Hike on Mount Kilimanjaro, continued

On our second day of hiking, we hiked from Machame Camp to Shira Camp. We hiked out of the rainforest and into a drier, cooler climate.  The hike on this day was shorter, but very steep.  The views were beautiful, and they just continued to get better as we hiked throughout the week.  There was a gap in some rocks that we had to cross.  There was no way my short legs were going to reach across that gap. No problem.  The guide grabbed my backpack and tossed me right over the gap.  I was pretty surprised to find myself on the other side of that gap!

As mentioned in my previous story, WHOA partners with a guide company, Tanzania Journeys.  We had several guides who hiked with us.  They made sure everyone stayed safe throughout the hike.  They were awesome.  If they saw anyone struggling even a little bit, they were right there to help however they could, such as carrying a pack, lending an arm to hold to keep from falling, making sure we were drinking enough water and eating enough snacks.  The porters were amazing as well.  They carried all of our duffels.  We only had to carry a daypack while hiking. They carried all of the tents and all of the water and food for the meals.  They cooked the food, set up all of the tents, and filled our water bladders and water bottles each day.  These porters would pass us on the trail, carrying about 50 pounds on their shoulders or heads, saying “pole pole” which means “slowly,” reminding us to go slowly so that we could acclimate to the elevation without tiring too quickly, while they sprinted up the mountain.  When we arrived at the camp each evening, the tents were set up, with a sleeping pad and our duffels in each of our tents.  

By this time, I was not reacting very well to the increasing altitude.  I was not getting headaches or having any difficulty breathing, but the nausea was getting pretty intense.  I was constantly nauseous and could barely stand the thought of eating food.  Even drinking water was hard.  Everyone said the food was really good.  I just took their word for it, because I was able to eat very little of it.  They always had ginger tea, which I heard was supposed to help with nausea, so I tried to choke some of that down at every meal. I don’t even like ginger, so I was really trying.  I had lots of snacks, most of which I couldn’t eat, but the rest of the ladies seemed to enjoy them. Just in case you are thinking that I am just trying to get sympathy, this information about the altitude sickness is important for next week’s story.

It was always good to see all of those yellow tents because we knew that the hike was done for the day and we would get to rest.  The porters also set up toilet tents. These were little portable toilets in little tents.  The toilets actually flushed. As I was preparing for the trip, I was trying to be OK with always having to find a big rock or a bush when I needed to go to the bathroom.  If you want to see my best impersonation of a meerkat, just approach while I am squatting behind a rock.  My head will pop up and I will quickly be on full alert. 

We did usually have to find a rock or a bush while we were hiking, but I was really glad when I realized we had toilet tents at the camp. The only problem with the toilet tents was that, on most days, it was really windy.  Not trying to give too much information, but it was a little unsettling to be sitting on the toilet and have a side of the tent blow down on my head.  There was also the concern that I would be sitting on the toilet when the tent stakes failed and the tent blew away. But still, the toilet tents were much better than squatting behind a rock.     

The next day we hiked from Shira camp to Barranco Camp.  It was getting colder.  We stopped at Lava Tower and the porters had lunch set out for us. 

We stopped to hug an unusual looking tree. I don’t really make a habit of hugging trees, but I didn’t want to be the only non-tree hugger in the group.  After the hugging session, we were told by one of the guides that hugging the tree actually harms the tree. The one time I participate in a tree hugging activity, and I find out I hurt the tree.  Great.

The next day turned out to be one of my favorite days.  We climbed the rocks on Barranco Wall.  I thought it was so much fun! Several of the other ladies in our group did not agree.  The guides made sure we didn’t fall off the side of the mountain, which was much appreciated.

On all of the other days, when the porters were behind us, we were expected to step aside and let them pass.  But on this day, there was no room to let them pass.  I guess one of the porters became impatient because he was crawling UP THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN! Like Spiderman! I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.  If I could pick whatever Superhero I wanted to be, it wouldn’t be someone like Superman or Wonder Woman.  It would be a Mount Kilimanjaro porter!

Next time…The Conclusion of the Mount Kilimanjaro hike!

Top Tips for Mount Kilimanjaro, Part 2:

1. Don’t worry if you can’t make it over a gap in the trail.  The guides will just toss you across.
2. Hang on to the sides of the toilet tents when it’s really windy.  It will help prevent them from falling in on you, and you will have a grip on the tent in case the stakes fail. 
3. Don’t hug the trees on Mount Kilimanjaro.  Even if everyone else is doing it.  You might not be able to live with the guilt that you hurt the trees.
4. The name of the unusual trees is Senecio (Dendrosenecio kilimanjari).
5. Kilimanjaro porters have super powers.
6. Climbing the rocks on Barranco Wall makes you feel like a badass, even if you are a meerkat.