The roof of Africa
I just viewed the top of Kilimanjaro from the streets of Moshi, Tanzania and it is hard to believe that just three days ago, I was on the very top of that mountain. It is HUGE, i kid you not! Trekking the area was beautiful. Kilimanjaro has many small micro climats and to trek from luscious green fairlylike forests to alpine moorland with ghostlike trees, to skree desert and finally glaciers and ‘eternal’ (for how long?) snow is simply awe-inspiring.
Experiencing the altitude was intense. Nauseousness, a little vomiting, shortness of breath. Add peeing every ten minutes, caused by drinking litres of water to avoid mountain sickness, a urinary tract infection (yes, outdoor toiletting with the cold wind blowing does great things), cramps…. all these minor (female) discomforts made sure that the challenge was both mental and physical.
Unexpected emotions made the biggest impact however. Kilimanjaro was the end of a journey and the beginning of a new one, and the final hour of ascending, from Stella Point to Uhuru Peak, the tears and snot froze behind my sunglasses and balaclava as i let all the frustrations of the last 20 months go. At 5895 meters, i felt relieved.
