Joseph, our safari guide, picked us up at the Key's Hotel after breakfast and we departed for our first day of safari at 8:30am. In the truck were the four of us and Joseph. We asked how many more people would we be picking up? We were amazed when he said this was it! We would be getting our own semi-private safari for a week. We get along with Kim and Steve very well, and were excited they were our only safari partners. We drove through Arusha to our to Kirurana, our tented lodge. We would be staying here for one [View Full Entry]

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We awoke, had breakfast, and hiked the remaining distance down to the gate where our group would be picked up and transported back to the Key's Hotel. The previous night was fun, after the long 4 hour hike to our last camp, many of us talked in the mess tent about the exhilaration of summiting. We talked about how sore our bodies were, how we couldn't wait to shower, and many said they were looking forward to some barbeque once they got home. I on the other hand was very excited about the safari. I had mentally prepared for the mountain [View Full Entry]

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It is cold outside, about 10 degrees, but it's only midnight, it will get colder in the early a.m. hours. Fortunately, this is the day we prepared for. As I mentioned, I detest being cold, so about half of our investment in equipment was for the next six hours. First comes the long underwear - technologically advanced mind you - to be very thin and lightweight, but still warm. Fleece pants go on over the underwear, and are also very insulating and light. Finally we each have a pair of heavy ski pants to protect us from precipitation, wind, and also [View Full Entry]

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Unfortunately the journal got behind and this is my first entry in 5 days. A lot has happened. For starters, we hiked for almost 24 hours in a 27 hour period. Some of that time was eating, or breaking, but it was all on the go. I know it sounds hard to believe, and it was a lot harder to do. On summit day we started with a long hike very early in the morning, about 8 hours up to the Baranco Wall. This was supposed to be the most difficult part. It certainly was the most technical, though not very [View Full Entry]

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When tonight comes, after an 8 hours hike today, we will have gained 110' in elevation. This is a technique used by climbers designated 'climb high - sleep low', and helps with the acclimatization process. I hiked with Shoshanna the entire duration today. It was tough sledding from the beginning for Shoshanna. Before breakfast she was feeling nauseas and was given Pepto-Bismol by our head guide Eliakim who requests that we call him 'General'. It seemed to help until we started hiking and then Shoshanna couldn't go on. I carried her day-pack for her and they sent back a porter from [View Full Entry]

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Today was more challenging, steeper for sure. I felt very strong again today. In the morning Shoshanna was not feeling so well. We adjusted her day-pack in a way that distributed the weight more evenly and that helped her tremendously. The landscape changed and became more rocky. In some sections you had to use footholds and handholds and to 'scramble' up the mountain. Another difference was we were alongside cliffs most of the way. Because of this I hiked with Shoshanna the whole time after lunch today. Before we got to lunch I was springing right along again and one of [View Full Entry]

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Well it didn't rain at all which was wonderful! I felt strong today, and I was at the head of the group with Toby all day. Everyone, especially Larry, was teasing us for the break-neck pace we were setting. It became a running theme for our climb. The group is very fun and shared a lot of laughs. Shoshanna was in the middle of the pack and went at her own pace. I stopped many times to shout words of encouragement or ask her how she was doing or took photographs of her. I think we got a lot of good [View Full Entry]

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The hotel grounds are beautiful and green. Breakfast consists of eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, bread, and O.J. Great way to start the day! Across from the common area there is a garden with trees, and when you look up the trees part to give us our first look at Kilimanjaro, it's breathtaking. Really. And I'm scared. Orientation was better than I thought it would be, the group seems like a good bunch - fun people. The oldest in our group is 71. Shoshanna and I are the youngest in the group, everyone else appears to be in their 30's or 40's. [View Full Entry]

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In Amsterdam we are pretty tired, we slept a small amount on the plane, we took a photograph of ourselves after arriving. Shoshanna was nauseas so we had to keep moving. 3 hr layover. On the flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro we sat next to an older woman. We did not get her name, though she was pleasant. The flight was 8 hrs but offered some more scenery. We flew SE over the Swiss Alps which have to jump to the top of the list of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I'm wary of saying that at the [View Full Entry]

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Captain's log; Stardate 625... aww @#%! wrong vaca! We got to the airport 4 hrs early, no lines, no traffic, off to a good start! I took a picture of our plan, seemed like a nice place to begin snapping photos. On the 6 hr flight we sat next to an NYU film director, George. Nice enough guy, flight offered unlimited free alcohol, had a glass of wine, and we all had some Bailey's and tea together, but that was it, Shoshanna and I had to be sure not to dehydrate ourselves for the climb. [View Full Entry]

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