Kilimanjaro (part 4)

---

Day 5 of the climb

THE SUMMIT

I awoke after a combined total of roughly 20 minutes sleep with shooting pains in my neck and my headache at it's worst. Jayde was also riddled with head pain and a general lack of energy.

It was 10pm. We were to set off at 11pm and trek in the darkness in order to reach the summit by sunrise. The hard part of the climb is the vertical ascent to Stella ridge, which takes around 6 hours. From Stella, the walk to Uhuru peak is relatively flat and supposedly easy. There are a number of theories as to why the summit walk is in the cover of darkness;

* The peak is generally wrapped in clouds by 7am, bringing visibility to almost zero and thus making for a pretty shitty view from the top, and;
* The climb is so treacherous that most people would turn back in fright if they could actually see how far they could fall at any second!

I find the first theory more plausible and upon reminiscing, I think the climb would have been a piece of cake if it were not for the obvious effects on our bodies of altitude sickness. What I found tough was that in the dark, the ridge that was our vertical destination was indiscernible from the night sky - this meant I had no way of gauging the distance we needed to traverse (horizontally or vertically).

As the climb progressed and my night vision sharpened, salt was added to the wound by a series of false peaks that seemed to recede with every step. My balance began to wane and I was reduced to a 2 step forward, 2 step back procession at a number of times along the way. I would stop every minute or so, look up at what appeared to be Stella (the ridge of salvation) and then be brought to the brink of tears of desperation that not only did the end not seem closer, it now seemed further away!!! I hated the peak of Mt Kilimanjaro... I hated Wilson for not caring that I was wobbling on my feet... I hated my lungs for not giving me any oxygen anymore... I hated myself and Jayde for deciding this whole thing was a great idea... I wanted to breathe smoke......

We had been the first of the climbers to set off and only one other trekker had been going head to head with us for the first 4 or so hours. Then we both started running out of steam and countless, faceless figures began streaming past us in mocking silence. We slumped on some rocks on one of the few plateaus and the two assistant guides fixed us a hot drink and biscuit. Jayde gulped down a delicious hot coffee and no sooner than finishing the last sip, she lurched up, found the nearest rock to lean on and began vomiting violently. I could not even finish my shortbread and I struggled to finish my cup of hot water.

Jayde is the most beautiful woman in the world.

We struggled to our feet and managed to walk only a few more steps before my balance swayed and my energy plummeted once again and I fell to my knees in comeplete exhaustion. Jayde, being the ever trusty and wonderful travel companion had managed to keep me on my feet up until this point, but I had begun to lose hope completely having looked up again in sheer desperation at the eternally receding mountain top. I willed myself to my feet after a group of short breaths and tried to carry on. I didn't think I was ever going to get to the top and on more than 101 occasions I was about to call out to Wilson that I wanted to stop and turn back. I dont know if it was because of determination that I did not abandon the climb or for the fact that I couldn't manage enough breath to actually mouth any words at all! When Jayde and I discussed this later we realised that we had both wanted to turn back 2 days ago but were both not prepared to say anything to one another.

I swayed, staggered and then dropped to my knees for the second time, but on this occasion, quick as a flash, Roman, one of the assistant guides rushed to my aid and pulled me to my feet. With him by my side (propping me up) it seemed only 5 minutes more past and we had finally come to the Stella ridge (sitting here writing this, Jayde tells me that it was probably closer to an hour). We stopped at Stella for a few minutes and the look of fear and defeat on our faces must have told Wilson that we did not even feel we could complete the easy part of the trek and manage to reach Uhuru, because he looked Jayde square in the eyes and (referring to me) said 'is he going to shame me?'! I did not want to disappoint Wilson, Jayde or myself and so we gathered our breath, Jayde threw up again and then we set off as the first few rays of light began to appear over the horizon. The view was spectacular. Simply breathtaking, and this breathed new life in to us so that we almost floated to Uhuru peak from Stella, finally reaching the summit at 6:17!!!



Some people have said climbing Mt Kilimanjaro can be likened to childbirth - you endure hours upon hours of mind numbing, torturous pain and then just when you feel like crawling in to a ball and dying you push through to the other side and all of a sudden all the day's pain disappears and you are left with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction, pride and achievement. Luckily, I will never have to experience childbirth for real.... I hope I can be the angel in her wings, just as she and Roman were on my climb when (God willing, fingers crossed) she goes through with Kili's metaphorical equivalent! Then maybe we can tackle Everest!!!

---

Comments

[Tony P]

wow!
Great effort guys; that's something you're not going to forget in a hurry! Good to see that you're making the most of your travels - keep the updates coming :)

[anonymous]

BEAUTIFUL! you two together can conquer anything

[anonymous]

sorry i forgot to say its folakadakawana