Kilimanjaro

We said you probably wouldn’t hear from us again until Monday but very disappointingly we didn’t manage to reach the summit.

Day 1 we started at Machame gate with our two fellow trekkers, Josh and Sudar, twelve porters, two guides and one chef. The staff of Monkey adventures are amazing and continued to be so throughout our curtailed trip.

We walked about 12km through rainforest, a total of about six hours – I couldn’t believe we could possibly walk so slow but as we climbed it was really necessary, as were frequent breaks to drink the recommended three litres of water. By the time we reached Machame gate we were very ready for dinner and the comfort of our compact tents.

After a slightly restless night (getting up for the loo five times – started by going to toilet block but soon abandoned this five minute trek for the convenience of behind the tent) we started day 2. This was a much shorter trek of just 5km, starting in rain forest but soon progressing to Heath and moorland. We started off lively….enjoying the changing landscape and better views but after a couple of hours trekking took every opportunity to take a little rest.We were very relieved to reach Shira camp and were all in bed before 8.

Day 3 dawned with another full on schedule of 7 hours of trekking. With everything going well and both of us feeling good apart from slight headaches we felt confident as we reached Lava Tower at 4,600 metres – much higher than we’d ever been before. We were pretty tired but after an hours lunch break were revived enough to continue a two hour descent to our next camp at Barranco.

All was going well until about twenty minutes in I had a slide and hit my left side on a pointed rock. Francis, one of our lovely guides, picked me up and although it felt a little sore and I was slightly winded I was fine to walk on to camp. After arriving at camp and signing in Rob and I were just waiting for our companions, Josh and Sudar to also sign in when I sneezed and felt something pop. It was extremely painful and after lots of painkillers and a very uncomfortable night later we decided I had to give up. Uhuru Peak had felt firmly within our reach with amazing snow capped views of it as we climbed but it wasn’t to be.

Despite our agreement that if one of us failed the other should continue Rob couldn’t leave me (concern or temptation of helicopter ride?) and we were ‘choppered’ out at 10am this morning. After a day spent in Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre and the diagnosis of a fractured rib we are safely back at the hotel and resting.