I REACHED THE SUMMIT! Just a little Eskimo head on top of Kilimanjaro. This was taken 10 seconds after I burst into cry-laughter at reaching Uhuru Peak, 19,341 ft (5,895 m) high, standing on the “roof of Africa”.
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Lesson 1: People who talk about how Kili is basically a long walk and easy have most likely never done it and are full of it. This was one of the most challenging, yet rewarding experiences, of my life. There is nothing easy about starting at base camp at 4 AM, at 15,200 ft altitude, and slowly clambering over rocks and hiking up over 4,000 ft of steep inclines, sometimes 40-50 grade inclines, while you feel the oxygen deplete around you with every step, winds whip your clothes in sub-zero temperatures, and you can only move in what may be described as slow-motion. And that’s just one day, of many.
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Lesson 2: You should still do it, if you can. I cannot explain the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment I felt at the top. And Kili is not just about summit day. It’s about the whole journey. It’s about experiencing life and landscapes above the clouds that look like you’ve been transported to another planet. It’s about the incredible people that form a cozy little community working on this mountain, and are only too happy to bring you in with a smile.
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Lesson 3 (and most important): The guides and porters can never get enough credit. Their jobs are demanding, difficult, and absolutely essential. Without the assistance, care, and guidance from everyone on the team and at camp, instead of a group of ten that summited Kilimanjaro, we would be some tourists they found dead on a mountain. I cannot emphasize how incredible the people working on this mountain are.
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So much more to come.
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