The morning came sooner than I’d hoped. With precious little sleep and plenty of jet lag, I dragged myself out of bed with the alarm at 6:30 am and headed to the bathroom. Knowing this would be my last real shower or chance to use a flush toilet for the next 8 days certainly served to motivate me to make the most of it- even if I was bone tired.
Once properly cleaned up, I went down for breakfast and was surprised to soon be joined by close to 20 people. Our climbing group was limited to 12 trekkers, so clearly there must have been at least one other Kilimanjaro group staying there too.
I’d like to say I went up and introduced myself to some folks to start out this adventure on the right foot. But that didn’t happen. I’m a classic introvert. So I quietly watched everyone else eating, before heading back out to the lobby to find Sean and our tour operator.
Are you healthy?
The first real test to see whether we could really climb the mountain was that morning’s health assessment and briefing from our tour operator – Ultimate Kilimanjaro.
The lead guide introduced himself to us as “Jack Bauer.” I thought he was joking at first. He was clearly Tanzanian, and that name didn’t seem to be a local naming choice.
As it turns out, he received the moniker from a prior group of climbers who likened him to Keifer Sutherland’s character, Jack Bauer, in the TV show ’24.’ I’m really hoping that just means he’s calm under pressure (rather than foreshadowing some giant catastrophe that only he can solve…).
Jack Bauer got to work, placing a small device on my finger to take my pulse and oxygen saturation levels. Moshi is only 2,800 feet above sea level – so my O2 reading was 99%. Yet, I was somewhat surprised to see my pulse was slightly elevated. It must be the all anticipation.
After dutifully recording our details, Jack Bauer asked us if we wanted to rent any gear. The tour company already provided our tents and foam pads as part of their guiding fee. But they also had trekking poles and sleeping bags available for climbers – especially for those who didn’t want to lug big items on a follow-on vacation in Africa after their trip up the mountain.
When I learned about this rental option back at home, I debated whether it would be easier to rent a sleeping bag locally instead of trying cram one into my luggage and risking the airline losing it. The decision turned out to be easy though once I earned they had nice, thick -30°F bags from Mountain Hardwear in their inventory. I definitely wanted that extra warmth as we got closer to the summit.
After Sean and I stuffed our newly acquired rental sleeping bags into our duffel bags, our group began to assemble outside to get each of our bags weighed. Our tour operator was very strict about the porters not having to carry anything more than 15kg (33 lbs) per bag.
My duffel bag was nowhere close to that weight, even after adding in a 6-pound sleeping bag. But, I was glad to know the company took this promise seriously, and the porters wouldn’t be force to schlep unnecessary weight up the mountain.
Loading up
With everything packed and weighed, we spent the next 45 minutes watching as the local porters loaded all our bags (plus their own gear) onto the top of our red minibus.
It quickly became evident during our wait that some of the people in the group knew each other already. Most of the people came on this trip in pairs, and everyone was friendly and talkative, picking up conversations where they left off yesterday. They’d clearly had a chance to socialize the night before — while Sean and I were waiting in the many lines at the Kilimanjaro airport.
As I stood on the edge of the circle quietly observing everyone, I noticed our particular group seemed to be predominantly North American or European. Most were in their late 20s or early 30s. And, the ladies outnumbered the gents by a ratio of 2:1. So, of the 12 of us, there were only 4 men in the group. I’m not sure what I expected on this journey, but such a high number of women was a pleasant surprise.
After standing around for what seemed like forever while all the supplies were loaded on the top of the minibus and secured down with tarps, it was time go! We squeezed inside inside the small vehicle, squishing together as closely as possible with our daypacks on our laps.
Eight porters were already crammed into the rear seats when we got in, and the aroma of ripe body odor permeated the van. These guys clearly didn’t get the same opportunity for a last-minute morning shower at the hotel. And this wouldn’t be the first time I’d notice the disparity between the climbers and those who’d assist us.
Let’s hit the road!
I was so excited though. After a long morning of waiting, we were finally headed to Kilimanjaro! Time to get this adventure going so we could get started up the mountain!!
Unfortunately, my enthusiasm was quickly tempered by the fits and starts to get on our way though. After just 30 minutes of driving, we made our first stop. It was at a convenience store/gas station giving the climbers and porters an opportunity to buy some last minute snacks. Plus, there were several members in our group who already needed the public restroom – probably due to the diuretic effect of the Diamox we were all taking. Meanwhile, I was just anxious to get to the starting line.
After loading up again, we set out for another hour. During the drive, we finally got the chance to take in our surroundings and observe the local terrain. It seemed to be savannah for the most part, and while I knew Mt. Kilimanjaro was out there somewhere in the distance, the overcast morning skies made it impossible to see her.
We got some nice views of Mt. Meru on the drive though, but then it was time to make (yet another) pitstop at a roadside restroom. I was really starting to wonder about these people and their tiny bladders. At this rate, our group would never get to trailhead, let alone the summit.
While I waited for my comrades to finish up at the bathroom, I set about on a bit of people watching. Two local boys were sitting nearby just hanging out with their machetes (yikes!). They were pretty close to my son’s age, so I couldn’t help taking a photo of them and thinking about home for a bit. What would my son think of this adventure?
After this second pitstop, the minibus began to enter some greener forested areas. Some local were ladies out of a field, and when we asked what crops they were harvesting, Jack Bauer told us it was carrots! That’s not what I expected at all (silly me, why wouldn’t they grow carrots in Tanzania?) and I wondered what other misconceptions I might have about this country.
As we passed more fields, our driver slowed down and stopped a few times to get some close-up views of adorable monkeys laying in the trees alongside the road. Our very first look at the local wildlife!
Londrossi Gate
Around noon, we finally made it to entrance of Kilimanjaro National Park and Londrossi Gate! I was ready to celebrate at this incremental bit of forward progress after what felt like too many hours in the minibus.
Once inside the park, we needed to queue up to sign the very first of the many guest registers we’d encounter on our way up to the summit. After everyone finished that task, Jack Bauer told us to head over to a picnic area because it was time for lunch.
I have to admit, I was starting to feel a bit disappointed when he said this. All I could think in that moment was, “When are we going to start climbing?? I don’t want to wait in line to sign the register. I don’t want to stop for lunch. We don’t need any more pictures of the monkeys. Let’s start hiking!!”
Yet, I’d soon learn the phrase “pole, pole,” (pronounced po-lay, po-lay) which means slowly, slowly in Swahili. There was no rush. Taking our sweet time would be the plan on how we get to the summit safely.
It wasn’t a race. We were here for days. We’d get there sooner or later. I’d have to exchange my Western impatience if I wanted to enjoy the full value of this adventure.
Lunchtime
As it turns out, lunch was actually quite tasty. And it contained far more food that I could possibly consume – which would be another one of the themes for this trip. Apparently, the tour operator was prepared for 18-year old guys and their voracious appetites.
I started looking around our group more more closely and trying to figure out who was who during this lunch break. I’d already noticed I was the oldest woman in our group when we signed the register with our biographical data (name, country, and age).
Before I could form too many opinions about my companions in my head, we started introducing ourselves to each other. And I discovered some interesting facts in that process. For example:
- 7 of the 12 climbers were American
- While the remaining 5 climbers were European (3 British, 1 French, 1 Dutch)
- 3 climbers are currently serving in the military – Sean, me, and one of the guys
- 5 climbers are lawyers (yes, we tend to be overachievers!)
- Only 1 person came on the trip completely solo
- Plus, 2 of the European ladies are best friends who plan a grand adventure trip like this every year!
After learning these basics details about each other during lunch, it was time to hop back into the minibus to drive to our final destination, Lemosho Gate.
Are we there yet??
After lunch, it started to become apparent that I wasn’t not the only one getting antsy and wanting to start the climb already. A quick ride to the Lemosho Gate put us one step closer, but we have another delay to deal with.
Of course, there was another register to sign at Lemosho Gate, plus multiple groups waiting their turn for sign in. So we stood in line for 20 more minutes gnashing our teeth and being restless.
Once that step was complete we FINALLY got to start walking. The trail ahead of us climbed steeply almost immediately, and the afternoon was warm. Nonetheless, we were all giddy with excitement. Unfortunately, Jack Bauer started leading the group at an excruciately slow pace that I’d estimate was barely 1 m.p.h.!!
I really should have known to expect this though. During my research on Kilimanjaro I read a memoir about another climber’s adventure of the summit. In the book, she described this painfully slow pace. She told the reader to imagine walking backward at an very easy pace. Then slow your pace by half. Now you’ll now be at the same pace you’ll ascend Kilimanjaro. Oh, how true her assessment was!
The purpose of this slow pace was two-fold though. First, it allowed the group to stay together more easily. The fast “rabbits” among us couldn’t take off and leave the slower “tortoises” behind. Second, the pace would give everyone plenty of time to acclimate, which was probably a really good thing since many of us (including me!) were coming to this trek from sea level.
As we crawled along at our snail-like pace, the porters kept swiftly passing us with our duffel bags balanced on their heads, backs, and shoulders. Then more porters trotted past with our tents and food. It was simply amazing to watch them as they nearly sprinted up the mountain ahead of us.
Selfie-time
As we continued to walk along the narrow path into the rain forest, another trekking group we’d seen back at the Lemosho Gate decided to try to overtake us on the trail. This plan became an exercise in frustration though because the single-track trail simply wasn’t wide enough for both groups and the porters.
The porters have the momentum (and the right of way on the mountain), so we kept stepping off trail to let them pass. In the midst of this courtesy, the other group kept trying to jump ahead and soon the two groups were completely intermingled.
Their guide attempted to keep his group to the left so they could continue to pass us. Unfortunately, many of his herd weren’t cooperating.
First, there were his two middle-aged men with GoPros strapped to their chests (Because clearly you MUST document every moment of this experience on film). And, they kept stopping to take selfies with their phones instead of following their guide’s directions.
Then, there was the lone woman with the camera and giant lens who kept stopping to take photos of the wildlife. We’d pass her, then she’d race back up to her group, then we’d pass her, and so on. It was almost laughable to watch this unmitigated chaos, and made me glad I didn’t book my trip with that outfitter.
Getting to camp
The two groups finally broke free from each other after about 20 minutes, and we continued walking slowly through the rainforest for the next three hours. During our trek, we also stopped occasionally to look at monkeys and tropical birds in the trees. Overall, it just felt like a leisurely afternoon stroll in the rain forest.
When we finally arrived at Mti Mweka camp, there was another register to sign (our third of the day, in case you’re counting), before making our way to our tents to clean up for dinner. As the sun headed down, the temperature started dropping noticeably, and we were all eager to change out of our sweat-soaked clothes in favor for something dry and warm.
After cleaning up, our primary responsibility was making sure our water bottles and/or camelback bladders were placed outside the tent so the porters could collect them and fill them with water. I’m not use to this kind of luxury when I go backpacking, so it felt like a serious treat to have someone else fill my water!
Then it was time to head off to the eating tent for some hot tea and coffee to warm up. Dinner was served family style, with course after course of food coming into the tent. There was far too much to eat, and I quickly realized I didn’t need to worry about bringing any snacks along. No one was going hungry in our group. It would be a bigger miracle if we all don’t walk away 10 pounds heavier at the end of this trip.
A sobering reality
After dinner, Jack Bauer returned to ask each of us individually how we were feeling, and whether anyone was experiencing headaches or other symptoms of altitude sickness.
We’re still below 10,000 feet, but several people in the group had higher pulse during our medical check, indicating their systems working a little harder to acclimate. Jack Bauer took this moment to share the “Rule of 75” with us.
The outfitter’s rule is you must have at least a 75% O2 saturation level to climb. Anyone whose oxygen levels fell below 75% during the mandatory readings will automatically have their oxygen level measured three times. If it remained below 75%, that climber must leave the mountain and won’t be able to continue higher.
This news was a sobering realization for most of us. We’d all assumed we’d make it to the summit. Now, we were being confronted with something we couldn’t possibly control as a possible factor holding us back.
With dinner and our health check over, we all somberly retreated to our tents to conduct our evening hygiene routines and get ready for bed. Tomorrow’s wake-up call will be at 6:30 am, so we all turned in early in hopes of getting a good night sleep.
Final Thoughts
Although I was pretty impatient throughout the day, I’m finally starting to calm myself down and enjoy the ride a little bit more.
I was careful to never to outwardly show any impatience to the guides or my fellow group members. But, my hurried desire to get going today was apparent in the lack of photos I stopped to take. Day 1’s photos were pathetic. I barely took any at all. I definitely need to slow down and enjoy this ride. We’ll get to the summit when it’s time.