Tuesday, January 13th
The day has finally arrived – time to summit Kilimanjaro! A quick breakfast that was hard for many to swallow (literally, as they were suffering from the effects of the altitude) warmed us briefly and at 5:00am we were on our way. A short climb in comparison to what we had accomplished the day before, it was still difficult due to the thin air, sore bodies, and 45-degree pitch. Being the photog, I was in front, attempting to capture the climb – a difficult task between the cold and fatigue. The benefit of this – I was the first to reach the summit and got to witness the sun just as it peaked over the horizon. I was absolutely blown away at all the beauty that surrounded me – mountain peaks, glaciers, clouds and beautiful colors. So overcome with emotion and exhaustion, I could barely shed a tear, got behind the camera and continued to shoot.
One by one, our trekkers reached the summit – exhausted, exuberated, and emotional. At 19, 341’ you don’t exactly get to hang around on the summit as the altitude can effect you in ways you don’t realize. Tears were shed, hugs given, and many congratulations to us all. One by one, we all stood in front of the Kilimanjaro sign to capture our moment of triumph, a big group shot, and then the descent began.
Sooner than we wanted, we began our descent back down the mountain – but down the Barafu route this time. While our trek was quite challenging, it was also incredibly beautiful and we all agreed we were happy to have climbed this way. The route down was basically gravel and dirt – difficult footing going down, and undoubtedly even more so going up.
800’ up, followed by 9,500’ down makes for a physically challenging day. Knees and hips ached, but our hearts glowed as WE DID IT! We climbed Kilimanjaro. All 18 of us made it up the mountain, despite altitude sickness, aches, pains and mental challenges.
As Aden mentioned at lunch a few days prior, this challenge we embarked on to help others is nothing compared to the battle that cancer patients deal with on a daily basis. We are all so proud to have had this opportunity to call upon our inner strengths to help the kids at the oncology center in Tanzania, and for all the support of our friends and families – both financially and emotionally – that have aided us along the way.
Thank you to everyone for your messages of love and support along the way. Tomorrow is our last day on the mountain with a four-hour trek to the gate, and long-awaited showers and actual beds. You can continue to follow our journey as we go on a four-day safari followed by a visit to the oncology center in Dar es Salaam.
