Kilimanjaro Chronicles – July 2012

Chronicles of my Journey to the top of Kilimanjaro

“Rejoice when you reach the summit: Cry, clap your hands, shout to the four winds that you made it; let the wind purify your mind, cool your hot, weary feet. Open your eyes and blow the dust off your heart. What was once nothing but a dream, a distant  vision, is now a part of your life. You made it!” ~  Paulo Coelho

On the 6th July 2012, after years of talking about it, planning and finally training I drove to the airport with my friend Donna to embark on a journey of a lifetime.

I’ve had a dream to climb Kilimanjaro for many years. In fact it was one of the first few items to land up on my bucket list that I created many years ago. Sitting at number 7 on my list, it was a dream.  I had no idea when I would do it or how I would do it but it was  a dream nonetheless. I have come to learn over the years that how the dream would happen was unimportant and that just having the dream itself was what really mattered!

On the 8th July 2012 we set out for the slopes of Kilimanjaro. A team of hikers, we started out as strangers at first, we were to become friends who shared something so extraordinary that it would bond us for life.

~On Friday, 13th July 2012 at 8:45am, I reached the summit of Kilimanjaro! ~

Donna and I on the summit of Kilimanjaro!

Below are the links to the story of my journey in the run up to leaving for the mountain, taking my first footsteps on the the slopes of Kilimanjaro, the journey that unfolded in the days hiking to the summit and eventually the journey back down again. It chronicles how the climb came about, my inspiration behind the climb, the highs, the lows, the sheer agony and the absolute joys.

With Just Hours To Go Before Departure:

I Don’t Need Easy, I Just Need Possible

Day 0: 

Planes, Champagne and a Moment of Serendipity – A Journey to the Top of Kilimanjaro

Day Post Arrival Pre-Kilimanjaro:

A Blind Lady with a View, Carbo-Loading, Packing & the Final Preparation – A Journey to the Top of Kilimanjaro

Day 1:

Weigh-In’s, Permits & First Steps on Kili’s Slopes – A Journey To The Top Of Kilimanjaro

Day 2:

Becoming Fluent in Swahili, Serenades on the Slopes and a Whole Lot of ‘Pole Pole’ – A Journey to the Top of Kilimanjaro

Day 3:

Broken Sleep, A Tower called Lava, Laughter and Tears and a Sunset to Take Your Breathe Away ~ A Journey to the Top of Kilimanjaro

Day 4:

From hair washing to climbing vertical walls, uphills galore, ice and a new camp by lunch ~ A Journey to the Top of Kilimanjaro

Day 5:

Saying Goodbye, Broken Camera’s and Emotions Running Wild, we were on our way to Base Camp ~ A Journey to the Top of Kilimanjaro

Night 5/Day 6 – The Summit, Part One:

Enveloped in Darkness, Our Summit Bid Began ~ A Journey to the Top of Kilimanjaro

Night 5/Day 6 – The Summit Part Two:

Climbing over the Crater Rim, the Summit was Suddenly Near ~ A Journey to the Top of Kilimanjaro

Day 6:

Glorious Sleep and a Phone Call Home, Our Long 36-Hour Day Wasn’t Over Yet ~ A Journey to the Top of Kilimanjaro

Day 7:

Seven Days Worth of Dirt, Squeals of Delight With Outbursts of Dance and Playing In The Mud ~ A Journey to the Top of Kilimanjaro

The End:

The Epilogue ~ A Journey to the Top of Kilimanjaro

Our amazing team on the summit!

Although the journey is long over now, the memories are still so fresh in my mind. I hope you enjoy reading the journey as much as I enjoyed living this journey of a lifetime.

But as I end these stories of my time on Kilimanjaro, my new adventure begins, for in January 2014 I hope to summit my 2^nd high altitude mountain, my 2^nd of the Seven Summits. Aconcagua in Argentina awaits and I hope you will join me for the incredible journey of planning, training and ultimately summiting all 6962 metres of Aconcagua…

As we end, so we begin again…