Ringing in the New Year

We are in Amsterdam and it is significantly colder than where we've been (other than the top of Kilimanjaro). Thankfully, we have lots of cold weather gear, so we are set. A little more than 3 hours to midnight...and 2009 will be here. Fireworks have already started and will only intensify from what we've been told.

We are wishing each and every one of you a very Happy New Year. All the very best - our hearts are with you at home.

Day with Tino - cont'd

We took a longer route back to the bike rental guys and had a blast chatting with the locals along the way. We stopped to have a typical African lunch at a roadside garden bar (ugali or rice with chicken...and a Kilimanjaro beer!) with Tino and then were off to finish our batik designs.

Batik-making shop:



Marisa signing the batik piece that she and Walt had done together:


Ironing Mark's design:


With our new 'masterpieces' in hands, we asked the guys running the business if they might like to hire us and let's just say, I don't think we should hold our breath on that one! But, it was a great experience and we have something special to take home as a remembrance of the day.

Tino took us through the local market where most Arushans buy their fresh vegetables, grains, fish, meat, fruit, etc - a bustling place filled with vendors with little space to move around. It is nothing like the farmer's markets at home. But, I would love to have something like this close to home. The spices provided a wonderful aroma to a hot and stuffy environment. The smell of fried talapia and dahka filled the area where fresh fish was sold. The mango and avocado looked ready for peeling and eating...and all were very inexpensive.

Alas, it was time to say goodbye to Tino as we still had to shower and pack before heading off on our flight from Kilimanjaro airport to Amsterdam (via Dar es Salaam). Meeting Yusuf and Tino has made this trip a little extra special...giving us the opportunity to see and do things we might never have done. For that, we will be forever grateful. And thankfully, we have exchanged information and have promised to stay in touch with our newfound friends.

We're artist wannabe's - Day with Tino

Tino met us at 8am and we were off on an adventure. We walked from our hotel along dirt roads, passing sleeping dogs laying off the side of the road, past people walking to work, through a small market, until we found ourselves in front of a small group of men working in an outdoor shop.

To one side, they were building furniture by hand. No special machinery - just hand tools. Cabinets were in various states of finshing and chair bases were sitting ready for batting and fabric. Everything was just sitting on the dirt ground.

To the other side, we saw colourful fabrics hanging on clotheslines with African themed prints. This was a batik shop. Batik is a process using various coloured dyes and wax to create amazingly beautiful fabric hangings. I had the opportunity to try this in art class many years ago and recognized the artform.

Tino (furniture on left and batik shop to right):


This was our first stop on our day with Tino. We were going to be artists for a day and take home the finished piece as something special to remember from our trip. What a fabulous idea!

We had seen batik art along roadsides and at tourist shops, and now we know where and how it was done. Since the process can involve many steps, we would do a step or two, then head off to do something else, come back to complete another step, and so on until it was done. And so, there we were with pencils in hand, using some of their designs to create our own masterpieces

While we waited for it to dry in the sun, we went off to walk in the area. There are many children around as schools are closed during the month of December. It put a smile on our faces as they ran out from their small homes to greet the wazungu with their English greetings and our Swahili responses. Tino told us a bit about how they live and out of respect to their privacy, very few photos were taken during these walks. It will be something difficult to describe, but we'll remember the visuals.

Tino took us to his school. We met the pricipal - an amazing man who started the school in the 1990's, with a bit of prompting from friends and clients, as there were no guide schools in existence at the time. He has now developed a carriculum that has been approved by the Tanzanian gov't and based on the classroom we saw, is gaining in popularity. Tuition is approx 750 dollars per year, but he must now increase the tuition (which he knows will have an big impact on future students) due to the changes in the carriculum as no funding comes from elsewhere except for advanced specialty programs that appeal to special interest groups (ex, a California company helps fund advanced 'birding' programs).

As it turns out, Yusuf (our Kili guide) attended this same school and it seems he was a student they are very proud to call their own. Understandable!!

Next up - a roadside bike rental. It looked no different than a few guys who just happen to have their bikes sitting around, leaning against trees. But that is where we would rent our bikes. Tino had planned for us to ride to a local boma (Maasi village)called Warusha boma. We weren't sure whether they would allow us to view inside the huts, but we knew that we could meet the inhabitants and bring gifts to the children. So,we loaded up our backpacks with pens, markers, tennis balls, frisbees, balloons, compact mirrors for the women, some clothing, hats, and other things...all of which we had brought from home.

The ride was short, but all uphill. The roads were as difficult to ride as some single-track mountain bike routes back at home. I think funding for infrastructure such as roads, takes a lower priority in Arusha than we would expect from our tax dollars at home.



In any case, it was a real treat to be able to give the gifts to the inhabitants of the boma...lots of children who were incredibly appreciative. As we were leaving, we looked back to see the kids running around laughing and playing.

Remember Yusuf?

True to his word, Yusuf's friend Tino met us in Arusha after we returned from the Safari. Tino is a young married man who is attending guide school while working as many jobs as is necessary to make ends meet. We immediately took a liking to him and his relaxed ways.

Before much discussion, he presented a small elephant keychain (stitched from leather) to Marisa and I - a very thoughtful gesture.

From there, we took off into the evening and walked the area around our hotel. The sights and sounds of 'working' Arusha was ever present as this was the time that many were heading home for the day. Like us, many need to commute reasonable distances to their jobs. Unlike us, very few have their own vehicles and rely on small commuter buses (like mini vans) all of which, are overcrowded. This type of transport is called a dala-dala. There would be no air conditioning and in Moshi, we had seen one pass and the actual sliding door fell off when someone got out - not the best condition.

Many of the storefronts had been closed up with iron gates for security, but many sidewalks in front of these shops were now being used by street vendors selling anything from fresh fruit, cooked foods, and used clothing from makeshift stands.

Tanzanians rely heavily on used clothing that come from Western countries. So it wasn't a surprise to see people wearing a T-shirt that said 'Canada' on it, or even a golf shirt that had Minnesota embroidered on the chest.

It was nice having Tino guiding us, as locals whose only goal is to sell trinkets to tourists, were no longer a bother like they had been in Moshi. Either they would see we were with Tino and back away, or he would quickly make a comment to them in Swahili and they would back off. Being a white person ('wazungu', in Swahili) in this area made us a target to those in the 'hocking-to-tourist' trade. But we were quite confortable.

There is a large population of Muslims in Arusha. So, as we walked we saw the men leaving their community centre after prayer and we turned down another street to see their local mosque.

One thing I should comment on, while it seems Christian faiths still dominate, the Muslim religion is a very close second. There is no problem at all, to the gov't or the religious groups, to marry outside their faith. For example, Muslims can marry Catholics and that is considered perfectly acceptable.

Our hotel was just outside city centre. It was plain, but very clean and the first fresh sheets and good shower we've had for awhile. Since they offered dinner at the hotel, we invited Tino to have dinner with us and during the meal, he outlined his plans for us for the following day. Meeting Yusuf on Kilimanjaro mountain was the catalyst for making this new connection in Arusha - what a treat this has been and we can't wait for tomorrow.

Ndutu to Tarangire

Our final game drive was approx 300km from Ndutu. The route to get there included some great views in the Ngorongoro Highlands and we all commented on how much Maureen would love to be with us on that drive (not!) - it was a narrow road along a ridge with big drop-offs on either side and because we were in a bit of a rush today, let's just say that we just 'relaxed' and enjoyed the ride.

We reached Tarangire National Park in record time and were fortunate enough to see baboons, black-faced monkeys, zebras, elephants, giraffes, warthogs - but the highlight in my opinion, surprisingly enough, was the mongoose! They were hilarious.

If you've ever seen 'Meercat Manor' on Animal Planet you'll know how cute they are as they scurry along and then pop up to stand guard as look-out. The mongoose are similar. They kept us entertained for quite awhile and during it all I'm not sure if I got even one good photo. So, it may be one for the memory bank.

During our drives, we noticed a tree with a very thick trunk that Mark said reminded him of the Keebler Elves' tree that we used to see in commercials on TV as kids. We all agreed, the baobob tree looked exactly like the Keebler 'home'. It's also known as the upside-down tree because when the leaves fall from the tree, the branches actually resemble tree roots in appearance. Tarangire park was full of these trees...some much thicker than this one.



A highlight of this drive was a group of elephants that passed right by our vehicle with a very young baby elephant directly on the heels of the mother, who led the group. They are such amazingly large creatures and I find them incredibly captivating. What a great way to end our Safari.



The off-road Safari in the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro region was my favourite. The ability to get so close to the animals, the plains that seem to go on forever, and the abundance of wildlife for as far as the eye could see, made this a very special place.

My next favourite spot would have to be the Ngorongoro Crater - supporting its own eco-system in the massive crater (actually a caldera) with an abundance of wildlife. That was the day we saw all of the Big 5 in one day.

This has been a rewarding experience on so many levels and we all feel quite fortunate to have this opportunity to learn from nature.

As a celebration of our Kilimanjaro climb, I had taken the liberty to have a custom silver bracelet made for Marisa and myself before we left Canada. It would only be given and worn following a successful summit attempt.

Each had a Swahili proverb that I thought might be appropriate for the two of us. I'll let Marisa share with you what hers reads, if she likes. But mine reads "elimu maisha si vitabu" - which means, in essence, "education comes from life, not just books". This seems even more appropriate following this adventure. I've learned so much from this experience.

Flight...

We're at Kilimanjaro airport awaiting our flight to Amsterdam. Lots to blog about on the plane, so an update will follow.

Walkabout...

We had planned a short walking safari around the Ndutu area and as it turns out, all the available rangers were busy attending to an 'emergency' with an elephant. We found out later it was quite sick.

Our driver/guide is very good friends with the Warden for Nduto and so despite being very busy, he agreed to take us on a short safari walk. We needed a ranger, or warden in this case, as we needed to be with someone carrying a firearm. We're not talking about a pistol...they carry AK-47 machine guns! Guides are not allowed to carry weapons.

Gibson (warden) taught us more during that walk than we could have imagined. The destruction of trees by elephants, the regrowth made possible due to the high moisture content in some trees, the fact that leopards often scratch at trees to mark their territory, the killing habits of elephants and rhinos (who often attack from head-on), and African buffalo (who often charge and kill from the rear). We learned that warthogs back into holes in the ground so than exit is easier and timely in the case of passing animals. He is more concerned about risks associated with being in buffalo territory than he is with leopards.

And we also learned that poaching is still very prevalent. He told us of a time when he was a ranger, that they were out on patrol and they came across poachers. Three of the ten rangers were killed that day. That is one of the reasons they no longer carry standard rifles and now carry AK-47 machine guns...so they are better able to match the firepower of the poachers. Very sad, but a fact of life here.

Another great day of living and learning.

A mother's love

She nurtures, she protects, she feeds, and she teaches by example. The love a mother is seen with most species of animal life like we experience as homo sapiens.

Today, would be our last day on the Serengeti plains, bordering Ngorongoro and once again; we were not disappointed. Strangely enough, the cheetah is considered an endangered species and yet our morning drive treated us to more cheetah sightings, while the elusive leopard remains hidden to us in this area.

Our first sighting came quickly into our drive. She was ever watchful of her surroundings and we saw why. Closely on her heels were four very small cubs - likely around 2 months old. As she scanned the area around, she continued to flick the underside of her long tail so that the cubs could recognize the white tip at the end as a sign to follow her. And they did. If one lagged behind, she would let out a squeak and the cub would move along more quickly.

A small depression in the path had filled with water from a recent rain, and there, she stopped to drink, encouraging her cubs to do the same thing. We watched them get their needed fluids and noticed the strong interaction between the mother and the cubs - obviously a very good mother (and always on constant alert to predators).




Moving along further, we noticed two young gazelles off on ther own feeding. A cheetah off in the distance noticed the same thing. As we got closeran we noticed she had 3 cubs with her and our guide/driver suggested, this was likely the same cheetah that we had seen two days earlier with the kill and surrounding vultures.

She was on the prowl again. They can have more than one kill in a day, but often a hyena will come and force the cheetah away and the cheetah must find another opportunity to eat. They do not have to eat every day, but thankfully, they are great hunters and with the abundance of gazelles, there are more opportunities here.

We watched from a distance as she prompted her cubs to lay down in longer grass as she moved in closer. She crept closer and closer, but the the gazelles must have sensed something was amiss. One gazelle took off running in one direction, while the other remained on alert for a short while, until it also took off. She wasn't quite close enough to catch the gazelle and so she called her cubs to her. No kill this time, but intriquing to watch the process.

Still, we saw so many other animals today. We're loving this experience!

Later, we are heading off on a short walking safari.

Wildebeest migration

Long faces, horns, bearded chins, and a dark mane are the most apparent physical characteristics of this animal. Approx 1.5 million take part in the migration beginning in Kenya and crossing the border into Tanzania to begin their rotational migration to better grazing lands. Zebra often follow this migration and so it wasn't a surprise when we came across the wildebeest, there were many zebras around as well.

Remember the old cowboy movies where they were out riding the range and then a glance into the distance, the cowboys would notice the horizon filled with native Indians on horses ready to fight/defend their land? Well, our horizon view had a similar surreal look...it almost looked like a line of trees...but it was wildebeests that had completely taken over our view. There were thousands of them!



One thing we learned is that other than size (which isn't always apparent), it is difficult to tell the difference between male and females. You would have to take a close look at the 'undercarriage' to know for sure.

The other thing we learned is that the females will all calve in the same week. It must be just amazing to see all the newborn calves

There were hundreds of zebra (incl some young ones)and we also saw some elands, two kinds of gazelles, hyenas (they really are mangey looking!), and more jackals.



We had a picnic lunch under a lone acacia tree (likely a couple of hundred years old) and slowly made our way back to camp. It was a very long drive today, but to see this migration - it was a real treat. The Serengeti plains are barren for the most part (at least what we could see), but the grass is perfect for grazing. We joked that it was like crossing the flat prairies.



A big bonfire was waiting for us back at camp and we relaxed around it following dinner. A nice way to end the day.

One thing I will comment on - the food. We think that the safari company/cook is trying to appeal to 'westerners' in their choices of meals offered. The guide said the food choices are not part of the African diet (except for the really yummy African dishes they made for us). So as it turns out, it seems that they think we all eat a lot of fried foods!! Unfortunately, it really isn't what 'we' like and we are longing for something with a bit more nutrition or less fat - esp since we are sitting in a vehicle most of the day. They've suggested a bit of a walking safari for tomorrow afternoon (accompanied by a ranger) and we jumped at the chance for some 'exercise'!!!

Thankfully, the soup and fresh fruit is something we all like (although I don't suspect that the sodium levels in the soup would be considered low-sodium to Campbells) and we brought enough Clif bars, power bars, dried mango, nuts, and chocolate to satisfy 'cravings'.

We are having a blast and continue to enjoy reading the comments! Thanks everyone! It feels nice knowing that 'home' is close even when it isn't.

Marisa said thanks for the BD wishes! Both she and Walt have moved up an age group since we started this trip! Alas, Mark and I are still older than they are!

Serengeti - more...

After a quick rest, we went out again. We were searching for leopards in the late afternoon...but instead of leopards, we came across three beautiful lionesses lounging and grooming each other in the grass.



Only a couple hundred metres beyond, were two male lions. Wow...the most amazing eyes and their manes were full. Apparently, these two males were brothers. In some cases, a standard 'point and shoot' camera is all that is needed as we are able to get sooooo close.



As we moved on, we found a female cheetah laying in some longer grass with three male cheetahs surrounding her. By the squeaks she made, it was obvious that these males were completely under her spell. They listened intently to her sounds.




What a day! The leopards remain elusive in this area, but we are gifted with some pretty amazing sights and sounds.

Tomorrow we are off to see the wildebeest migration on the Serengeti plains.

Serengeti - wow!

As far as the eye can see, with or without binoculars, there are animals to be seen and. heard.

We have decided to keep camp at Ndutu along the edge of Serengeti and Ngorongoro regions as the migration is traveling further south than was originally thought. This allows us to keep a base camp and head off to do game drives in a variety of directions. These are off-road safari excursions now.

So, today we went off in an effort to find cheetahs. We saw hyenas, ostrich, jackals, bat-eared foxes, a lioness, giraffe, zebra, elephants, a python, many birds - vultures, eagles, storks, and so on....but no cheetah. We came upon a friend of our driver who is doing research on cheetahs - a girl all on her own in the middle of the Serengeti. I'm sure it would be a very interesting job!

Then, we saw 'her' - not the researcher, but rather a female cheetah with three cubs. Beautiful! She had just finished killing a gazelle and she was allowing her cubs to feed. We must have sat and watched the feed and natural process that followed for 90 minutes.



As she and her cubs were eating the carcass, vultures began to circle and land in close proximity. There must have been a hundred vultures or more and one stork also showed up. Our guide said that while the stork's beak would not allow it to tear meat off the bones, they would steal meat away from the vultures who had some success getting some scraps.



We expected the spotted hyenas to show up after seeing so many vultures circle and land...but they never did. The vultures would get a bit brazen and try to get closer, but we laughed when two of the cubs chased the vultures back.



When there was not much left, the cheetah and her cubs got up and walked away...and then the frenzy began...and it was all over in a couple of minutes. Nothing was left. This truly was an 'up close and personal' education for us.

More to follow.

Ngorongoro to Serengeti

We were just about to leave the crater and head up to the crater rim when we saw a couple of safari vehicles off in the distance (BTW, we're in a very nice Toyota Land Cruiser that seats 9-10 people - so lots of space for the 4 of us and our driver/guide). So we went to see what they may have been looking at and there it was...a beautiful lioness laying down, totally out of breath and only a few feet away was an incredibly large African buffalo that she had just killed. It is hard to imagine that a lion could easily kill something so large.

The circle of life is so apparent out here.




It was a good day for seeing animals. The guide said it's rare to see all of the Big 5 in one day - and we had.

On our way to the Serengeti we visited a Maasi tribe's boma (a grouping of twig/grass/cow dung huts surrounded by acacia tree branches (full of thorns/spines). These branches act as a barrier to outside intruders (wildlife).



The Maasi people continue to live according to their strong traditions and culture. They are polygamists and one chief may have many wives. Each wife has her own hut and all his wives and children live within one boma. They are nomadic in the sense that they migrate based on the land and how well it is suited to giving their cattle proper grasses for feeding. When the land is no longer suitable, they move and build a new boma.

We visited their school (readying the children with basic reading and math skills) and spoke at length with one of men living within the boma.

It was interesting to see how they lived and to experience a bit of their culture.





As we were driving, seeing giraffes, zebra, etc in the fields and along the roadside, we commented on how strange it seemed...but that this is where they live. We are so used to seeing these animals in a zoo, and to see them in their natural habitat seems so strange.

Finally we see a very small sign pointing to Ndutu (where we would be camping) and we looked at what was supposed to be a road...but was nothing more than tire tracks that we would follow across the plains for 28km. Very cool!

Camp

To answer the question on where we sleep...it is protected conservation lands. The animals roam freely, no barriers or fencing at all.

In the case of the Serengeti, it is over 14,000 sq kms - so you can really see just how big this particular area might be! The camping we're doing is quite a bit different from the provincial park camping we might have done at home.

We could hear the hyenas around the camp last night, but none of the wild animals seem to cause problems - they can wander in and out of camp if they desire, but so far the closest thing that we've seen near our camp is a warthog, monkeys, and ummm, the 'droppings' of an African buffalo.



Of course, we would not go off walking or wandering around without an escort/guide and they give us hints on things we should do/not do when we need to go to the bathroom at night. It's all about respect of the animals and their environment...and a little common sense, I guess.

The Big 5

We have now seen each of the Big 5 - leopard, lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo.

But, we have seen so much more than this - hippo, wildebeest, zebra, bush buck, water buck, velvet monkeys, blue monkeys, colobus monkeys, baboons, impala, antelope - the list goes on and on! The birds are beautiful and the birds of prey are so majestic.

Ngorongoro Crater is just filled with amazing creatures and the history of its formation is incredibly interesting.

Warmth of the holiday season...

Thinking of everyone and wishing all of you a wonderful day! We're missing the time usually spent with family and friends at this time, but know our thoughts are with each and everyone of you!

We're leaving Lake Manyara and are now on our way to Ngorongoro Crater. We have seen so many wonderful and wild animals.




Hard to imagine, but the guide says it will only get better and better.

We saw a stand-off between an elephant and a hippo yesterday. Something to see! ....and we were soooooo close.

The coolest part of this adventure is that we sleep in the game parks with no one else remotely close - our own private camp among the animals. A little unnerving the first night, but it is a unique experience to wake up to the sounds and calls of the wild. Thrilled to have this opportunity.



Missing turkey dinner tonight, but we are expecting a traditional African dinner this evening - can't wait!

All our love!
PS we love reading all your comments on the blog. It brings smiles to our faces. Thanks!

Off on safari

We were picked up from our B&B in Moshi by Emmilian, our guide and driver for the safari. The safari company is based out of Arusha, but today we would drive past Arusha and onto our first Safari drive at Arusha National Park and camp overnight on the slopes of Mt. Meru.

We had traveled past coffee plantations and lodges to get to the park gates and as we approached, we were shocked to see...GIRAFFES! There they were just hanging out roadside




If this was an indication of things to come, we were ready!

Culture shared

Part of our trip had a couple of days of unplanned activities while in Arusha. We had wanted to learn more about the local culture, but not in the typical 'staged' touristic experiences that had been offered. So, we decided to wait until we got here to see what we might be able to do.

And then...we met and got to know Yusuf. He had a friend in Arusha (apparently, was a true 'birdman' recognizing over 800 species of birds. Yusuf said he knew only 500 species!). He said he would try to set up a meeting between us once we had returned from the mountain, make the introduction and hopefully 'Tino' could assist us.

So, after a much-needed shower (8 days without washing my hair - you can only imagine that I was always wearing at hat!) we took a shuttle into Moshi to meet Yusuf and Tino. Little did we know that Tino had taken a bus from Arusha to Moshi (approx 80-90km) just for this introduction and then turned around to take the bus back!! Yusuf said that is what friends do! They help each other without question.

In any case, Tino was very personable and we agreed to meet in Arusha on the 29th, following our safari and see what he has planned.

We had also asked about local shopping and Yusuf told us he would go with us as otherwise we would likely pay overly inflated tourist prices. We were appreciative of his thoughtfulness but wondered aloud about his family time. We knew that he had just been away from his wife and children for the past 8 days and that he was guiding a walking safari in a few short days.

After a quick stop at a local shop, we asked that he allow us to have our taxi take him home first, before we returned to our hotel so that he did not have to walk.

We had our first taste of the true culture as we drove to his home. We passed through his local market, over bumpy, dirt roads. Most homes do not have running water (they collect water at community taps and boil their water). Some have electricity, others do not. A television would be a true luxury and owning a car would be next to impossible. He said he fared better than many and most importantly, they were happy and healthy.

He invited us in to meet his family and he seemed confused when we were reluctant to do so without his wife having advance warning of visitors. Why would she not want to meet his new friends? His home was well-cared for with simple furnishings and his family were wonderfully inviting.

We were touched by their authenticity and I'm sure each of us took something to heart by this chance meeting - serendipity.

Mweka camp...singing, laughing...

This was our last camp of the climb and the day that would be the most rewarding for us.

We arrived late and so we went to bed a bit early as we would be getting up at 5am to finish the last hike to Mweka Gate.

Abdallah delivered fresh coffe and tea as we packed up our gear. It was looking like it would be another beautiful day. As an aside, we had amazing weather the whole time on the mountain.

After breakfast came the fun part - saying thank you 'asante' to the crew. It is customary to tip each of the porters, cook, and guides. But it isn't just about the money. One can only imagine the life of a porter- hard work, little pay, and often little thanks. Yet without them, it would be a completely different experience.



Mark spoke on behalf of the four of us and told them all how appreciative we were. He said that we know that this may be a 'job' to them and that a week from now, they might be doing it all over again, but they have just fulfilled a dream for us - and that is a very special thing.

He told them how their love of life and laughter (and there was a lot of laughter!!! We had no idea what they were saying, but we could tell they shared a bond) and it was contagious. And we were thankful that they shared a bit of the country and culture with us.

All of this (and more) was translated to the crew in Swahili by Yusuf and everyone cheered, laughed, and when it was over they broke out into song (Kilimanjaro Song) and danced while the peak of Kilimanjaro was seen off in the distance against a bright blue sky.

Hugs, handshakes, and more assantes...and we were off on the final leg. We were greeted by more colobus monkeys in the trees, a beautiful lush rainforest, and eventually the gates. One final registration point to sign out before boarding the bus back to our hotel.

Leaving footprints, taking home memories along with a bit of dust from the mountain:


At the hotel we had the guide and asst guide join us for some cold drinks and we were presented with our gold certificates to show that we made it to the summit of Uhuru Peak. We had lots of gear (t-shirts, jackets, rainwear, caps, etc) that we had brought from home knowing that porters could likely use some of it. So, we left it with Yusuf to distribute how he thinks would be appropriate.

We had gained a lot of respect of Yusuf over the past few days. He was so genuine and seemed to truly understand human nature - making him a great leader.

More to follow...as our day didn't stop there...

Summit - Uhuru Peak

This is the photo taken at the summit, the sun is shining brightly and we're a pretty happy group (four of us, along with our guide and two asst guides) - from left Walter, Marisa, Yusuf, Tammy, Mark, Mohommad, and Yahaya (front)

And here is a photo of four friends sharing a dream:

What an experience...

His huge smile, his insight and wisdom, and his overall love of life and laughter...that was Yusuf, our guide for the climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro. We could not have hoped for a better experience. It actually makes us a bit worried for the next stage of our trip (safari) as we just cannot think we could be this fortunate two times over. The link with Yusuf was a bit of serendipity in our mind. More on that later.

First, let me say that while Kilimanjaro is not a technical climb, it is far from easy. I can't compare what people may experience making the trek from the other routes offered, but Lemosho is incredibly scenic and that is the trade-off for sections of relentless steep climbs, clamouring over rocks jutting out from cliffs, and eight long days of hiking (as I look at my puffy feet and ankles right now - stay hydrated).

So, they wake us up at 11pm the night we head out from Barafu (base camp). As we step outside our tents to hot tea and bisquits,, it is total darkness except for the stars in the sky and little lights glowing, far off in the distance. These are the head-lamps of those who opted to get an early start. The guide tries to determine the best time to head out based on how his climbers have been adjusting over the past few days and the ever-important desire to reach the top as the sun rises.

We set out shortly after midnight and it was a poley, poley climb following the guide, asst guides, or our own group of four seeing only a few feet in front us with our head-lamps. The climb seemed to go on and on, switch-back after switch-back. We were all thankful when Mohammad, the asst guide, told us that we were more than half way...but that still meant more hours of climbing.

Some nausea and intestinal issues (that had started a day earlier) meant that I wasn't feeling as good as I might like, but Mark felt great all the way. Marisa struggled with some nausea as well, but she pushed through that and the leg problem that she has had for a few months. Like Mark, Walt had no problems. It really does make a difference with the pace...and poley, poley is the only way

We reached Stella Point and were amazed that we got there so quickly. But at this altitude, there was no time to hang out, our goal was still about 45min away - Uhuru Peak. The highest point on Kilimanjaro. The sun came up and glistened off the glaciers, the sky was clear, and we were thrilled to have made it. High fives, hugs all around, photos with our guides at the Uhuru Peak sign, and we fulfilled a dream with great friends.






After our bit of euphoric celebration, we started heading back down! Wow, quads were burning, toes were jammed to the front of our boots and we were tired. I think coming down (while fun, especially running through the scree like it was fresh powder) was just as tough as going up.

Our porters greeted each one individually as we came back to our camp with fresh mango juice. Alas, a very short nap, quick lunch and we had to be on the trail for another 4-5 hrs of hiking to get us to our next camp (Mweka camp) before it got dark. It was a long day, but so worth it.