I fell asleep quickly last night, then awoke around 11pm with the most urgent need to pee. Clearly the Diamox is working its wonders. Yesterday was the first day I took it, and the main side effect is a diuretic effect.
I’ll admit I felt a lot of impatience yesterday when everyone kept wanting to stop for the bathroom during our drive up to the park. But perhaps I was too being too judgmental. If they arrived in Moshi a day or two earlier than me, then chances are they also started their Diamox regimen earlier too. That would explain a lot!
After returning from the toilet tent, I was wide awake for the next two hours. My mind was racing with thoughts of what the next day might bring. While willing myself back to sleep, I tried not to toss and turn too much, since Sean and I are sharing a tent.
I finally nodded back off around 1 am and awoke for good around 6 am as I heard the porters shuffling around outside while making our breakfast.
Good Morning!
Our official wake-up call was at 6:30 am. While Sean was out using the toilet tent and brushing his teeth, I dressed for another moderate day in pants and a short sleeve shirt and threw on my fleece. It still appears to be pretty mild out, but I’m sure the colder weather will come as we ascend.
I did my best to pack up my duffel and make sure the tent was cleaned up before Sean returned. The porters breaks down our tents and pack our foam sleeping pads up while we’re eating so they can get a head start up the mountain.
I normally pride myself on being self-sufficient, so it feels weird to let someone else do all the work on this trip. My porter, James, is responsible for setting up and break down our tent, carry my duffel bag, and refilling my water at the end of each day. I know this is his job, so I let him do it. But I feel a bit like a slacker and a pampered Westerner.
Soon it was time to head to the eating tent for breakfast, and another overwhelmingly large meal. The taste and quantity of food impressed me, and would continue to do so during the trip. There was porridge (oatmeal), pancakes, sausages, eggs, fruit. I’m sure these choices will narrow as we get further up the mountain, but the quantity of food prepared for each meal is insane.
After we finished eating, Jack Bauer returned for our obligatory Q&A about headaches, nausea, and how we slept the night before before taking our pulse and O2 levels.
Unfortunately, Helen (one of the ladies from the UK) is feeling really sick and nauseated. It’s unclear whether it’s the altitude or just something she picked up on the way to Africa. Hopefully, she makes it.
Transitioning to the heath
Today’s hike was about 5 hours in duration and steep. We seemed to climb up and down the same 1,000 feet in elevation over and over again. The path didn’t follow the easiest terrain options either. If we could have walked over a saddle, you can guarantee our path would head over a peak instead.
I have a strong suspicion this route was deliberately designed to help whip some people in shape. The guides *could* take an easier path, but that wouldn’t help us exert ourselves and force our lungs to adapt to the altitude. Sneaky!
We left the rain forest about an hour into today’s hike and entered the heath (an open, uncultivated land with lots of dust). Then the rain started. It was never a truly hard rain, but just enough to need a rain jacket to stay dry.
At least the rain was keeping the 1/2 ” of powdery fine moondust on the trail down while we tromped through it. This is the same light dust we encountered yesterday, and it was caked all over our faces, bags, and clothes before long.
As we walked, Jack Bauer and the other guides were constantly telling us to drink water. We had to take so many pit stops for people to relieve their bladders due to the forced hydration and Diamox side effects.
Shira I
The last few hours of our hike seemed to be mostly uphill and I started to feel the altitude a little. It felt like the bottom of my lungs had a slight ache. Nothing to complain about, but being aware of my body was at the forefront of my mind after last night’s discussion of people potentially having to leave the mountain.
We arrived at Shira I around 1:45 pm. And once we crested the last peak, we could see our entire camp. It was set up on the plateau surrounded by a flat basin of scrub brush.
More importantly, we could finally see Kilimanjaro – or at least most of it. Clouds obscured the top, but there’s definitely snow on the parts we can see near the top.
At camp, we signed the register before eating a late lunch and enjoying some time to relax. Around 4pm, the cook started serving tea and a few of us moved over to the eating tent. I took this time to get to know a few of the others in the group a little better as people opened up and shared their stories.
Two of the ladies, Helen and Sofie, are long-time friends who take an adventure trip together each year. They’ve been to some really exotic places, including Everest Base Camp and seem like pretty experienced travelers.
Helen also seems to be feeling a little better after walking today. I gave her some hard candy this morning so she could suck on something to help with the nausea. It seems to have helped, so hopefully it’s just an upset stomach and nothing more serious.
We chatted and swapped stories as more and more people trickled in to join us. Then it was time for dinner. As expected, dinner was another big meal and I’m noticing my appetite is really starting to wane. I’m still eating something, because I know I’ll need my energy. Still, eating seems like such a chore. At least the company is good.
Restless night
We went to bed early again this evening. Although I seem to have no problem falling asleep, I encountered the same problem as last night. I woke up around 10 pm with the most urgent need to pee.
Naturally, I didn’t want to repeat last night’s sleeplessness, so I put my headphones in and listened to a podcast when I returned to the tent. While deployed to Afghanistan, I learned that listening to audiobooks or podcasts seems to help me fall asleep more quickly when insomnia sets in.
However, my podcast choice didn’t work its magic this time. I was still wide awake two hours later – and I’d need to lie there another hour before the sandman finally arrived.
Final Thoughts
I’m really starting to enjoy the people on this trip with us. We certainly lucked out with a group of well-traveled, adventurous folks who also have a healthy dose of humility. No one has turned out to be “that guy” (or gal) who is endlessly boasting about their exploits and accomplishments. Let’s hope our internal harmony persists through the rest of the trip.