Why Are We Doing This?

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Geo: -3.3346, 37.3473

After a week in Kenya during which we made the needed time zone and dietary adjustments, we started our climb in the rain forest at the base of the mountain, one of five eco-zones that you pass through on the way to the top (the others being Moorland, Heath, Alpine Desert, and Glacier). Joined by Sandy, a friend of DH, we started out as a somewhat compact group of 3 along with the required guides and porters but we quickly hooked up with Annie and Carol, a pair of Scottish lassies who, according to Carol, were "born ready" and eager to tackle Kili. Now a less-than-menacing gang of 5, we ran across, and adopted, Ori and Sam. Both are currently living on a kibbutz in Israel and climbing Kili was clearly going to be an exercise in passion for both of them. Ori was the consummate gentleman, who couldn't do enough to help the other members of our informal group, and as a recent New Yorker, Sam was one of those truly memorable characters you meet as you travel; picture the exaggerated Jewish New Yorker with the over-bearing mother from any B movie and you're picturing Sam (or Woody Allen?). After Day 1 the effects of altitude became very noticeable and the guides worked hard to keep us climbing slowly (“pole, pole”😉 so as not to trigger the more serious symptoms of altitude or AMS. Despite that, the early days of the climb pretty much matched the brochure with spectacular vistas and entertaining mealtimes (how many significant careers has Carol had already… and who knew that Sam was the poster child for metrosexuals having experienced every spa treatment known to mankind?).

Day 4 saw a step-up in the challenge level and Ori had to be rushed off the mountain with liquid in his lungs (potentially life-threatening pulmonary edema).

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