Mount Kilimanjaro Video

So I know this is overdue but I have been working on it for the past week to make it good. Drum roll please....



I'd love to know you thoughts and comments on this video! Any parts you loved? Anything you didn't?

Lights, Camera, Action!

Okay, I know I said I was going to post reflections today but something exciting has happened. Aaron, who I hiked Kilimanjaro with, sent me video footage he took along the way. 

So instead of posting my reflections today, I will post them next week. Today I am working on uploading the video he sent me to YouTube so I can add it here for you all to see.

The first time I watched this I laughed because a lot of it I didn’t remember or didn’t know he was even recording. I’m going to post it as soon as I get it uploaded to YouTube for you all to enjoy!

Thesis Thursday

Travel can be one of the most rewarding forms of introspection. ~Lawrence Durrell

As part of the process to graduate from the University of South Carolina Honors College this May I have to complete a senior thesis project. The project can be about anything of my choosing which is both a gift and a curse.

For a long time I really struggled with finding a topic for my thesis. With the freedom and flexibility to do my thesis about absolutely anything, it was difficult to narrow down topics. While I initially struggled with selecting a topic, as soon as I began hiking Kilimanjaro I knew that the whole experience would be my thesis topic.

My thesis focuses on two main things: reflecting about my hike to the summit of Kilimanjaro and providing detailed information about my experience hiking Kilimanjaro to others. First I wanted to look at the experience introspectively to identify what hiking Kilimanjaro meant to me in terms of a learning experience.

Second, I wanted to share this experience on a large scale which is why I opted to incorporate a blog into the thesis process. Hopefully this blog will help anyone considering hiking Kili or anyone who is planning their Kilimanjaro adventure with the preparation process and with what to expect.

Also I have found a love for blogging. I look forward to continuing to blog about my travel experiences. Summer of 2009 I spent five weeks in Spain, four of which were in Barcelona. Right before hiking Kilimanjaro I spent several days in London and two and a half weeks in Tanzania. Fall of this past year I took several weekend trips, one of which was to Asheville, North Carolina. Already since I began this blog I have been on a ski trip to Colorado and a spring break trip to Walt Disney World and Naples, Florida. I love to travel and want to continue sharing my trips and travel opportunities with others through this blog.

In the process of working on this thesis I have learned a lot. Tomorrow’s post will be about my reflections on the hike overall and what I feel I learned throughout the whole process.

Hiking Kilimanjaro Day 6

Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened. ~Dr. Seuss

Waking up at 6:30 was rough. I was groggy, exhausted, physically worn out, and the absolute last thing I wanted to do was get up and hike some more.

Despite not being hungry at all, I had a couple bites of eggs and toast to satisfy my appetite for the next few hours. While I was really apprehensive about the food going into the trip, I’m really going to miss the food we ate on Kilimanjaro because it was so good.

I’m even going to miss the trips Rakhi and I took to the wooded areas to go to the bathroom. Rakhi called some of them a “loo with a view” which I thought was hilarious.

We began the final leg of our hike at 7:20 AM. Aaron and Arnold hiked ahead to arrive at the gate first and organize our travel arrangements back to Arusha and the airport. Rakhi, Daniel, and I hiked at a slower pace because we were in physical pain from the downhill hiking.

As we hiked along through the rainforest it seemed as though we had come full circle back to the first day of our hike. We had beautiful scenery the whole way down but also had to deal with a muddy trail.

By the time we made it to the gate it was 11:20 AM. There aren’t enough words to begin to describe how happy and relieved I was when we got there. My motivation for getting down the mountain was receiving my summit certificate and a long, hot shower.

When Arnold gave me the certificate saying I had reached Uhuru Peak, I was elated. It’s definitely going to be framed as soon as possible so I can hang it somewhere I will see it every day. 

While I was super happy about receiving my certificate, sadness crept in when I had to say goodbye to three new friends: Rakhi, Arnold, and Aaron. Saying I’m going to miss Rakhi is a huge understatement. What a blessing it was to have her added to our group at the last minute. The companionship of having another girl on the hike was such a bonding experience. As for Arnold, I don’t know if we’ll ever meet again. I told him if I come to Tanzania in the future I am going to visit him.

When they left to head back to Arusha, I was alone in a day room at a hotel waiting for my 9 PM flight. It was the first time in almost a month being by myself. What a strange feeling. It was too quiet for my liking. I used the time to decompress, repack all of my belongings, and rest before my long plane ride.

Hiking through the rain forest with my attractive gaiters

Rain forest scenery

Our group with all of the crew at the gate!

Saying goodbye to Rakhi

Arnold giving me my certificate-I'm ecstatic in this picture but looking a little rough

My certificate!!!

Hiking Kilimanjaro Day 5: Summit Day! (part 3)

There, ahead, all he could see, as wide as all the world, great, high, and unbelievably white in the sun, was the square top of Kilimanjaro. And then he knew that there was where he was going ~Ernest Hemingway, The Snows Of Kilimanjaro

Pure joy. Happiness. Ecstasy. Pride. Bliss. Satisfaction. Elation. These are just a few words to try and describe reaching the summit. To a certain extent, I don’t know if it can be fully described. Maybe it’s best that way. There’s just an unspoken, indescribable magic about reaching the summit that can only be fully understood through experiencing it for yourself.

Immediately upon arriving I gave Rakhi and Aaron big hugs of congratulations and gave Arnold and Daniel hugs of gratitude. Shortly after that a photo shoot began so we could capture in picture our achievement. 

The best moment was taking a picture with the sign at the summit that says “Uhuru Peak, Tanzania, 5895 M. Africa’s Highest Point, World’s Highest Free-standing Mountain.” Every step that brought me to the summit, that sign was in the back of my mind. Every time the hike was difficult or I didn’t know if I would make it, I would think of that sign. It was my motivation and a right of passage for all those who trek Kilimanjaro.

I am so proud of myself for taking on this challenge and succeeding. I know that this experience is something I will forever be proud to tell people I accomplished. Standing on top of Kilimanjaro has made me feel so alive and purposeful. I feel ready and am excited to check more things off my “bucket list.”

Our time at the summit was short lived. We were only allowed to stay twenty minutes due to the altitude. After drinking my celebratory Coca-Cola I left the summit feeling content with life.

I thought that going down would be easy compared to hiking up Kili. I was proven wrong big time. As we were hiking down I was overwhelmed with exhaustion. Honestly, I could have rolled down the hill and been perfectly fine with it. Rakhi actually did fall a few times coming down the mountain. And Aaron had to be held up by Arnold and Daniel coming down the mountain because he was still sick from the altitude. 

It took us about three and a half hours to hike down from the summit back to Millennium Camp. As soon as we arrived at 1:30 PM, we were given an hour and a half to rest and nap if we wanted to. 

I used the first thirty minutes to decompress. I felt like I had just been through such an ordeal. My face felt burnt and chapped from the sun and high winds. My eyes would not stop watering because they were so irritated from the wind and all the dirt that had blown into them. My body and muscles ache to the extreme. My ankles and knees feel like someone has been kicking them continuously. I have never felt joint pain this bad in my whole life. 

More than all of the physical pain combined, I was mentally and emotionally drained. The mix of emotions and intensity of emotions I felt was ridiculous. I was beyond ecstatic to have made it to the summit, proud of myself, weary from the hike, stressed from the physical pain, and a little bit sad it was over.

Sleeping for an hour was the best thing I could have done for myself. I woke up still in pain and feeling emotional, but it was much less than before I had gone to sleep. At 4 PM we ate a quick lunch of soup and crackers. 

Quickly we packed up our camp in order to hike to the final camp in daylight. The porters aren’t supposed to be in transit at night because they don’t have headlamps which makes the hike very dangerous. Arnold had told us earlier that around ten people die on Kilimanjaro every year and mostly they are porters. 

As soon as the camp was packed up we left Millennium Camp. It took us longer than it should have to get there because the sun had set and we were forced to hike in the dark. Hiking this leg in the dark was pretty difficult because there were a lot of large, slick rocks than we had to climb down off of.

Fortunately after about three and a half hours of hiking, we made it to the next camp. We immediately sat down and had a dinner of rice, white beans, vegetables, and coconut sauce. Food has never tasted so good. 

After eating we had a celebratory champagne toast with our whole group including Arnold, Daniel, and the porters. It definitely made me sad to think that our adventure together had almost come to an end. Come tomorrow I’d be on my way home to the States. But before that I still had to finish getting down the mountain.

Glaciers

Hiking over the ice

Above the clouds, in front of the glaciers

Uhuru Peak, Tanzania sign!

Rakhi, Me, & Aaron in fron of the summit sign

Me in front of the summit sign

Representing USC-GO GAMECOCKS!!

Me doing the spur-GO GAMECOCKS- & Daniel doing the Kilimanjaro sign

It's Not Goodbye, It's See You Later

Rafiki: What was that? The weather - Pbbbah! Very peculiar. Don't you think?
Simba: Yeah. Looks like the winds are changing.
Rafiki: Ahhh. Change is good.  ~Lion King

Hopefully by this point you’ve read all of the preparation I went through for trekking Mount Kilimanjaro. And hopefully by this point you’ve gotten yourself prepared as per my process and you’re ready to conquer Kili.

As the end of my study abroad trip with my classmates approached, I began to get nervous. The two weeks leading up to hiking Mount Kilimanjaro that I spent in Tanzania I made some incredible memories and made great friendships. 

The day I said goodbye to those on my study abroad trip was a tough day. First of all, I didn’t want them to leave because we were all having such a good time. Secondly, I knew that as soon as they left I was on my own which slightly terrified me. 

I told my new good friends Robert and Andrew goodbye as they would be leaving for Kenya the next morning with their parents (their dad was our professor). I would miss joking around with them on safaris in the “Diddy-mobile” (our affectionate name for our all white safari vehicle), our Lion King sing-alongs (Tanzania is where the Lion King is set after all), our sad attempts at playing beach volleyball at the Jangwani Seabreeze Resort (I miss that DJ so much), and even our evening card games where they constantly killed me at Hearts or Spades.

Needless to say, this study abroad trip was incredible and I am lucky to have made such wonderful new friendships while seeing the world. As fantastic as the trip had been so far, there was still one more 19,334 foot tall task awaiting me. I am freaking out.

My whole IBUS 444 class visiting a school

The four of us in the "Diddy-mobile"

Andrew with bananas on his head at the Mulala village

Robert jumping with a Masai cattle herder

Me getting ready to dance with women of the Masai tribe

A Pill a Day Keeps Altitude Sickness Away

Medicine heals doubts as well as diseases.  ~Karl Marx

I thought that after I got my general Tanzania vaccinations I would be good to go for hiking Kilimanjaro. Wrong! There were still a few things I needed to do to prepare myself medically.

Attitude sickness can be a hiker’s worst nightmare. Altitude sickness is a major contributor to preventing 50% of hikers from reaching Gilman’s Point (18,600 feet) which is less than an hour from the summit. It’s also a reason why only roughly 40% of hikers make it to Uhuru Peak (19,334 feet). Because altitude sickness can prevent you from reaching your ultimate goal of the summit it needs to be taken seriously and prepared for.

Symptoms of AMS (acute mountain sickness) include headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, disturbed sleep, and general discomfort. Altitude sickness especially affects those who are pregnant, have cardiac or lung disease, or ocular or neurological conditions. Be extra careful if you qualify for one of these characteristics! Learn more about causes, symptoms, and treatments at U.S. National Library of Medicine's page on AMS.

Looking for a recommendation on a type of medication to lessen the symptoms of AMS? I wouldn’t be caught on Mount Kilimanjaro without Diamox (pharmacological name: Acetazolamide). Diamox is a diuretic, sulfa drug that accelerates acclimatization. While most people don’t start to experience symptoms of altitude sickness until they reach 10,000 feet, I took my doctor’s recommendation and started taking Diamox the first day of the hike so I could get it into my system and let my body could adjust to it.

To learn more about Diamox, visit U.S. National Library of Medicine and WebMD.

If you want to stay safe, one other medical necessity is ensuring that you’re drinking clean water. Because the water you drink on Kilimanjaro is mainly collected for the freshwater sources on the mountain, it’s absolutely necessary to purify the water. Hand powered purification pumps are on the expensive side, so I opted to use Katadyn Micropur Purification Tablets which I purchased at REI. These tablets will destroy bacteria, viruses, as well as other impurities. 

Do you cringe when you accidentally swallow pool water? Because chlorine is the active ingredient in the purification tablets, the taste of the water is less than desirable. One of the best tricks I can offer you to covering up the chlorine taste is by adding Crystal Lite On-the-Go packets to give the water a delicious flavor. Fruit punch and lemonade were my flavors of choice, but Cranberry Apple and Strawberry Orange Banana sound tasty as well!

Want to know if I experienced symptoms of altitude sickness on my Kilimanjaro adventure? Read future posts to find out!

Diamox Tablets to treat symptoms of altitude sickness

Yummy Crystal Life On-the-Go Packets

My favorite water bottle that I carried all the way up Kili! It's cute & eco-friendly!

 

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

There’s a 40% chance it’s already raining [as she stands in a downpour]. ~Mean Girls

Does preparing for the unpredictable seem impossible? Well that’s just what you have to do because on this trek you will experience many ecological zones and go from equator-like weather to what seems like Antarctic weather in a matter of mere days. You will climb below through, and above clouds, in tropical sun, rain and snow, through a forest, across a desert and finally on ice fields to the summit. As the weather is unpredictable overall, you will need to be prepared for wet days and freezing cold nights.

Are you the kind of girl who dreads going to class or work on a day that it’s pouring rain? On a dreary and humid day do you worry about your hair frizzing to the size of Texas? While I reluctantly face the rain on my way to class by wearing my bright pink rain jacket, I definitely would rather stay curled up in my warm bed than venture into downpours. 

If you’re like me, the idea of hiking Mount Kilimanjaro in rain showers is less that appealing. Therefore, it’s really important to choose the time of year that the weather is ideal for yourself.  There are two rainy seasons on Mount Kilimanjaro, from March to May and again from November to January. Hiking during the rainy season will definitely make for not as crisp and picturesque photos, and potentially a more difficult trek due to hiking through the mud initially and misty or snowy conditions later.

Not a fan of cold temperatures? This may not be a problem at the beginning of the hike where temperatures are on average 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. However, prepare to bundle up at the summit at night time where the temperature becomes chilly ranging from -15 to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. As your hike to the summit takes place in the middle of the night (more on that later!), you will need to prepare yourself for brisk weather. And by brisk I mean brutally cold weather that is more frigid than the mean girls in from your high school years or your icy mother in law.

One of the best times to climb the mountain is during the dry season from June to October. Though it is the coldest time, this is the most popular time to go. The warmest months of January through March are the second most popular time. January, February, and September are said to be the best months for climbing due to little rain, warmer temperatures, and their overall ideal weather conditions. 

I trekked Kilimanjaro during the month of June. To learn more about the weather during my hike, read future posts about my trip!

*Thanks to my roommate & best friend Katie for today's quote inspiration! You rock!

My favorite pink Northface rain jacket I wore up Kilimanjaro

P.S. Happy Valentines Day loves! Have a wonderful day celebrating love with family and friends!

Climbing Kili for a Cause

Nothing brings me more happiness than trying to help the most vulnerable people in society. It is a goal and an essential part of my life - a kind of destiny. ~Princess Diana 

On an ordinary day, if you see someone in need of help you stop to assist them, don’t you? Of course you do. If you could help others by hiking Mount Kilimanjaro, would you? Hopefully you will! 

On my Kilimanjaro adventure, our group chatted with a large group from the United Kingdom. We discovered that they were participating in a charity climb, which are apparently popular in the UK.

What is a charity climb, you might ask? A charity climb is where you choose a charity and fundraise for it as part of your climbing experience. You can recruit your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors to sponsor you by making donations to your charity of choice in honor of your climb. 

Looking for more fundraising ideas? Hold a percent night at a favorite local restaurant or bar where a percentage of the evening’s sales are donated to your cause. Approach your company and ask if they will participate by matching the donations you receive from others with a donation from them. Talk to a local TV or radio station about covering your hike to gain publicity. Who knows what perfect stranger might be interested in helping you help your charity!

One way to do a charity climb is to go about the fundraising efforts and collecting of donations on your own. Have those donating make a check out to the charity of your choice, fundraise, and upon returning from your trek donate all of the checks at once with a letter telling your story. You like to be thanked when you donate to a cause, don’t you? Remember to send thank you notes to everyone who supports you!

The alternative to doing it all on your own is using a tour operator that offers charity climbs. I researched a couple of tour operators that specialize in Kilimanjaro charity climbs. American-based company World Expeditions offers treks up the Rongai and Shira routes of Kili and the option of fundraising for the charity of your choice. UK-based company Adventure Alternative heads to the summit of Kili via the Machame route. This company fundraises for Moving Mountains, an NGO that works in Kenya, Nepal, and Borneo to support and renovate orphanages, schools, clinics, rescue centers, community centers, as well as a hydroelectric plant mission and a forest enrichment program. Charity Challenge another UK-based company offers man treks up Kili with the freedom to choose any charity you support.

If you want to support a charity that directly benefits those involved with Kilimanjaro a great options is the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project. They are a registered Tanzanian NGO that helps to improve the working conditions of Kili porters.

Philanthropy is a huge part of my life and in particular I’m passionate about Relay for Life. I love Relay so much that I’ve fundraised over $2,000 for the American Cancer Society in my time at USC. As a sister in Phi Mu Lambda Theta chapter (LIOB to my sisters reading this!), I support our national philanthropy Children’s Miracle Network as well; FTK! If I could do this hike again and do it as a charity climb, I definitely would!

What charity would you donate to if you participated in a charity climb?

University Ambassadors at the University of South Carolina at Relay for Life 2010

The LOVELY Lambda Theta chapter of Phi Mu at the University of South Carolina

 

 

Elise, Myself, & Claire at our local Children's Miracle Network Hospital

Whiskey Route or Bust!

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. ~Walt Disney 

Have you ever felt in over your head? That is exactly how I felt as soon as I learned the nickname for the route I chose: “Whiskey Route.” Now, do not get me wrong when I say that I love a good adventure. But you’ve been reading my blog for awhile now and you know as much as I do that I am a girly girl. I love bows, all things pink, cupcakes, a good chick flick, and flowers on any occasion. So when this girly girl found out I was headed up the “Whiskey Route,” I felt incredibly intimidated.

As apprehensive as I was initially, I kept an open mind to the experience of roughing it and physically challenging myself. The Machame Route turned out to be a fantastic choice for me. The scenery along the Machame Route is said to be some of the most beautiful on Kilimanjaro and after seeing it firsthand I can attest to that!

If you’re a people person like myself and love chatting up strangers, you will definitely have that opportunity on the Machame. There were plenty of other groups hiking this route as I was, some bigger than others. But it was interesting meeting people from all over the world and hearing their reasons for hiking Kili. And while there were a good amount of people to chat up, the route was never so crowded that I felt like I was in a shopping mall the day before Christmas instead of on Mount Kilimanjaro.

Want more details on the Machame Route? Get them out in future posts!

Credit: Peakplanet.com