at the top, all agreed that to get beyond the 5000metres mark was in itself a great achievement.  On the other hand who knows a return may be something they wish to consider...No I'm not going again!.

Some photo's can be viewed at 

http://xbynature.imgur.com/

Times are hard I know, so a massive 'Thankyou' to all those who have donated.  Those not listed include

The staff and regulars in Chaplins Bar, Lodge Lane. Toxteth.

'Flying Brian' from Chaplins for his great late, offline donation

Gary and Jennie from...The Barn B&B in Hale

Residents from the Lickers Lane estate, in Whiston.

2 internet forums Shacknet  and the Everton fans from WSAG who have also lumped in a bob or 2, 

Finally could I please thank all those who have supported the cause and to those reading this who haven’t, it’s still not too late to donate. 

Ta very much.

Joe

http://shapkilimanjarochallenge.blogspot.com/

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