Nov 3
Today is the last day. I finally slept really well last night. Yup, sleeping at altitude is definately the problem and not the hard ground. Maybe it was because I was totally exhausted after all the trekking. I can honestly say that I am very excited to see a hot shower and a real bed.
This day was not a good one for my knees. I got up at about 6am. Packed up and had breakfast. Was up way to early as usual so I needed to hang around waiting for the guys to get ready. Finally at 7:30 we were off.
Of course the whole trek is downhill complete with steps. My left knee was screaming mimi. Even with all of the steps to slow me down I made it in 2 1/2 hrs. Charles ( the first guide) was there to meet us. He needed to be there to fill out the paper work.
While getting my paper work done I saw the French guy that I thought was blind. He looked a zillion times better and I noticed that he was not blind at all. I was shocked. It was all altitude sickness. This made me upset cause that meant that they pushed him up to the top risking his life. I walked up to him and asked him is the spoke English. That is when he told me he was French but his wife was Canadian. I told him that I was thrilled to see that he was doing way better and that he scared alot of people up there. I also told him that I thought he was blind. He told me that all he could see was like looking through a tunnel.
I got my paperwork (certifiate proving I made it to the summit) and got in the van to head back to the hotel. When I got to the hotel I saw that the French group was in the driveway ahead of me. Seems like they we are staying at he same hotel. We all went to our rooms to get the hot showers and have lunch. At lunch I was going to sit alone but the French group was already there and asked if I would like to join them. YA!!!! I was so tried of being alone by this time that even sitting with people who could hardly speak English was a very warm welcome. As it turns out there were two people who could speak English very well and two who desperately wanted to speak it better so they want to practise with me. I loved it.
It was at lunch that I learned that thier group was 10 and that they had hired a French guide who climbs the Alps all the time. It was the uncles 64th birthday and this was his dream. Not one of them in the group had ever climbed a mountain before. I am shocked to hear just how many people do this climb as their very first. I also found out that the path we took down is used to get things up very quickly. They even brought a birthday cake up to them at the camp just before the summit.
After lunch they invited me to join them for dinner as well. We all hit the swimming pool or bed to rest. At dinner all of their guides joined us. They were young and sweet. There was alot of drinking and singing going on. We have a wonderful time.
While all of this is going on I am patiently waiting for Robin to arrive. Robin is from Boston. I meet her here on Bonaire. She had come here for a vacation and we just hit if off. She of course if late arriving but that is okay as I am totally being entertained.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Sunday, January 14, 2007
I'm back
Nov 2
Well actually it is still the 1st. I was woken up at 11pm to get ready for the last leg of this trek on the up side. During the night I thought it has been raining. As I got ready I decided to put on my raining pants just in case. Well it had not rained at all...........it was SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!! It snowed all night and is still snowing. Deep in my heart I wanted to call this part of the trek but dug deep. I knew I had great cloths from Mountain Hardware. I so should not be cold.
I have 5 layers of cloths one. I feel like the Dough boy. The only thing I am missing is my belaclava. I have my touche from Peru but I would have been much happer with the bel. Oh well.
We start up at 11:30pm. Yes that is PM and not am. The winds are howling and the snow is flying. We trudge on. My guide and I are breaking trail. There was another person ahead of me but I have already passed them. This is really hard work for a island girl who has not been in the snow for a very, very long time. I would say that we were about 1/2 way up before another group meets up with me. I stop to let them by. They stop with me. UGH!!!!!!! We carry on as I so do not want to stop. My wool gloves are covered with a 1/4 inch of ice. I cannot eat my chocolate so my guide is feeding me. He is also readjusting my head lamp. It keeps moving on me as I try to keep the snow out of my face. My guide does not wear gloves or mittens for that matter. He just pulls his hands up under his coat sleeves. Oh, I remember doing that as a kid. What was I thinking back then. Silly girl.
The group that caught up to me is now trying to pass. I am not stopping again for them. The route is really wide and they can go around. Yes, I am cold and bitchy. They keep on trying to push pass us but we hold our ground. At last they go around. I no longer have to break ground. This makes me happy but I am already exhausted. I am starting to wonder if I will make it.
The snow lets up for a few minutes. I look behind and see the town of Moshi all lit up as well as all of the other trekkers that are coming up behind us. There is a snake of lights all heading to the top. More trudging. Now it is hailing. GRRRRR.. What next? This is taking me way longer than I had expected but then again I did not expect fresh snow either.
The sun is raising but I am to tired to enjoy it. What I am enjoying is that the snow is now letting up again. Each step is a chore still. I have totally slowed down. I just keep putting one foot in front of the other in hopes to make it to the top soon. I love my guide. He has the patients of a saint.
I am now nearing the first plateau. Stellar point I think it is called. I can now see that point but I cannot get there. We are in shale. I take a step up and slide back down. I am expending alot of useless energy that I no longer have. People are starting to breath down my neck. I try and try to make some headway. Nothing. As I get to this part of the mountain I see a guide leading a man who looks like he is blind. I am thinking.....great...even the blind guy is going to beat me to the top. UGH!!!!!!!!! I am getting so frustrated. People behind me are getting pissed off. Like I can do something about moving ahead. They have not idea how I wish I could get my footing. I have never been on this stuff before. The my angels arrive. A few of the other guides see that I am struggling. Two of them push my ass up (literally) and my guide pulls me. At last I am at the plateau.
I see the blind guy again. He looks sick. I am thinking that he and I will be heading down soon as he is sick and I am done. The winds are still blowing but the sun is shining. All the sitting rocks are taken. I finally fine one that is available and sit. I know it is to cold to sit for long. I sit for maybe 5 mins. when my guide says...come we go. Ok, I start to head down. He says.....NO. You go up. He says.....you make it. Poley, Poley he says. Slowly, slowly is what it means. It is 1 to 1 1/2 hrs to the summit. You make it....he says. Not being a quitter.....off I go. I am totally exhausted but I may never be back to off I go. I go very slowly and stop alot to catch my breath. I see the blind guy again. I pass him and he passes me the whole way to the top. He is in way worse shape than I am. I have to ask....why are they pushing him?
I trudge on and on and on and on and on........as I get closer and closer to the summit I can see that there are a lot of people up there. The people are coming up from all the different trails. I did not expect to see that many people up there. As I arrive the blind guy is just behind me and he falls to the ground when he arrives. I can now hear that he is French.
It has to be at least -30. Maybe -40 with the wind chill. All I want to do is get my photo and head back to the warmth. It is now 7:30 am and I am at the summit. It usually take 5 - 6 hrs to make it to the top. It took me 8 hrs.. The sign is covered in snow. We need to knock off the ice more than once. It is all I can do to open up my jacket to get my camera out. I need to get the copy of the reporter as well for the paper here. My hands feel like they are freezing already. I wait and wait for the sign to become empty enought so I can have it to myself as who wants others in your victory photo. I am so cold. There is a group of French that are taking turns with thier photo's. I cannot wait any longer and ask if I might get my photo so I can get out of there. I am bummed that I cannot get a photo of my guide and I but after he takes 3 shots I am done. As I am leaving the French guys are pushing the blind guy to get a photo. He does not want it but they pull him up and drag him. He has not choice.
I am so blessed to have had the guide I did. Without him I am not so sure if I would have made it. He pushed me just enough. As I leave I finally can look around. Wow! The glaciers are beautiful. I manage to get my camera out again to get a couple more photo's. They are the only photo's I get. As we head back to the plateau I get to thinking.....oh my gosh, my dream is now over. I did a 3 in one. I made it to Africa after talking about it for 15 or more years. I made it up Kilimanjaro after talking about it for 10 years or more and I made it around the world. This brings happy and sad tears to my eyes.
On the way down I meet some heading up. I see the Brits as they are just as exhausted as I was. I tell them....just go slowly and take a ton of breaks. As my guide and I reach the plateau we see the blind guy one more time. This time he is on oxygen. I am thinking.....what the hell were they thinking to push him up like they did. He so could have died. They are having problems with his oxygen bottle. The hose keeps letting lose and he keeps on falling. Then we hear a boom. He took a fall and the oxygen bottle hit a rock and exploded. I was heading towards him when I saw that there were enough people there so I said to my guide. Let's go.
On the way down we are skiing without ski's. The trail is snow, much and loose gravel most of the way down. Needless to say we are moving much faster on the way down then heading up. It takes 2 hrs to get back to the tent. I also notice just how steep the trail was on the way up. Good thing it was dark......HAHAHAHA. It is now 10:30 am. Total time out......11 hrs. I am told to crash for an hour so we can break up camp and head down to the next camp site. I fall asleep instantly
At 11:30 am I am once again woken up. I am given breakfast and tea. I can only eat the veggies and fruit. I just cannot manage to eat the fried omelet. I have had enough fried food. At 12:30 we were packed up and heading down. As I got dressed this time around I could put my knee braces on. I am thrilled as the next part down is stepping and my knees hate this stuff. Stepping down the whole way. On the way down I watch a group of Swiss. The of course do this way more than me and look like they are cruzing down with ease. I am pleased with myself as I am moving pretty well considering. I am expecting a 7 hr trip down but I am pleasently surprized that it only took 3 hrs. I also find out that it is only 3 hrs to a bed and hot shower. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are camped at Mweka camp. We all looking a wee bit happier. Dang. Here comes the rain. More time alone in a tent. Good thing I have books to keep me entertained.
Nov 2
Well actually it is still the 1st. I was woken up at 11pm to get ready for the last leg of this trek on the up side. During the night I thought it has been raining. As I got ready I decided to put on my raining pants just in case. Well it had not rained at all...........it was SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!! It snowed all night and is still snowing. Deep in my heart I wanted to call this part of the trek but dug deep. I knew I had great cloths from Mountain Hardware. I so should not be cold.
I have 5 layers of cloths one. I feel like the Dough boy. The only thing I am missing is my belaclava. I have my touche from Peru but I would have been much happer with the bel. Oh well.
We start up at 11:30pm. Yes that is PM and not am. The winds are howling and the snow is flying. We trudge on. My guide and I are breaking trail. There was another person ahead of me but I have already passed them. This is really hard work for a island girl who has not been in the snow for a very, very long time. I would say that we were about 1/2 way up before another group meets up with me. I stop to let them by. They stop with me. UGH!!!!!!! We carry on as I so do not want to stop. My wool gloves are covered with a 1/4 inch of ice. I cannot eat my chocolate so my guide is feeding me. He is also readjusting my head lamp. It keeps moving on me as I try to keep the snow out of my face. My guide does not wear gloves or mittens for that matter. He just pulls his hands up under his coat sleeves. Oh, I remember doing that as a kid. What was I thinking back then. Silly girl.
The group that caught up to me is now trying to pass. I am not stopping again for them. The route is really wide and they can go around. Yes, I am cold and bitchy. They keep on trying to push pass us but we hold our ground. At last they go around. I no longer have to break ground. This makes me happy but I am already exhausted. I am starting to wonder if I will make it.
The snow lets up for a few minutes. I look behind and see the town of Moshi all lit up as well as all of the other trekkers that are coming up behind us. There is a snake of lights all heading to the top. More trudging. Now it is hailing. GRRRRR.. What next? This is taking me way longer than I had expected but then again I did not expect fresh snow either.
The sun is raising but I am to tired to enjoy it. What I am enjoying is that the snow is now letting up again. Each step is a chore still. I have totally slowed down. I just keep putting one foot in front of the other in hopes to make it to the top soon. I love my guide. He has the patients of a saint.
I am now nearing the first plateau. Stellar point I think it is called. I can now see that point but I cannot get there. We are in shale. I take a step up and slide back down. I am expending alot of useless energy that I no longer have. People are starting to breath down my neck. I try and try to make some headway. Nothing. As I get to this part of the mountain I see a guide leading a man who looks like he is blind. I am thinking.....great...even the blind guy is going to beat me to the top. UGH!!!!!!!!! I am getting so frustrated. People behind me are getting pissed off. Like I can do something about moving ahead. They have not idea how I wish I could get my footing. I have never been on this stuff before. The my angels arrive. A few of the other guides see that I am struggling. Two of them push my ass up (literally) and my guide pulls me. At last I am at the plateau.
I see the blind guy again. He looks sick. I am thinking that he and I will be heading down soon as he is sick and I am done. The winds are still blowing but the sun is shining. All the sitting rocks are taken. I finally fine one that is available and sit. I know it is to cold to sit for long. I sit for maybe 5 mins. when my guide says...come we go. Ok, I start to head down. He says.....NO. You go up. He says.....you make it. Poley, Poley he says. Slowly, slowly is what it means. It is 1 to 1 1/2 hrs to the summit. You make it....he says. Not being a quitter.....off I go. I am totally exhausted but I may never be back to off I go. I go very slowly and stop alot to catch my breath. I see the blind guy again. I pass him and he passes me the whole way to the top. He is in way worse shape than I am. I have to ask....why are they pushing him?
I trudge on and on and on and on and on........as I get closer and closer to the summit I can see that there are a lot of people up there. The people are coming up from all the different trails. I did not expect to see that many people up there. As I arrive the blind guy is just behind me and he falls to the ground when he arrives. I can now hear that he is French.
It has to be at least -30. Maybe -40 with the wind chill. All I want to do is get my photo and head back to the warmth. It is now 7:30 am and I am at the summit. It usually take 5 - 6 hrs to make it to the top. It took me 8 hrs.. The sign is covered in snow. We need to knock off the ice more than once. It is all I can do to open up my jacket to get my camera out. I need to get the copy of the reporter as well for the paper here. My hands feel like they are freezing already. I wait and wait for the sign to become empty enought so I can have it to myself as who wants others in your victory photo. I am so cold. There is a group of French that are taking turns with thier photo's. I cannot wait any longer and ask if I might get my photo so I can get out of there. I am bummed that I cannot get a photo of my guide and I but after he takes 3 shots I am done. As I am leaving the French guys are pushing the blind guy to get a photo. He does not want it but they pull him up and drag him. He has not choice.
I am so blessed to have had the guide I did. Without him I am not so sure if I would have made it. He pushed me just enough. As I leave I finally can look around. Wow! The glaciers are beautiful. I manage to get my camera out again to get a couple more photo's. They are the only photo's I get. As we head back to the plateau I get to thinking.....oh my gosh, my dream is now over. I did a 3 in one. I made it to Africa after talking about it for 15 or more years. I made it up Kilimanjaro after talking about it for 10 years or more and I made it around the world. This brings happy and sad tears to my eyes.
On the way down I meet some heading up. I see the Brits as they are just as exhausted as I was. I tell them....just go slowly and take a ton of breaks. As my guide and I reach the plateau we see the blind guy one more time. This time he is on oxygen. I am thinking.....what the hell were they thinking to push him up like they did. He so could have died. They are having problems with his oxygen bottle. The hose keeps letting lose and he keeps on falling. Then we hear a boom. He took a fall and the oxygen bottle hit a rock and exploded. I was heading towards him when I saw that there were enough people there so I said to my guide. Let's go.
On the way down we are skiing without ski's. The trail is snow, much and loose gravel most of the way down. Needless to say we are moving much faster on the way down then heading up. It takes 2 hrs to get back to the tent. I also notice just how steep the trail was on the way up. Good thing it was dark......HAHAHAHA. It is now 10:30 am. Total time out......11 hrs. I am told to crash for an hour so we can break up camp and head down to the next camp site. I fall asleep instantly
At 11:30 am I am once again woken up. I am given breakfast and tea. I can only eat the veggies and fruit. I just cannot manage to eat the fried omelet. I have had enough fried food. At 12:30 we were packed up and heading down. As I got dressed this time around I could put my knee braces on. I am thrilled as the next part down is stepping and my knees hate this stuff. Stepping down the whole way. On the way down I watch a group of Swiss. The of course do this way more than me and look like they are cruzing down with ease. I am pleased with myself as I am moving pretty well considering. I am expecting a 7 hr trip down but I am pleasently surprized that it only took 3 hrs. I also find out that it is only 3 hrs to a bed and hot shower. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are camped at Mweka camp. We all looking a wee bit happier. Dang. Here comes the rain. More time alone in a tent. Good thing I have books to keep me entertained.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Sorry once again........I so cannot believe that this is taking me so long. I sure hope to keep up now. SOOOOOOOOOOOO.......................
Nov 1st
Thank god the weather has been beautiful. Today we left at 8:15 am. The beginning of the trekwas sort of nasty. Rock climbing again. We did alot of up and down on this part of the trail. Do not get me wrong. It is still an easy trek. Just a little bit more work than earlier.
Seeing as I cannot do much talking.........remember.....my new guide cannot speak much English...but my new guide is amazing. This part of the trail only takes us 3 1/2 hrs then we break for lunch. I met a few more people at the lunch break which was nice. We stopped for an hour......again we were waiting for the porters to catch up. I am always ready way to early and they need time to break up camp.
Well, I have definately lost my princess title here. Here they all call me "mama" . UGH!!!!!!! It makes me laugh as I seem to here this new name alot. That is how the other porters identify me. They are all surprised at how fast I am on the trail. I hardly ever see anybody else on the trail but I know that there are tons behind me and a few ahead of me. I am so proud of myself for this.
The Brit's arrive at 4:30 which was an hour and a half after me. Seems like only 1/2 of them are there. The others are still on the trail.
Back to the trail. The second half of this part of the trail is pretty much all up hill. I meet and talk to another guide who also has a solo client. We talk about the weather and he says it is looking pretty good. He and his client head off about 20 mins before me. At one point I catch up to them. The guide says........."NO way I can let mama pass me." This makes all of us laugh really hard. He of course speeds up. Now, they move pretty fast and I lose them again. Later I catch up with him again. He starts to run which makes us laugh really hard again. It sure feels great to be laughing this hard when working this hard. We get to the camp site at 3pm. This entire part of the trek took us 6 3/4 hrs. to complete. I was told that most people do it in 7. Guess I am normal.
Camp is at Bakaku huts but there are not huts in site. We only have out tents. This camp site it at 4900 m. A little less than a 1000 m to go. I am very happy and sad at the same time. My dream is almost over. Just one more sleep.
I think of Dad and Maria alot on this trip which brings me to tears. Tonight I will see Maria's star. I should feel like I can touch her as I am so close to the stars here. (for those of you that do not know....Maria is Rofino's youngest sister that passed away with ovarian cancer in Sept. She was only 28. I bought a star in her name for their family to keep her alive.) I am also sad as I am about to finish my dream alone. This is something I have also come to terms with. Yup! I am starting to think that I am suppose to be single so.......I will just enjoy it and carry on doing what I do best.........traveling.
I have also been thinking that trekking to altitude like this is about over for me. I will still trek as I love it but going really high??????? Been there. Would I do this trek again.......if someone wanted a partner.......sure.......alone.........nope.
Enough of this. My face is seriously starting to feel wind burnt. I do not have anything I can put on it. Sure hope that it does not get worse as I go higher.
I need to be gettin up at 11 tonight to head to the summit. I am sure that I will not get much sleep but I need to try.
Nov 1st
Thank god the weather has been beautiful. Today we left at 8:15 am. The beginning of the trekwas sort of nasty. Rock climbing again. We did alot of up and down on this part of the trail. Do not get me wrong. It is still an easy trek. Just a little bit more work than earlier.
Seeing as I cannot do much talking.........remember.....my new guide cannot speak much English...but my new guide is amazing. This part of the trail only takes us 3 1/2 hrs then we break for lunch. I met a few more people at the lunch break which was nice. We stopped for an hour......again we were waiting for the porters to catch up. I am always ready way to early and they need time to break up camp.
Well, I have definately lost my princess title here. Here they all call me "mama" . UGH!!!!!!! It makes me laugh as I seem to here this new name alot. That is how the other porters identify me. They are all surprised at how fast I am on the trail. I hardly ever see anybody else on the trail but I know that there are tons behind me and a few ahead of me. I am so proud of myself for this.
The Brit's arrive at 4:30 which was an hour and a half after me. Seems like only 1/2 of them are there. The others are still on the trail.
Back to the trail. The second half of this part of the trail is pretty much all up hill. I meet and talk to another guide who also has a solo client. We talk about the weather and he says it is looking pretty good. He and his client head off about 20 mins before me. At one point I catch up to them. The guide says........."NO way I can let mama pass me." This makes all of us laugh really hard. He of course speeds up. Now, they move pretty fast and I lose them again. Later I catch up with him again. He starts to run which makes us laugh really hard again. It sure feels great to be laughing this hard when working this hard. We get to the camp site at 3pm. This entire part of the trek took us 6 3/4 hrs. to complete. I was told that most people do it in 7. Guess I am normal.
Camp is at Bakaku huts but there are not huts in site. We only have out tents. This camp site it at 4900 m. A little less than a 1000 m to go. I am very happy and sad at the same time. My dream is almost over. Just one more sleep.
I think of Dad and Maria alot on this trip which brings me to tears. Tonight I will see Maria's star. I should feel like I can touch her as I am so close to the stars here. (for those of you that do not know....Maria is Rofino's youngest sister that passed away with ovarian cancer in Sept. She was only 28. I bought a star in her name for their family to keep her alive.) I am also sad as I am about to finish my dream alone. This is something I have also come to terms with. Yup! I am starting to think that I am suppose to be single so.......I will just enjoy it and carry on doing what I do best.........traveling.
I have also been thinking that trekking to altitude like this is about over for me. I will still trek as I love it but going really high??????? Been there. Would I do this trek again.......if someone wanted a partner.......sure.......alone.........nope.
Enough of this. My face is seriously starting to feel wind burnt. I do not have anything I can put on it. Sure hope that it does not get worse as I go higher.
I need to be gettin up at 11 tonight to head to the summit. I am sure that I will not get much sleep but I need to try.
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