I have not been blogging much since my climb.
Whilst walking, I would spend long passages of time planning my blog. Words would flow with careless abandon. Blogs would get written and rewritten in my mind. They would swirl and jostle for space, fighting for breath, for life of their own.
That was then. Now, life on the flat plain is fast, hectically fast. There is no time for contemplation, or even a moment for an outpouring of spirit. Instead, silence reigns where words once tumbled and played.
And so...
My body aches. Judo the definitive cause! This week has been ultra intense. Partly because two Korean Olympians have joined our club to assist with coaching and partly because my body is fighting back from a chest cold. Somehow I managed to resist being strangled to death, have my arms twisted off, and be body slammed through the floor. But only just! I know I am not dead, so surely I must be stronger for all of the abuse.
My sons think I am cool! Although not for my prowess on the matt but rather because I sweat so much! One must wonder...
My car, the beast, of which there are still no photographs, is running like a dream. I now am down to two short lists of things to be done. The terrible paint job is on neither of those lists as I have at last made peace with it. Regardless she charms people wherever I go. Yesterday a lady in her late seventies made my day when she stopped at a traffic light, got out of her car, came up to me and told me the beast was absolutely beautiful!
The Beast has developed a nasty habit of setting off car alarms with her deep rumble. My record has been three in a single parking garage. Oh she is fun!
I have some more car stories about other cars, but I will leave them for another day.
I have so enjoyed this time of writing. It is so sad that life is lived so fast. It really is so much fun when time stands still.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
So Strange
It is strange to be back home. Good but very strange. Visiting the mountain was profound. Full of spiritual insights and deep thought about my life. I never expected to enjoy the endless monotony of super slow walking but it was the most incredible gift. Being back home means that I have stepped back onto the roller coaster.
I feel a little at sea. Not sure what I should be doing. Certainly missing my time of silence and introspection. But loving being home with my family. Appreciating how each of them is growing and changing in subtle ways.
I suppose there will always be tension between living life in this world and the deep peace that I crave. As impossible as it seems, I have a feeling that one can have both. Unfortunately I am nowhere near understanding how to make it possible. In time, I hope to grow in wisdom, and so live soulfully in this world!
I can say that after a week of intense admin and car related projects, I am ready to step back into my business and find a difference where they are required. This is a big step forward.
More than anything I am eager to find my passion in life. And then to make my passion my life!
I feel a little at sea. Not sure what I should be doing. Certainly missing my time of silence and introspection. But loving being home with my family. Appreciating how each of them is growing and changing in subtle ways.
I suppose there will always be tension between living life in this world and the deep peace that I crave. As impossible as it seems, I have a feeling that one can have both. Unfortunately I am nowhere near understanding how to make it possible. In time, I hope to grow in wisdom, and so live soulfully in this world!
I can say that after a week of intense admin and car related projects, I am ready to step back into my business and find a difference where they are required. This is a big step forward.
More than anything I am eager to find my passion in life. And then to make my passion my life!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
My Climb up Kili in Pics
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| Dave, my boet |
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| Me |
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| Sunset, day 1 |
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| Cannot beat this rain forest |
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| Sunset, day 2 |
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| Sunset - night 2 |
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| Night over Shira Camp2 |
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| Another Flower |
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| Dave the Man! |
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| Just Me! |
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| Shira Plateau |
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| Mt Meru through cairn |
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| Dave & I & the climb that awaits |
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| Mt Meru floating in the clouds |
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| View from our lunch tent |
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| Where we be going |
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| Why be normal? |
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| Just a jump to the right |
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| Them boots are made for walking! |
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| And another cloud rolls on in |
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| Dave on his way up? |
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| What a beautiful place |
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| On top of Africa |
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| Just the 4 of us! |
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| Sunrise on top |
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| Our assistant guide |
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| The Kilimanjaro impatient |
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| And another flower |
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| The beautiful forest |
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| The whole crew to get just 2 of us to the top! |
Monday, October 11, 2010
And it all ends
There is nothing quite so rewarding as coming home to an excited family. A special Kilimanjaro cake had even been baked to celebrate this great occasion!
I spent a lot of time thinking on this trip and here are some of the fruits of my labour. Firstly I wanted to share the three reasons why this trip was so wonderful:
1. Climbing this mountain was a challenge that I have entertained for years. To actually be out there surrounded by its incredible beauty was a special reward.
2. Spending time and connecting with my brother after years of little contact was equally special. We got to rebuild a really important relationship.
3. Kilimanjaro is climbed at a snail’s pace. For the first time in my life I have had the opportunity to enjoy every moment! Going so slowly meant that I had all of the time in the world to look around, drink in my surroundings, think deeply, and find a deep peace within!
And yes, I did learn some things out there:
1. I have to slow down! It is only when I do life slowly that it has any meaning at all!
2. The end is not as important as every step along the way. If I get every step right and make the most of it, it actually does not matter where I end up.
3. The timing of my goals is also not important. So long as I keep plodding on towards them, I will achieve them when the time is right. I certainly do not need to achieve everything right now!
4. Life needs to be lived in a state of happiness. I can choose to be happy and cheerful every step of the way.
5. Data coverage on Kilimanjaro is NOT very good, hence I was not able to post in real time!
That is probably enough about the mountain, although I will be back on its side at some time in the future! For now, it is now time for me to do life on my new terms!
Friday, October 8, 2010
And so it ends
Sleep is wonderful, when of course you get some! For the first time on this trip, I crashed. When I awoke, the grey light of dawn was stroking the tent. Our last night on the mountain was over. It was time to finish this adventure.
The camp is built on the edge of the rain forest and so the mornings walk plunged us into a fantasy world of old tress, tangled vines, and hanging lichen. Once again it was absolutely beautiful. David, with his bionic knee, had to take things slowly, which gave me the opportunity to take photographs like a man possessed. This nine kilometres of forest yielded over a 100 pictures, but truth be told I could have taken that many in any two meter square section of forest!
And then it was all over with a signature at the final hut. A remarkable experience and an even better bonding event between brothers!
The shower back in our hotel room was a revelation. Seven days worth of dirt and grime dripped to the floor in rivers of soap. My longest ever bristles were cut short in their prime. And clean clothes never felt so good. Especially considering I had worn one t shirt for the entire walk!
And then the only thing better than the shedding of dirt was of course a couple of cold beers, ‘Kilimanjaro Baridi Mbili Tafadhali’. Let alone the intense philosophical conversations that followed!
The camp is built on the edge of the rain forest and so the mornings walk plunged us into a fantasy world of old tress, tangled vines, and hanging lichen. Once again it was absolutely beautiful. David, with his bionic knee, had to take things slowly, which gave me the opportunity to take photographs like a man possessed. This nine kilometres of forest yielded over a 100 pictures, but truth be told I could have taken that many in any two meter square section of forest!
And then it was all over with a signature at the final hut. A remarkable experience and an even better bonding event between brothers!
The shower back in our hotel room was a revelation. Seven days worth of dirt and grime dripped to the floor in rivers of soap. My longest ever bristles were cut short in their prime. And clean clothes never felt so good. Especially considering I had worn one t shirt for the entire walk!
And then the only thing better than the shedding of dirt was of course a couple of cold beers, ‘Kilimanjaro Baridi Mbili Tafadhali’. Let alone the intense philosophical conversations that followed!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
On top of the world, ah Africa
Our pace up that hill had been fast, far from pole-pole. Even the guide was not himself and weaving on the path. It had taken less than 6 hours of walking to conquer the 1,300 meter climb and almost 5km in distance. Sounds poor when you consider I was walking 12km and climbing 1,000 meters up and down in just 2 hours at sea level. I cannot say it enough, altitude is the big leveler.
We took our photographs and then under the insistence of Aaron, headed for the exit, back down Stella Point. By now a number of other parties had started to appear on the top and the thin air aided some interesting conversations. We took a break at Stella Point for David to strap on his bionic knee brace. I lost about another 10 layers of clothing, finding innovative ways to attach them to the outside of my backpack, the inside having been long filled up! Some of my water was completely frozen. It must have been relatively cold up there for a moving liquid wrapped inside my warm clothing to freeze up!
Starting back down the mountain was a shock. I could not believe my eyes when I saw what I could not see in the night. The path up was a big patch of loose gravel up an incredibly steep slope. Lines of people were still struggling up this slope and we tried to give encouragement to all of them. Most of them looked exhausted! Perhaps we looked just the same to them.
What brought a tear to my eye was the number of older people at the top of the mountain. And by older, I mean 65 and upwards. This must have been tough for them and yet they had managed to do it. I was proud of my own achievement, but for them, this must have been very special. An almost confirmation of the fact that they still had lots to offer life. It was all very moving!
3 hours of work was what it took to get down the gravel slopes to our camp. The slope was relentless and we spent most of our time trying to sand ski, jump, and hop through the sliding gravel. For Dave the process was difficult, as he was trying to protect both knees and his back. But there was no stopping us, we were going home!
The clouds descended just moments before we got to our tent. We were happy to toss off our clothes and boots and climb into our sleeping bags for a good mid morning nap. We really tried hard to nap, but there was something about that site that would not let us sleep.
Our crew was happy to ‘wake’ us up and get on the move again. We were still left with a 7km hike straight down the mountain before the day was over. Certainly the hardest part of the walk so far. The slope was relentless and the end never seem to come. But it did and we were soon hunkered down for our last night on the mountain at Mweka camp.
And boy did we sleep!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
To the top
All of that excitement was no good for me. I managed to get a whole ten minutes sleep. More than enough to prepare me for the adventure to come, surely? Whilst lying in my sleeping bag waiting for my 'wake up' call, I calculated that I had slept no more than 11 hours over the last 5 days on the trail. Altitude certainly had not helped my sleeping patterns.
Eventually Abbas wakes us up. I am out of my sleeping bag like a shot. Dave is a little groggy as he only fell asleep only a couple of minutes previously. We are served tea and biscuits in our tent. It seems a little bizarre to be eating these strawberry flavoured biscuits in freezing conditions in a tent. Altitude is supposed to decrease one's appetitite but I had no such problems, and tucked in happily. Despite all of our preparations it still took us about 40 minutes to kit up and exit our tent. There we were, dressed for the snow, and waiting for our guide.
Our guide was still in his tent. Shouting to each other through the tent, we established that he was not keen to leave until midnight, in 20 minutes time. We stamped our feet, cajoled him to hurry up, and wasted time until he emerged. Lines of lights snaked up the first of the mountain slopes as parties set off up the mountain, one after another. I was feeling rather anxious and after all of our preparation, I wanted to get moving.
Eventually, we set off at midnight.
My wife had advised me to dress warmly with the sound thinking that I can take something off, but I cannot put anything on if I am too cold. After 50 meters of walking I was overheating. Perhaps, I had gone too far with my 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of gloves, 3 pairs of pants, and 4 tops. I called a halt to our march and started to undress. Off came my beanie, a pair of gloves, and a top. The march resumed. I was still hot but unzipped my tops, and let the freezing air flow wherever it could to cool me down.
We marched and marched and marched. My world shrunk to the diameter of my head torch as I carefully followed Dave's slow footsteps as he slowly followed the guide. An assistant guide followed me in case one of us had to turn back at any point. Every now and then my mind would get the better of me and I would look up to see how far we still had to climb. I could not see very far but what I could see is that the hill just continued up. Then it was back to concetrating on following footsteps.
The moon soon rose over our shoulders, a beautiful orange quarter. It started to illuminate the profiles of the mountains around us. I could see a spur running to our right which reared up into the sky as it joined the top of the mountain. This was not good psychological news as it meant we still had some way to go. Our slow pace continued but not as slow as the pace of others as we soon overtook all of the parties that had departed some time before us. This was no race, but it gave me hope that we were making progress.
Aaron, our guide, called a break. This break in rhythm seemed like an imposition. We drank water which was already starting to freeze and I ate a frozen Crunchie. After a couple of minutes we set off again. It was just too cold, even for me, to sit around doing nothing.
Time was surreal as the path continued endlessly upwards. My mind narrowed to nothing but moving my feet. The surface we were climbing changed and my hope soared. Was this the start to the last climb to Stella Point? Aaron said no! I shut off my mind again and continued to walk. The ground was covered in sand and small stones. As I placed my foot, it would slip backwards as the surface shifted downhill. It was a little frustrating.
I could feel that I was tired. My lack of sleep catching up with me. I settled on a 3 word mantra and repeated each word with every step I took. This seemed to help, as the climb was endless. I kept wanting to close my eyes and have a quick nap. Completely nonsensical. I repeated my matra and plodded on. My brain was numbed and my world shrunk to the importance of just those 3 words.
I heard his words but did not understand at all. Aaron had said ‘Karibu Stella Point’. Where we there already? A few steps later and we were there. Way below us, lights in lines snaked up the mountain and we could see lines of lights on the other mountain spur. The sun was getting ready to rise and I was almost on top of the world. We did not linger and set off on the last part of the climb, a gentle walk to Uhuru peak, just 45 minutes away along the crater rim.
That walk was gentle but I was tired. The top was absolutely spectacular, views over banks of clouds, other mountains reaching up through the mist, a sunset about to break, and massive glaciers shining whitely below us. I struggled to take it all in. My mind was definitely moving in slow motion and I slowly realized that I should be photographing these great sights. Dave and Aaron, standing on the peak, were shouting at me to get a move on. I was not really perturbed and could not see the point in rushing.
Somehow we were the first there. The sun rose as we stood and watched. The moment was beautiful.
More beautiful was the fact that Dave, my brother, and I had done it together. And in the process we had rekindled our brotherhood. So special!
Eventually Abbas wakes us up. I am out of my sleeping bag like a shot. Dave is a little groggy as he only fell asleep only a couple of minutes previously. We are served tea and biscuits in our tent. It seems a little bizarre to be eating these strawberry flavoured biscuits in freezing conditions in a tent. Altitude is supposed to decrease one's appetitite but I had no such problems, and tucked in happily. Despite all of our preparations it still took us about 40 minutes to kit up and exit our tent. There we were, dressed for the snow, and waiting for our guide.
Our guide was still in his tent. Shouting to each other through the tent, we established that he was not keen to leave until midnight, in 20 minutes time. We stamped our feet, cajoled him to hurry up, and wasted time until he emerged. Lines of lights snaked up the first of the mountain slopes as parties set off up the mountain, one after another. I was feeling rather anxious and after all of our preparation, I wanted to get moving.
Eventually, we set off at midnight.
My wife had advised me to dress warmly with the sound thinking that I can take something off, but I cannot put anything on if I am too cold. After 50 meters of walking I was overheating. Perhaps, I had gone too far with my 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of gloves, 3 pairs of pants, and 4 tops. I called a halt to our march and started to undress. Off came my beanie, a pair of gloves, and a top. The march resumed. I was still hot but unzipped my tops, and let the freezing air flow wherever it could to cool me down.
We marched and marched and marched. My world shrunk to the diameter of my head torch as I carefully followed Dave's slow footsteps as he slowly followed the guide. An assistant guide followed me in case one of us had to turn back at any point. Every now and then my mind would get the better of me and I would look up to see how far we still had to climb. I could not see very far but what I could see is that the hill just continued up. Then it was back to concetrating on following footsteps.
The moon soon rose over our shoulders, a beautiful orange quarter. It started to illuminate the profiles of the mountains around us. I could see a spur running to our right which reared up into the sky as it joined the top of the mountain. This was not good psychological news as it meant we still had some way to go. Our slow pace continued but not as slow as the pace of others as we soon overtook all of the parties that had departed some time before us. This was no race, but it gave me hope that we were making progress.
Aaron, our guide, called a break. This break in rhythm seemed like an imposition. We drank water which was already starting to freeze and I ate a frozen Crunchie. After a couple of minutes we set off again. It was just too cold, even for me, to sit around doing nothing.
Time was surreal as the path continued endlessly upwards. My mind narrowed to nothing but moving my feet. The surface we were climbing changed and my hope soared. Was this the start to the last climb to Stella Point? Aaron said no! I shut off my mind again and continued to walk. The ground was covered in sand and small stones. As I placed my foot, it would slip backwards as the surface shifted downhill. It was a little frustrating.
I could feel that I was tired. My lack of sleep catching up with me. I settled on a 3 word mantra and repeated each word with every step I took. This seemed to help, as the climb was endless. I kept wanting to close my eyes and have a quick nap. Completely nonsensical. I repeated my matra and plodded on. My brain was numbed and my world shrunk to the importance of just those 3 words.
I heard his words but did not understand at all. Aaron had said ‘Karibu Stella Point’. Where we there already? A few steps later and we were there. Way below us, lights in lines snaked up the mountain and we could see lines of lights on the other mountain spur. The sun was getting ready to rise and I was almost on top of the world. We did not linger and set off on the last part of the climb, a gentle walk to Uhuru peak, just 45 minutes away along the crater rim.
That walk was gentle but I was tired. The top was absolutely spectacular, views over banks of clouds, other mountains reaching up through the mist, a sunset about to break, and massive glaciers shining whitely below us. I struggled to take it all in. My mind was definitely moving in slow motion and I slowly realized that I should be photographing these great sights. Dave and Aaron, standing on the peak, were shouting at me to get a move on. I was not really perturbed and could not see the point in rushing.
Somehow we were the first there. The sun rose as we stood and watched. The moment was beautiful.
More beautiful was the fact that Dave, my brother, and I had done it together. And in the process we had rekindled our brotherhood. So special!
Barafu - Ice Camp
Day 5 dawned and we were only too eager to get out of camp and into the next camp. It was now time to do this thing and we felt as if we had been circling the main event for far too long. At no time so far had we felt out of our depth or physically unable. A good thing because we were now almost at summit day; acclimatised, in one piece, and with tons of energy in reserve. We certainly could not expect better for our summit attempt!
The days walk was a whole four kilometers uphill. It was a gentle walk and we were in our tent at Barafu by mid morning. Barafu means ice in Kiswahilli and we were soon shown why. The clouds descended on us minutes after we had arrived and pelted us with rain for the rest of the day. It was thoroughly miserable and cold. So it was inside the tent with very little on the agenda for the day for us. Probably just what was required prior to the climb ahead of us. David had slipped a couple of books into his bag and so we settled down to read.
Dinner was done by 17h00, a picnic in our tent, as the porters were using our mess tent for shelter.
Our bags were packed for the big summit, and all our clothes were ready. A last sleep is all that stands between us and our attempt.
Our wake up time is 23h00. I am so excited, I just cannot wait...
The days walk was a whole four kilometers uphill. It was a gentle walk and we were in our tent at Barafu by mid morning. Barafu means ice in Kiswahilli and we were soon shown why. The clouds descended on us minutes after we had arrived and pelted us with rain for the rest of the day. It was thoroughly miserable and cold. So it was inside the tent with very little on the agenda for the day for us. Probably just what was required prior to the climb ahead of us. David had slipped a couple of books into his bag and so we settled down to read.
Dinner was done by 17h00, a picnic in our tent, as the porters were using our mess tent for shelter.
Our bags were packed for the big summit, and all our clothes were ready. A last sleep is all that stands between us and our attempt.
Our wake up time is 23h00. I am so excited, I just cannot wait...
Monday, October 4, 2010
Baranco Camp
I sleep fitfully for for the first time last night. This is a big step forward for me. It rains twice while I lie listening to a sleeping camp. The sound of the raindrops on the tent is comforting but does nothing to lull me to sleep. In the morning I wonder if I imagined this, as there is absolutely no evidence of rain.Every now and then I hear a tremendous roar in the distance, the sounds of massive rock falls, but acually this is the sound of the glacier ice moving forward and cracking. The sound is ominous and challenging at the same time.
We arise to another magnificant morning. The Baranco wall is revealed in all of it's vertical splendour. As is our first view of Kili and some of her glacial ice fields.
Kilimanjaro is old and tall enough to dictate her own weather patterns. By mid morning, she has accumulated a good following of cloud. By mid day, she is completely dressed in them. We have spent our last two days in those clouds. It is fascinating to watch them ebb and flow over our campsites according to her whims. When you are in the cloud, life is cold. As soon as they retreat, the sun shines on warmly. It is just like living in Cape Town, many clothing changes required daily!
We scale the Baranco wall with ease. In fact, its vertical challenge is a great alternative to the trudgery of the last few days. The rest of our walk to the Karanga campsite is quick and uneventful.Somebody once descibed this campsite as a refugee camp on a hill. It is an apt description. We arrive before lunch and wonder why we don't just head onto the next camp, just four kilometers distant, instead of wasting the day away. Many people do just this but for us, this first afternoon of leisure is a special prize. Tomorrow will be a big day for us. It will involve the short four kilometer walk, a nap, then after arising at 23h00, a walk to the summit and a long walk down again.
In my afternoon of leisure I need to keep on fighting the urge to do something. And so I find a rock outside of camp, where I can sit all on my own. Once again I am in the clouds. Suddenly the clouds of mist shift and I see the secrets that were veiled. An incredible panarama of a valley and the trail into this camp down its steep sides. Then as soon as it appeared it was gone again. In the whiteness, I wondered if what I had seen was still there or if perhaps it would all be different when the mist shifted again.
Crows wheeled all around me, their wings sounding like power kites as they passed overhead. Movement on the ground suddenly caught my eye, a four striped mouse scuttled pastl; so named for the four stripes on its back. I watched in fascination as tens of mice then abondoned their hiding places all around me and scuttled along well worn mice size trails. I got to observe as they played and fought. A rare insight into the life of a shy rodent!
What it is to be still and be able to rejoice in the moment.This trip has been an incredible gift even if this is as far as I get to go!
We arise to another magnificant morning. The Baranco wall is revealed in all of it's vertical splendour. As is our first view of Kili and some of her glacial ice fields.
Kilimanjaro is old and tall enough to dictate her own weather patterns. By mid morning, she has accumulated a good following of cloud. By mid day, she is completely dressed in them. We have spent our last two days in those clouds. It is fascinating to watch them ebb and flow over our campsites according to her whims. When you are in the cloud, life is cold. As soon as they retreat, the sun shines on warmly. It is just like living in Cape Town, many clothing changes required daily!
We scale the Baranco wall with ease. In fact, its vertical challenge is a great alternative to the trudgery of the last few days. The rest of our walk to the Karanga campsite is quick and uneventful.Somebody once descibed this campsite as a refugee camp on a hill. It is an apt description. We arrive before lunch and wonder why we don't just head onto the next camp, just four kilometers distant, instead of wasting the day away. Many people do just this but for us, this first afternoon of leisure is a special prize. Tomorrow will be a big day for us. It will involve the short four kilometer walk, a nap, then after arising at 23h00, a walk to the summit and a long walk down again.
In my afternoon of leisure I need to keep on fighting the urge to do something. And so I find a rock outside of camp, where I can sit all on my own. Once again I am in the clouds. Suddenly the clouds of mist shift and I see the secrets that were veiled. An incredible panarama of a valley and the trail into this camp down its steep sides. Then as soon as it appeared it was gone again. In the whiteness, I wondered if what I had seen was still there or if perhaps it would all be different when the mist shifted again.
Crows wheeled all around me, their wings sounding like power kites as they passed overhead. Movement on the ground suddenly caught my eye, a four striped mouse scuttled pastl; so named for the four stripes on its back. I watched in fascination as tens of mice then abondoned their hiding places all around me and scuttled along well worn mice size trails. I got to observe as they played and fought. A rare insight into the life of a shy rodent!
What it is to be still and be able to rejoice in the moment.This trip has been an incredible gift even if this is as far as I get to go!
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