So finally a GPRS signal so lets start from Day 1

So we set out from Arusha(1500 m) at 8.00a m. It's a 3 hour drive to the ranger post to get permits etc.

Everything is on African time which means 3 times as long as normal. So we finally arrived at our start point at 1.30pm after a number of hairy moments when the landrover became stuck! We had lunch served by a nice chap called Matthew before setting off at 2.00pm, up through the Afromontane forest. It is a rich habitat for white/black Colobus monkeys and blue monkeys living side by side.

Our first dinner with Joseph





We have been briefed on the 3 golden rules - slowly slowly (pole,pole), sippy sippy and eat eat, so we try to do all 3! Some up some down but we arrive at forest camp at 5.15 pm height 2829 m.Dinner was a three course affair and then to bed at 9.00pm.



Day 2



Nigel with Joseph and Jackson our guides



Woken up at 6.30am with tea by Matthew and after strip wash in maji moto (hot water) into the mess tent for brekkie which consisted of porridge, omelette,bacon and toast with loads of tea.



Off at 8.00am a longer day 12km with 676m of ascent, we were up and down most of the morning before leaving the forest zone (mainly giant Junipers and Podocarpus) and into the heather zone. We stopped for lunch after an arduous climb and there was the mess tent and loo tent! 40 mins later it was up,up,up on a very steep ridge to the Shira Plateau which is the sunken caldera of the Shira volcano the oldest on Kilimanjaro. 

 

Kibo from Shira 1 camp



We just reached camp at Shira 1 before it started raining and the temperature plummeted! In bed after diner by 7.30pm with hat, gloves, thermals and two pairs of socks then inside a fleece liner and Arctic grade sleeping bag! Still cold for the first hour but finally got to sleep

 



Heather zone



Our team plus Nicki!