Final Post

Well, this is the final post in my Journey.

The whole idea to climb Mt Kilimanjaro came from a company initiative called EPIC, well for me, this certainly was an EPIC Journey. It started 11 months ago when i applied for sponsorship from RM to take me up the mighty mountain, i was lucky enough to recieve the backing from RM and it has at times been a whirlwind of a journey.

Having spent months training, planning and organising, on Thursday 23rd February at 04:30 UK time, i made it to the very top of Mt Kilimanjaro!

Having done a last minute dash to Cotswold Outdoor on Thursday 16th February, we made our way to Heathrow Airport T4 to meet the Action Challenge Walk Leader Ian Flemming and Doctor Roger Schoffield. Emma and i had a quick farewell to try and keep emotions to a minimum.

Within a short period of time, the group had assembled and we took a relatively trouble flight to Nairobi airport in Kenya. Landing in Nairobi, we found our contact and were put on the bus that would take us to the beginning of the Rongai route.

The bus was typical of Africa, run down, small, tinny and capable of driving anywhere at all, be it tarmac or more often than not, off road!

We arrived at Snow Capped Cottages on Day 2 at around 13:00 local time. After we located our rooms, it was a quick turn around to perform an equipment check and ensure that our bags were weighing correctly for the porters to carry up the mountain. By the time this was sorted, it was time for dinner and off to bed.

We set off on day 3 at around 09:00 for a short walk to our first camp. we arrived at around 13:00, had some lunch and chilled out for the afternoon.

Day 4 promised to be a tough day, with 9-10 hours of walking, it did not let us down. I started the day feeling pretty tired and low on energy, things did not improve until we stopped for Lunch which seemed to provide me with the necessary fuel to carry on. We made it into camp at around 16:30! Dinner, bed and on for Day 5.

Day 5 was a 5 - 6 hour hike up to Mawenzi Peak at around 4400m. As we walked the weather turned from sunshine to rain, which turned to Hale and snow! The altitude and weather took it's toll on some and by this time, many were suffering from mild altitude sickness symptoms such as headaches or sickness. Personally i quite enjoyed the tough weather as it seemed to even out the playing field for me as the rocks and stones were less of a problem for me.

We had a short 1 hr climatisation walk at around 17:00 to help us sleep.

Day 6 was a climatisation day, we did a short 4 hour walk up and down to help our bodies climatise. I got a blood nose in the afternoon and really started to feel the effects of altitude, i decided to take myself to bed with a nurofen and missed the afternoon walk.

Day 7 was the hike upto Kibo Camp where we would attempt the summit at midnight. Keebow Camp is at around 4800M, it took around 5-6 hours to get there and we arrived at around lunchtime. It was a quick lunch, retire to the tent for a rest and then dinner with a detailed briefing for the summit later that evening.

As it turned out, we had to wake up at 22:00 ready to leave at 23:00 that evening!

Day 7/8 was summit day. We left camp at 23:00 amd started the ascent from Keebow Camp up to Gillmans Point. It took 7 hours to get to Gillmans Point and i certainly felt it. There were a number of times during the ascent that i felt like turning around and i had to give myself a good talking too! I had settled in my head that i could not go any further than Gillman's point, this was essentially the crater rim at around 5790M, i really could not see myself going beyond this point given how i was feeling.

As we got to Gillmans point, emotions were running high for all, 18 out of the 19 group made it to Gillmans. Adrenalin soon took over and there was no way that i was going to stop here! I set off rather quickly and trudged the remaining 1.5 hours to make it to the very top of the mountain, i was the 1st of the group to make it to Uhuru Peak! I got there at around 07:30 on day 8 and could not help but cry with elation at having made it to the very top! all 18 out of the remaining team made it! We all did our photo shoot and within 30 mins, we started to make our way back down the mountain.

On the way down, one of the group took a turn for the worse and the Doctor treated them with some oxygen. Quickly the doctor and porters rushed the team member off the peak and down to Kido camp. I arrived back at Kibo at around 12:30 and we all had a bite of lunch before starting on the journey down to Marangu Camp were we would stay the night. Finally i was in a place where i could get a phone signal and called Emma my wife! The ill team memver was checked out and in the end was put on a wheeled stretcher and run down to the national park gates to be taken to Hospital. Unbelievably, the doctor that had just summited Mt Kilimanjaro had to run alongside the stretcher for some 25KM! What a guy!

Day 9 was the final descent day and i was clearly way behind the rest of the group. By lunch time i was around 45 mins behind, so as to not hold the gorup up, a cheep was arranged to meet me at the emergency gate so that i could meet the rest of the team on time! There was no way i was going to turn down that offer! We got back to the hotel and met up with the ill group member and doctor, it turned out that he had Neumonia.

We had a celebration, had a well deserved meal and drink and retired late to bed. The rooms were massive and had a great bed, well deserved having spent a wekk in a tent with a thin sleeping mat and sleeping bag!

Day 10 was a late rise, a small spot of shopping and the return journey to Nairobi Airport and then homeward bound. Unbelieveably, as the airplane was taxing, one of our party got a blood nose and due to an increased blood pressure was unable to fly! A sad end to our trip. We made it back to the UK at around 08:00 on Day 11.

So that's it, that was ny journey. I don't think i have done it justice, but the video diary and documentary that is being made about the journey will undoubtedly paint a more detailed picture! It was definately the challenge of a life time, it was hard work, emotional, rewarding and i am incredibly pleased that i have done it!

So, thank you to everyone that has supported me through the journey, in particularly my Wife Emma and parents. Their support has been essential. We have raised some £4070 for Helen and Douglas plus about £500 in gift aid, an incredible figure and really demonstrates the generosity of all my friends and family, incredible.

Thank you to all of you.

Take Care

Paul