Kili Diary - Day One

We join together as a group for the first time in Nairobi Airport as we disembark and wait for our connecting flight to Tanzania.  We are all tired fro the red eye flight getting here but spirits are high and introductions are made.  Then almost immediately the humour begins and continues onto our second flight to Kilimanjaro.

We are fortunate as clear skies give us our first view of our objective.  Our flight was planned for 17,000 feet, which is 2500foot lower than our ultimate goal at the summit of Uhuru Peak.  The pilot announces he has been given the all clear to deviate off route and we are treated to a lap of Mawenzi and Kilimanjaro Peaks.  

 We can see the sign boards and can see climbers making their summit attempt.  They seem so close which is strange as we are in a plane and normally you only see clouds.  These people on the mountain were only a few hundred meters away!

Thanks to the extra altitude and few mins flying time I manage to take a few photos.

We land and are greeted by our head guide Emmanuel, and more jokes begin.  We take a bus for the two hour journey (including 20minutes of 'African massage') to the hotel.  As we arrive we remark how nice the accommodation is in striking contradiction to the huts and shanti towns we have seen on route.  Its a spot of luxury in an area which shouldn't have any.

African massage is the funny way of keeping passengers amused while their vehicle goes off roading as no proper roads exist.  Just hope you don't need the toilet as you'll be bouncing all over the place!

Due to the odd numbers, I'm lucky enough to have my own room in the hotel, and also my own tent on the expedition.  The room is huge with a balcony over looking the swimming pool, easily a 4* maybe 5* service.  Very unexpected treat for us.  We eat well and relax well, then get our kit check and briefing for the start of our expedition the next day.

Excitement is high and spirits are great, but we are reminded of the perils that we face.  None of us are happy with the possibility that we might not make it.  Before dinner we meet a group of 8 who have just returned from their summit attempt of Kilimanjaro, using the same route we intend to take and using the same company that we are using to take them.

One of the group was unsuccessful, and another had to be stretchered off having suffered respiratory problems shortly after reaching the summit (we at least she made it though!).  The harsh reality is, the majority of groups have someone that fails. 

 We call it a night quite early and no one dares having too much to drink, if any drinks at all.  There is work to do ahead and its not going to be spoiled by too much booze.