Kilimanjaro 2007

The Beautiful People Who's Paths We Crossed

2007-03-17T08:58:00.000-07:00

During our travels we encountered many tribal people. Watching and learning their traditions and daily life regiment was enlightening. It is a true reminder that we really do not need much to conduct daily life. Their favorite saying is, "No problem" and there is no accurate time frame, very easy paced lifestyle.

Here's Sandy, our guide from Adventure Associates, http://adventureassociates.net ,trying to come up with a fair price on beaded neck wear. The woman showed Sandy how to wear it and dance with it on. This was a bead stand that was set up to raise money for the women of the tribe. The tribe was along the way out to the Tarangire.

A tribal woman watching the transaction and neck wear lesson Sandy is receiving.

Tribal women we encountered on the way to Lake Eyasi while waiting for two buses that were stuck in the mud to be pulled free so we could continue on to the lake. Our vans did not get stuck because we had very skilled drivers...........Nixon (our driver) rocks!!! He got us through some rugged and muddy terrain throughout the trip. Good thing they don't run radar in Tanzania 'cause he's got a lead foot. You wanted him behind the wheel when that unexpected bathroom emergency kicked in! Okay here's a picture of Nixon............

Not only could Nixon drive well, he was our interpreter and he helped us get the best prices at the markets and liquor stores........like I said..........Nixon rocks!!!!

Datanga tribe warrior. Once they receive warrior status they can wear their hair any way they wish. If you notice he is missing a couple of his bottom teeth. All tribal members have a couple of their bottom teeth pulled when they are young so in case they got lock jaw they would still be able to be fed. Lock jaw is caused by tetanus.

While visiting Lake Eyasi area, we stopped at Mamoya's house where a "men's" meeting was being conducted. They invited us in and let us take photographs while Mamoya showed us his house and introduced us to his family.

The bike is the major source of transportation for all tribes we experienced in Tanzania. I also was struck by how tall this gentleman is.

We visited with two classes at a primary school in the Datanga village. Here is the class of the younger children we visited. The girls are in the blue dresses and the boys are in the green shorts. We brought both classes school supplies. They are very limited to what they have to use there and were anxious to receive the gifts. These children sang the national anthem for us before we left them to visit the class next door. There are 800 children at this school. All the children that attend school throughout Tanzania were wearing school uniforms.

This is the other class we visited with. They are the older kids that will move on to secondary school after this year. They sang a song about Tanzania for us before we finished our visit with them. School boy watching us in the school yard from out of his classroom window. One of the gals in our group was out in the school yard blowing bubbles for the kids. They were very curious about the bubbles and were chasing them down. It was a lot of fun to watch them break out of the studious mode and have fun. I was taking pictures of the children and showing them their picture on the LCD screen on my camera. They would just giggle and laugh. I loved it!! Most who know me know that a child's giggle is my most favorite thing in the world, and it is so infectious!!! I'm smiling thinking about it....

Here is the building that held the two classrooms we visited. The younger children were on the left and the older on the right. They have one teacher for both classes.

We visited with a Bush tribe, who are a click speaking tribe. They live off the land and reside in grass huts unless it is the rainy season, then they will reside in caves. The women and the men congregate around camp separately. The men do the hunting and the women do the gathering. The Bush tribe women. They were making beaded jewelry while we were there. One of the women took us out to hunt for tubers, the root they gather and use for food.

Bush tribe men cooking their game they caught that morning. Yes, that is a baboon skin on the bushman on the left and on the one reaching into the fire on the right. They eat what ever it is that they can catch and they utilize every bit of the animal.

Bush tribe young female.

The elder Bush Woman of the tribe. It was said that she is in her 40's.

The Bush tribe leader, "chief". The beaded bracelet that is hanging off his necklace is now being worn by one of my nieces.

Bush woman hunting for tubers, a root they hunt for food.

Young bush man warrior. He was sent out with us, the women, to protect us while the bush woman showed us how she hunted for tubers. He took his responsibility very serious.

The Bush Men showing off their bow marksmanship to us. The bow strings are made of animal tendon, they have a lot of tension to them. They let us try them out, I had to put a lot behind it to get that arrow pulled back and balanced just so. I did hit the target on a skip.....

Datanga Tribal woman, one of the wives of the tribes elder male.

A Datanga tribal woman. The tattoos around the eyes are made by pricking with a needle tipped with charcoal.

The Safari - The Animals

2007-02-24T10:23:00.000-08:00

This is one of our safari vehicles. We had two of these 1988 Toyota vans for our group with drivers named Nixon (our van's driver) and a guy I called "T-Man" (I could never remember how to say his name so that is why I called him T-Man, it began with a "T" and I never rode in that van to get to know him) driving the other van. The roof pops up so when we were out on the safari we could stand up and get a good view of the animals. It provided shade while letting a lot of air in because it was usually pretty hot there. I'd say high 80's to mid 90's unless it was dumping rain.

Baboon

A male Impala

A Bachelor Elephant

Ostriches

Cheetahs

Giraffe

Leopard napping in a tree above us

Female Lion resting in the shade

Male Lion in the Ngorongoro Creator

Wildebeest in the great migration

Zebra feeding her young with wildebeest in background in the Ngoronoro Creator

Flamingoes

Hyenas

Jackal

Banded Mongoose

Vervet Monkey

Kudu ( I think it is anyway)

Hippos

Black Rhino

Warthogs

Redbilled Hornbilled

Dikdik

These are most of the animals we saw on the Safari. I will continue to add pictures of the people and the flora from the adventure so please, check back in about a week for additional posts.

The climb

2007-02-19T14:18:00.000-08:00

Kilimanjaro from the "super highway" (which only denotes it's not a dirt road) out of Arusha. The first glimpse of our goal for week one. This was the clearest day we had once the climb began. We had every element of weather that mother nature could throw at us after this day until the ascent. Therefore, there are not a whole lot of photos to share from the climb itself. I was able to take a few here and there when it would clear up or the trail allowed.

Here is an example of the loads the porters carried to each camp. These fellows carried these enormous loads, on their heads, up this mountain with such ease. The clothing and footwear they wore was next to nothing, totally incredible. We saw one guy up higher on the mountain wearing sandals with no heel strap and no socks gracefully navigating the trail. They truly are amazing people.

This is what we called home during the climb. The porters had everything set up for us prior to our arrival at each camp. We slept two to a tent and ate in the green "mess hall" tent for all of our meals except lunch on the trail. The food was fairly good all though I'm not sure I'm ready for another bowl of pourage yet.....

This is how we were served our lunch on the trail.

We got a glimpse of the summit through a "sucker hole" ( a brief appearance of the sun) at Barranco camp.

The summit at Uhuru Peak, 19,340 feet. The summit bid began at 11:30 pm on February 1, 2007 (Africa date and time) and ended at Uhuru Peak at about 8:30 am on February 2, 2007. It snowed, which is unusual for this time of year here because it is their summer, from the time we left our tents until we reached the summit. It made for a longer and more intense ascent. At around 17,000 feet I started to feel the effects of altitude sickness, headache and nausea, and didn't think I would make it beyond Stella Point, but my guide and trip leader pushed me on. I'm glad they did because the summit cleared and the view was spectacular.

A view from the "Roof of Africa". Here is one of the glaciers or "ice fields" at the summit. What a spectacular view! We began our descent and entered high camp at about 1:30 pm on February 2, 2007.

All of our team's porters and guides the morning after the summit at the "Millionaires Camp". We woke to a beautiful sunrise with the mountain appearing in the background. It was warm and we all felt rested after the long day before. Having the sun shine on us for the final day on the mountain was glorious. The porters and guides sang a Kilimanjaro song for us to say their goodbyes. It was quite beautiful. They all were so sweet and they took excellent care of us.

Trying to Beat the Jet Lag

2007-02-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! I made it home safely. Boy howdy are those flights long, grueling! I just wanted to leave a quick post to let you all know that I made it home and that I will, in the near future when I get organized, be posting photographs on the blog to share the experience with those of you who are not in the remote area. So, please check back to see them.
Again, thank you for checking out the blog and being a part of the adventure.
Until I get those pics posted...........
PS- Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

HalfWay Home

2007-02-14T23:15:00.000-08:00

Well, we survived the first leg of the grueling flights. Now it's a lay over in Amsterdam for 5 more hours. Then we have another 10 hour flight. I'm anxious to get back home and connect with my family and friends. A lot of amazing things occured and I look forward to sharing them with you. I have lots of pictures and videos of the animals and the climb. It seems so long ago that we climbed the mountain.
Mom, tell Dad that I did not see Ben's orphanage. I checked out all the signs along the way and did not see it. I will email you some of the photos but definately will plan a trip home soon to share all of the photos and video.
To my work gang, I miss you too!!! I can't wait to share with you the experiences I had and I can't wait to catch up with you all! I will be back in the office on Wednesday because I have training on Tuesday in Portland.
Gayle, I got some amazing shots of Zebras that I think you will like. We'll have you over ASAP to check them out.
Les, i can't wait to see you!!!!! That will be soon!!!
And, again, to the rest of you that have been a support and showed interest in this adventure, I thank you and will share the experience with you when I return.
Until I am back in the States..........

Out of Africa.....

2007-02-13T20:50:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Today is the last day here in this sunny place. We are back at the lodge, the one we started at in Arusha, Moivara. We are winding down having a relaxing morning.
The safari in the Ngorogoro Creator was awesome. We saw many more zebras, wildebeast (and we even watched a wildebeast give birth, awesome!), lions, ostriches, hipos, and a black rhino. The Lions were amazing and a pair used our van for shade at one point so we got to see them up close. It was really awesome.
I have lots of pictures to share and I look forward to sharing the adventure with you all when I return.
Thanks for checking in and sending me your comments, they were lifting!
See you soon............

Friday Feb. 9th (Africa Time)

2007-02-08T22:42:00.000-08:00

We are at Ndutu Lodge in the Serengetti now. We survived the tribal experience. We met the Bush People at their dwelling place in the bush. They truly live off the land and are very traditional. They wanted to share their hunt with us when we got there, a little animal called the DikDik which looks like a little deer. Then they took us out to look for a root called a tuber. The woman of the tribe showed us how they make the tool to dig and then they showed us where they locate the root and dug a couple up for us. We had a young boy escort us into the bush to 'protect' us while we searched for the tubers. He was very cute and serious. Then a few of us shot the bow and arrow they use for hunting. It was an incredible experience.
In the afternoon we went to a Tonga tribe wedding ceremony. Very interesting the traditions they partake in. Young bride and groom. The men have many wives and often do not even know how many children they have.
We visited a primary school, which was awesome. The children were so well behaved and smart. It was a great experience. They sang to us and asked us questions. Beautiful children.
We got up early this morning for a sunrise safari. There are so many zebra here, herds and herds of them. And they mix with the wildabeast because the wildabeast relies on the zebra for the direction of the migration. We have seen more giraffs and lots of birds. A few jackals and a couple of Hynenas. I didn't realize how big the Hyena is, and it walks like a bear.
Well, until next internet visit...............

Safari

2007-02-05T10:43:00.000-08:00

We are on day two of the safari. We have seen Giraffs, Elephants, Impalas, baboons, many birds with more to come. We will be out of communication for at least two days as we are heading into a tribal community. We will be camping with the tribe. We will be participating in some tribal rituals and then heading out on another safari. We will tent camp for the next two nights at 2000' into a creator where we will view many more wild animlas.
All are recovering from the climb and resting well. I don't think it has sunk in yet the fact that I climbed to 19,431 feet summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro. Maybe when we slow down a little it will hit me.
Again, all of you that have supported me, I thank you, because you all played a role in me getting to the top. The pure love and support that was provided to me from each and every one of you played a role at some point, because it was along 7 days. Thank You!!!!!
Until next internet connection.........

The Summit

2007-02-03T07:06:00.000-08:00

We made it! 6 of the 8 of us summited on Febuary 2nd! Mother nature threw in every element that she could think of. The weather on the mountain was unusual for the time of year...go figure! It snowed our entire summit bid. More to come later when I have a faster internet speed. Thank you to all that have supported me through this. You all played a very important roll inorder for me to get to the top!!! thank you. The summit was beautiful and the glaciers were amazing. Now, off to safari!!!

Arusha

2007-01-26T12:42:00.000-08:00

It's Friday January 26th at 1143 pm and we made it here to Arusha. The place we are staying at, which I haven't been able to see full board because it's very dark, is nice so far. The smells are incredible.
It's nice to be on the ground and feel the terra under my feet. I am ready for a good night sleep and a day of acclimation tomorrow.
Until next post.....

Amsterdam

2007-01-25T23:16:00.000-08:00

Well, we made it to Amsterdam. What a long flight that was. I am glad to be off the plane and stretching my legs. We leave in about 2 hours for Arusha on another 9 hour flight. Grueling day of travel. Once we get into Arusha we will go through customs and then take a 45 minute ride to our first destination. I watched 3 movies on the flight, caught a little nap, ate a lot because they fed us well. I haven't even dipped into my snacky snacks yet.....
Until the next internet site.........

Weather Report for Tanzania Link

2007-01-22T16:39:00.001-08:00

http://weather.cnn.com/weather/forecast.jsp?locCode=HTKJ

What our days will look like

2007-01-06T11:07:00.000-08:00

Day 1- On January 25th we leave on our long flights, approximately 20 hours of flying.

Day 2- Arrive at the airport in the late evening and head out to the Moivaro Coffee Lodge, www.moivaro.com/moivaro_coffee_lodge.htm

Day 3- Unwind from the flight, orientation and preperation for the Kili climb.

Day 4- Drive to the Machame Village where we meet our guides and porters. Grab our sacked lunch, can't wait to see what's in there...., and head out to the Machame gate where we register. If the road to the gate is too muddy for vehicles we will walk the 3km, about an hours walk. After we register we begin our ascent. It will take us through rain forest where we may see blue monkeys and Kilimanjaro Colobus. This trail could be muddy and sloppy. In the late afternoon we will reach the Machame Camp where the porters will have camp set up for us.

Day 5- Early wake up for breakfast then hit the trail. We will continue through the rainforeswt for approximately 1 hour. From that point we will be in the moorland zone for about 2 hours. After lunch we will continue up a rocky ridge where, on a clear day, we will be able to see the 3 peaks of Mt. Kilimanjaro (Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira) as well at Mt. Meru. Continue along the ridge into a river gorge and gradually ascend to the Shira Plateau (12,500ft.) We may see klipspringer and eland as we arrive at Shira camp at 12,631 feet.

Day 6- The toughest day so far. The route turns us east into a semi desert and rocky landscape surrounding the Lava Tower. We will ascend to the tower into a lower elevation to help us acclimate. This is where we may start to feel the effects of the altitude, breathlesness, irritability, and headaches. After lunch we will descend to the Barranco Camping area at 12,993 feet.

Day 7- We will hike out of the Barranco Valley topping out just below the Hem Glacier. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley across intervening ridges, scree, and valleys joining up with the Mweka route. We may see the rare lammergeyer flying at these elevations. We will be camping at the Karanga Ridge Camp at 13,170 feet.

Day 8- We ascend up the ridge reaching Barafu Hut, Barafu Camp at 15, 131 feet. This is where we will prepare for our early morning summit ascent.

Day 9- Summit Attempt- We will rise at around 11:30pm to hot tea and biscuits. We will head out in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point (18,815 feet) on the crater rim. We will stop for a short rest and watch the sun rise over Mawenzi. From Stella Point we have a 2 hour ascent to Uhuru Peak (19,431 feet)- the highest point in Africa, the SUMMIT!!! The time spent on the summit will depend on the weather. We will hike for 3 hours to Barafu where we will rest and collect our gear. After our much needed rest we will head down to Mweka camp at 10, 197 feet.

Day 10- After an early breakfast we will head out on a 3 hour scenic hike through open moorlands and forest glades to Mweka gate where we will sign our names into the register. We will eat lunch and head over to the Moivaro Coffee Lodge for a hot shower (yipee) dinner and relaxation. We will also meet up with the others joining us for the safari portion of the trip, which starts tomorrow.

Day 11- After breakfast we head out to Arusha and Tarangire National Park for a full day game run. Tarangire is one of the world's most famous parks for safari known for it's enormous resident elephant herds, lovely birds, famed and beautiful baobab tree and palm groves. We will return late in the afternoon to enjoy dinner amidst the sounds of the African countryside. We will be staying at the Tarangire Safari Lodge www.tarangiresafarilodge.com . Here we will enjoy a beautiful view of the savannah.

Day 12- In the late afternoon we will drive to the Plantation Lodge www.plantation-lodge.de/english/enter.htm on the slopes of the Ngorongoro for dinner and overnight.

Day 13-14 - In the early morning we will head out to Lake Eyasi for a full day of exploration of the lake region and the Hadzabe and Tatog people. The Tatog are a tribe of people who have been respected historically for their fierce warriors and rich community tradition. During this time we will have the opportunity to interact with these traditional tribal people in their villages and homes. While visiting these tribes, our agenda will depend on what activities are occuring in the villages. We hope to interact with the nomadic click-speaking Hadzabe tribe and the colorful Tatog tribe.

Day 15-16 - We have an early morning departure for the Serengeti Parkwith endless miles of breathtaking landscape and wildlife. The Serengeti National Park is probably the most famous game park in the world. It provides a large conceentration of plains animals (giraffe, gazelle, zebra, and wildebeest). We may have the opportunity to visit the Maasai people, who are beautiful and proud people, who more than any other people in East Africa resisted changing their traditional way of life. We will stay at either the Ndutu Lodge www.ndutu.com or the Serenora Wildlife Lodge (I couldn't locate a web link to this lodge). What lodge we stay at will depend on the wildlife migration.

Day 17- Today we will spend all day searching for the wildebeest migration and lions in the Serengeti.

Day 18- We will view game in the morning in the Serengeti and then head to the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge www.africanmeccasafaris.com/tanzania/safaris/lodges/ngorongorosopa.asp . On the way we will stop at Olduvai Gorge for a short visit at a museum and have a picnic lunch. We will then continue south to the rim of Ngorongoro Conservation area for dinner and overnight.

Day 19- Today we will descend 2000 feet into the Crater for a full day of game viewing. We will hope to see lion, cheetah, hippos, buffalo, rhino and more. This 110 square mile crater is the permanent home to over 20,000 animals. This awesome, breathtaking setting is often refered to as the "ninth wonder of the world". After this long day in the crater we head back to the Sopa Lodge.

Day 20- After a more relaxing breakfast we will return to Arusha, stopping briefly at Mto wa Mbu open market. We will arrive at the Visiwani Lodge www.visiwani.com/surr.htm for lunch. In the afternoon we will tour around Arusha to include the Lapidary (tanzanite) and shops. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Day 21- Head out to the airport for our long return flights.

Climb information

2007-01-02T11:39:00.000-08:00

Machame Route, Mount Kilimanjaro (19,341 ft.) can be climbed at any time of the year, though the best weather prevails during the dry seasons, July through October and January through February. The Machame route is considered by many to be the most beautiful and scenic. The actual climb requires a minimum of six days, during which you hike about 60 miles. Accommodations are in private campsites along the way. Final ascent to the rim begins in the pre-dawn hours, (a full moon ascent is recommended) and most climbers reach Stellas point at sunrise. From Stellas point there is a 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa. This is a highly challenging, spectacular and rewarding hike to the Roof of Africa! We will unwind from the climb, enjoying a short safari of the "big five" in East Africa's premier game parks. (information from Adventure Associates website www.adventureassociates.net).

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T10:14:00.000-08:00

2007 is here and the trip is quickly approaching. Now is the time to sort through all our gear and make sure we have what we need and that it is in good condition. Get those last minute provisions and, oh yeah, not to forget stocking up on those snacky snacks!!!! 24 days until we hit the air to Africa. :-)

Pre Trip

2006-12-25T21:08:00.000-08:00

One month to go before we head out to Kilimanjaro. The long flights between Seattle and Amsterdam and then Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro will be the first obstacle. We are looking at 10 hour minimum air time per flight. For the climb we will be taking the Machame route, a six day route. On day 6 of the climb we will be making our full moon summit.
Wish us well~!!! After the climb we will be staying at coffee lodges while we view the African wildlife.