Top of Africa September 2007 by Jayant Doshi

(A walk up Mount Kilimanjaro)

It was in 1956 that some friends mooted the idea of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, and I was very excited by the very thought of doing so, but the idea was rejected by our parents and the climb never took place. But even at that young age, the spirit of adventure existed within me, and it lay dormant inside me for years to come. Only in the last

decade has that spirit of adventure reared its head out of the depths of my inner spirit. When I met my neighbour recently, and he mentioned that he was climbing Mount

Kilimanjaro, I immediately jumped on the idea even though I had just come back from a gruelling long trek in the Himalayas. Having done a nineteen day trek, I was told that climbing the highest mountain in Africa would be a iffy. Only time will tell if this was so. Mount Kilimanjaro is one of those independently standing mountains, and has the highest peak in Africa, standing at 5895 metres or 19650 feet height, and one of those rare mountains which can be reached to the top by just walking without requiring any skills or gear for mountain climbing. As such, trekking to the top of the highest mountain in Africa has become a very popular destination for novices who wish to

try their luck and spirit of adventure by climbing this mountain. Mount Kilimanjaro has three peaks, and the Kibo peak is home to Uhuru, the highest point on the mountain. The mountain is a dormant volcano, and most of the mountain is formed

from volcanic lava. For me, this was going to be my fifth foray into the mountains at similar heights, and my third such trek in twelve months, so I was the most experienced in the group. I guess one falls in love with these mountains. God created all these wonders, and it is nice to be able to go up there and appreciate His creation. The trek was organised for a worthy cause; Sanakara Eye

Foundation which runs several hospitals in south India, and are planning to build a new one in Gujarat, India. The Foundation aims to create self financing modern hospitals, and use the surplus to finance the treatment of those who cannot afford eye treatments in such hospitals. Some of the group, including myself, left London on 1st September, and reached Nairobi airport late afternoon, and found the place in total chaos. We just about managed to get our onward flight boarding passes, and reached Moshi in the evening. We reached our lodge for our stay for the next two nights. Others were joining us the next day. We had a briefing from the guides on Sunday evening who answered our questions, and then checked our baggage to ensure that no one was forgetting any essential equipment.

We were twenty one in the group, and for me this was a different experience as in the past treks the maximum I had was a group of four. The group varied in age from the youngest at 17 and I being the oldest, with an array of age range that covered each decade with largest group in their forties. The professional mixture was also very impressive with two doctors, including a cardiologist, two dentists, two lawyers, a few pharmacists, five

students with hopes of becoming professionals and one retired person none other then myself. We had five ladies. Four of the group were coming from USA while the rest were coming from London. It was an impressive mixture of age, gender, profession and origin. We were told that we would be picked up at 9.30 in the morning on Monday to start our trek, but it was almost 11.00 when we left the lodge and arrived at Machami Gate. There were hundreds of other trekkers waiting there to get a clearance before they started their trek. It was almost 1.00 when we started our climb on Mount Kilimanjaro. Everyone was fresh and enthusiastic, and as such the start of the trek was brisk. We stopped for lunch soon after; and after lunch the steps became faster, and the group split into small groups. The walk was through forest, and the thick cover of trees protected us from the glare of the

sun. It was dark by the time we reached our camp, and it was drizzling. The fast pace of walking had tired few of the members. Our camp was at Machami Hut at a height of 3000 metres. After dinner everyone went to sleep. It was first time experience for many to unpack the bags and sleeping bags in the confines of a small tent, and sharing it with someone else. Our dining tent was a tight squeeze for a group of twenty one. It was quite an art

to learn to sit on a three legged stool, with our heads brushing against the tent, but soon everyone mastered the art. Sitting close by in tight spaces was resented at first, but soon everyone got used to it, and over the next few days began to enjoy the cosy atmosphere in the tent. The dining tent became the centre of our gatherings, with some jokes being exchanged and lively conversation made the tent look like a palace. Our breakfast and dinner in that tent became like our meeting point; other then that the whole group hardly met to do any activity. The ladies took on the task of serving porridge in the morning, and soup in the evening. Compared to Nepal, the food quality and variety lacked any imagination, variation or culinary quality. At the end of the sixth day, everyone had got fed up with porridge and same sort of soup. Next morning, we started later then planned, and this was to be expected when so many people were involved. We were warned that today’s walk was over steep terrain and were advised to walk together at slow pace. The main guide put down his foot next morning, and demanded that we all follow the guide who led the party, and walked at his pace. The guide in front walked at a very slow pace, and kept the group together. We all got used to that pace, and with hindsight, it seems that the pace was right to avoid tiredness. We had crossed the

forest, and now we were in open rugged land with lots of lava rocks and scree (loose dry soil with tiny stones) on the ground. It was five in the evening when the first group reached the camp site, and it was almost seven by the time the last ones arrived. We had camped at Shira camp site at a height of 3900 metres. It was a long tiring day, and after sleeping problems the previous night, everyone had sound sleep on the second day. Wednesday was no different. It was a long tiring day when we climbed to 4500

metres before coming down to 3850 metres to camp at Barranco camp site. After dinner there was little energy left for anyone to do anything but to sleep. As we went higher up, it got colder. As we were advised to drink lot of liquids, it was natural that most of us needed to wake up at night to relieve our bladders. Sharing a tent with another person, getting into the liner, which had been inserted in the sleeping bag, was difficult enough; but then to wake up in the middle of the night, wriggle out of the liner and the sleeping bag without disturbing the partner, putting on warm clothes and the boots, go out in the dark, of course with a torch, and then to come back, remove the boots and the extra clothes, and then wriggle back into the liner and the sleeping bag would be counted as the most difficult task undertaken by us during the trip. But to turn back to go to the tent, and suddenly realise that you are not sure which is your tent, from a cluster of 11 tents all looking same, and then fiddle in the dark with the torch to find your tent could be

the most embarrassing and nerve wrecking moment. In the process, the person would be waking up most of the other tent residents. Sound of the zipper being opened and closed made a shrieking noise in the silence of the night, and tended to wake up most other then very sound sleepers. With such a large group it was to be expected that medical problems would be prevalent. The doctor was kept busy advising about all sorts of problems. All

the group members, with my exception, started taking diamox (medicine for altitude sickness) from the very first day, and they took extra dose on the very last day. I took the chance but luckily, I did not get any effects of altitude sickness. Actually, I did not have any sort of problems except slight headache on one day. I did not get any leg aches after long day’s trekking, nor did I feel tired as such. I had offered to do yoga exercises, but we got a few opportunities and some of the group took advantage of stretching exercises after a day’s trek. On Thursday, we had a short day of walking, but we were asked to be ready by eight. We were woken up later then planned, but we left earlier then previous day to everyone’s surprise. I had disturbed night of sleep. Today we were

going to climb the awesome looking, steep and perpendicular Barranco wall. From our camp site the Barranco wall looked daunting and difficult. We were pre-warned that we will have to use our hands more then the poles. For most of the time, we literally had to use our hands to hold a rock, and lift our bodies. To our surprise, no one found this steep climb difficult, and the general concensus was that this was the most interesting and challenging day of trekking, and that the day made the whole trip worth its

while. We camped at Karanga which was at a height of 3930 metres,

though we had climbed Barranco wall to a height of 4200 metres. We were advised that we all must try to sleep in the afternoon after lunch. But I found it difficult to get any sleep. We were woken up at five to take our dinner, and then asked to sleep till ten. While some managed to sleep I could not get any sleep in spite of the fact that previous night I did not sleep too well either. We got up at ten at night and prepared ourselves for a long night of walking. As it was expected that temperatures will drop to minus fifteen or even twenty, we were advised to put on all the clothes we had brought, or carry some of the spare ones in our day packs. We were given hot porridge to warm our bodies. By the time we started our walk, it was 11.35 at night. The talk of those low temperatures scared some of the novice trekkers, and they overloaded themselves with too many protective clothing. I knew from past experience, and from my ability to bear cold, that too many clothing can hinder walking and the body can get too warm.

We were all following the guide, and walking at a very slow pace. It was dark night; with no moon, but a clear sky was littered with thousands of stars shining as if there were holes in the vast blue sky, and the light from beyond was shining through those holes. At the base of the mountain, one could see thousands of street and building lights from Moshi, as if the ground had been covered with a carpet of stars. It was cool, but the

atmosphere was pleasant and electrifying. We kept walking and the guides advised us not to take any rest as the cold would affect our ability to walk after a

rest stop. My head lights stopped working soon after we started walking. I could have changed the batteries, but that would have taken time. The guide very rudely told me if I am not able to see, and I had to admit that I could see. But then I had to follow the light of the person in front and back to guide myself. We kept walking. By three or a bit later in the early morning the temperatures suddenly dropped. I could feel my

fingers going numb, and I could feel the chill on my ears and the face. I put on my ski gloves, and covered my face the best I could. For some time it felt as if my hands were going numb. Suddenly I felt as if I was wrong to advise not to wear too many clothes, and a wave of fear crossed my mind that the cold would affect my hands with frostbite or similar affliction. But the extreme cold did not last for that long. I started to feel the effects of fatigue. There was no pain in the legs, but it appeared as if the mind had stopped working. The body felt as if it had lost its driver and navigator, and began to lose its balance. I had to resort a few times to my walking sticks to steady myself. I asked the guide if we could rest for a little while, and he nodded his disapproval and denial in very certain terms by the look of his gaze. The last hour or more was walking in zigzag pattern across the very steep final ascent on the mountain face. I wanted to stop, but my mind and my heart wanted to finish the walk. I kept telling myself that I could do it and there was not much more to go. After really struggling for the last few hundred steps, I reached the top of the mountain named Stella point. At that very moment the sun rose from the horizon, and I took some lovely photos. It appeared as if the struggle of the last hour was worth for just

seeing this lovely sun rise. I just wanted to sit and rest my legs and my body. But the guide persuaded me to keep going. He kept telling me it is not too far now and that I can do it. On top of the mountain peak, another peak protruded and rising up to a height, called Uhuru peak which is the highest point on this mountain, and about two hundred metres higher then Stella point. My body was refusing to move, but the mind could not say no to the guide,

and goaded the body to keep moving. By about eight I was there with a great sigh of relief. There were huge crowds and all jostling to take photos near the sign post declaring that as the highest point in Africa (5895 metres or 19650 feet). I managed to get a photo taken, though I was in no mood to remove my gloves and take photo on my own camera. While we had achieved what we had set out to do, and most of us did that, I could not savour the moment. There was no

scream of joy telling the world that we had reached the highest point on the great continent of Africa. We were here on top of Africa, and we could not celebrate it. Hardly the photos were shot and the guide goaded us to start moving down the mountain without wasting time. Our pleas for rest were rejected, and we were advised that it was no good staying at such heights for long. We were coming down a different route, and the route had scree on the ground which made walking very difficult. The younger and fitter ones literally ran down those slippery slopes but for the veterans the fear of breaking a limb was upper most on mind, and we walked slowly and with care. In spite of the extreme care, I slipped quite a few times; mostly I managed to control myself with help of the walking sticks, but I fell on the ground three times, though no damage was done to the body except a few scratches and bruises. I kept taking lot of rest every now and then. The body was too tired with all the walking and sleepless night. Few had gone much faster while few were coming very slowly behind us. It was noon by the time we reached the camp site. The last hour was a struggle. The body could not take such long hours of walking without any sleep. I had walked for thirteen hours in the Himalayas, but then good sleep rested my body. Here, I had bad sleep on Thursday night, no sleep during Friday day time, no sleep Friday night, and in a period of about thirty four hours, we walked almost twenty two hours. There is a limit how much the body could take,

and especially with aged body like mine. On reaching my tent, I crashed into my sleeping bag, not even bothering to remove my boots or removing my clothes. An hour of lying there helped to recover from the torment of twelve hours of walking. But I knew that after lunch we had to do more walking. We had our lunch, and then we packed our bags. Soon after two we started our descent to the

next camp. The walk was all downhill, and we could cope with that at this stage. Rain had made the path slippery and again I slipped and fell three times, and the last time was a hard fall. Luckily, no damage was done to the body. We reached the camp site when it was dark. Others came much later. After a quick dinner, I crashed into my sleeping bag and had good deep sleep for the night. Next morning everyone was in a cheerful mood. The porters danced and sang for us. Lots of photos were taken. Each porter was given a generous tip which pleased them a lot. It took us about three hours to reach Machami Gate, where a buffet lunch was laid out for us. Certificates were collected for each one of us. Out of our group, seventeen managed to walk up to Uhuru peak, while other four did manage to walk to the top up to Stella point. This was a great achievement, as it was a hundred percent success for the group. Even those who felt very doubtful if

they will make it, did ultimately make it and felt so proud about it. We reached the lodge in the afternoon. Later each one of was presented with the certificate that stated that we had reached either Stella point or Uhuru peak. The guides were given their tips. Everyone was in a very jovial mood, and very happy that they had successfully completed the trek. For me this was another feather in my cap. After trekking for eighteen or nineteen days in the Himalayas, and at times

walking for twelve or thirteen hours in a day, this should have been a piece of cake for me. It was exactly that, except the last two days which really were taxing on the body. A fit body can undertake any amount of walking, but a fit body cannot last if it does not get enough sleep, and that is what was lacking on the last two days of our short trek to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Compared to my Himalaya treks, this one was very short in duration and did not feel like a trek. Compared to Himalayas, this trek overall is much easier, though the last day is a killer. But being with such a large group was a wonderful experience particularly when I hardly knew any one and yet they gave me so much respect and affection. I fulfilled my ambition and desire to climb this highest mountain in Africa, and at the same time I had a wonderful time with so many people who became friends and gave me so much to remember.

If you wish to see the photos then email to: jubhai@aol.com

Sanakra Eye Foundation website for further information: www.sankaraeye.com