THURS. MAR. 9 DAY 4 MOSHI-MACHAME CAMP
Climbing day has finally arrived ! We drove from Moshi to Machame Gate ( about an hour's drive ) through the pastoral Tanzanian countryside. And then, through the clouds, we saw Kili, looming like a god in the heavens. Jeff and I could only stare, in the stark realization that we'd finally seen it. It whetted our appetite. Our arrival at the Gate was followed by hurry up and wait. We endured two hours of crazy frustration. Our support team arrived in a huge lumbering truck: seventeen young men poured out. We were amazed at the large number of men needed to support two climbers. These men greeted us with smiles and "jambo"s as we walked to the trail head. They would become our family for the next week.
When we finally got going, the mountain asserted its dominance on us right away. Huffing and puffing, sweating, constant sucking on the water tube became our routine. Our first break came quickly, thank goodness, and, after that, we got second wind and began a magical walk through the rainforest in the only direction open to us: up ! The forest was full of birds, monkeys, and hyraxes who followed every step. It was great !
Well, it was great for the first couple of hours. But as one hour became two, and two became five, serious fatigue set in. We still enjoyed the sunshine, the views of camphor trees and mosses and the fine company of our guides and a new member of our entourage, Aristide, who carried the "safety pack", consisting of oxygen tanks, stretchers, and other first aid items. Aristide kept a constant shadowy pace, always behind us, always watching, and always smiling. He became a reassuring presence for the entire trek.
Eventually, we passed out of the rainforest and into the heather zone. This landscape is higher, drier, and populated by tall heather and juniper plants. The terrain became steeper, with several steep steps making our lungs ache and our legs rubbery. We persevered.
Finally, we arrived at Machame Camp, elevation approximately 10,000 feet. It was a bustling camp of porters, cooks, guides, camp managers and a surprisingly small number of clients, which gave us pause: so many people required to support so few. Such is life on the mountain. We felt like astronauts arriving on the moon: only two men supported by thousands. An agreeable dinner followed and the promise of a good night's sleep.
When we finally got going, the mountain asserted its dominance on us right away. Huffing and puffing, sweating, constant sucking on the water tube became our routine. Our first break came quickly, thank goodness, and, after that, we got second wind and began a magical walk through the rainforest in the only direction open to us: up ! The forest was full of birds, monkeys, and hyraxes who followed every step. It was great !
Well, it was great for the first couple of hours. But as one hour became two, and two became five, serious fatigue set in. We still enjoyed the sunshine, the views of camphor trees and mosses and the fine company of our guides and a new member of our entourage, Aristide, who carried the "safety pack", consisting of oxygen tanks, stretchers, and other first aid items. Aristide kept a constant shadowy pace, always behind us, always watching, and always smiling. He became a reassuring presence for the entire trek.
Eventually, we passed out of the rainforest and into the heather zone. This landscape is higher, drier, and populated by tall heather and juniper plants. The terrain became steeper, with several steep steps making our lungs ache and our legs rubbery. We persevered.
Finally, we arrived at Machame Camp, elevation approximately 10,000 feet. It was a bustling camp of porters, cooks, guides, camp managers and a surprisingly small number of clients, which gave us pause: so many people required to support so few. Such is life on the mountain. We felt like astronauts arriving on the moon: only two men supported by thousands. An agreeable dinner followed and the promise of a good night's sleep.
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