Diary of my Journey to Mt. Kilimanjaro by M.K.
Last February 9th to 18th, my son, Tsuyoshi, and I participated Mt. Killimanjaro tour planned by Saiyu Travel.
February 9th, I started to travel by Shinkansen-line from Hiroshima to Tokyo.
This was my last Japanese food (lunch box) in the train before I ate foreign foods.
I saw Mt. Fuji. I was thinking that Mt. Kilimanjaro is simillar to Mt. Fuji.
Arrived at Narita Airport. I saw my flight on the indication board.
Narita Airport is very big. I got tired walking around in addition to the long journey from Hiroshima. I had to see the tour staff there. Everybody (15 persons) in our team gathered before 5 pm, earlier than the set time.
Our airline was Ethiopian Air. The plane looked OK.
I got on airplane of Ethiopian Air. This was a direct flight scheduled to take off 20:10 JT going to Adis Ababa stopping by Hong Kong airport. The plane was B787. I felt it safety but some of the ficilities were broken with many minor troubles.
When I was thirsty, I went to the CA space to ask for a glass of water. Then, she pointed a water bottle and said gYou can drink it by yourselfh.
It took 5 hours to arrive at Hongkong. A few people got off and a few people got on. The majority of the passengers were going to Adis Ababa.
Cleaning staffs entered the airplane. They were speaking Kantonese language. It brought back my memories at the time when I used to stay in Hongkong.
The plain took off after refueling for one hour.
We had a long journey now and will have still longer way to go.
3:59am JT
Meal has been served, which is somewhat similar to the previous one.
CA asked me like gChicken or Pasta?h I was asking to myself like "Why was it Pasta not beef? I think Pasta is not a main dish." (Later, my teacher told me that the "Pasta" was the name of the main dish including some meat"
We ate these foods several times.
JT10:44am. Food was served again. I was confused and asked to myself "Is it breakfast?"
JT11:07am. We are soon arriving at Africa. I was so excited.
This is how the plane looks inside. This looks new.
In February 10th at 2:13pm. Japanese time and 8:13am at local time, there is 6 hours difference between Japan and Africa.
We arrived at Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. We changed our plane going to Tanzania.
There is no time difference between Ethiopia and Tanzania.
There are many souvenir shops.
We were waiting for the flight to Tanzania for 2 hours.
At 12:03 pm meal was served again. The food looked similar every time they serve a meal.
We could see Mt. Kilimanjaro from the plane just before landing. I was so excited together with some persons who will climb the same mountain.
We arrived at Kilimanjaro Airport at February 10th 1:16pm local time.
This is a small airport.
We went to the hotel by bus.
This is Africa. The atmosphere is really impressive.
There are many people walking along the road.
Suddenly caws rushed into the road.
There were many places where some groups of people were enjoying talking beside people working.
This is Africa! This is very impressive.
When we arrived at the hotel, we were going out for shopping.
Meanwhile, I witnessed a wedding parade. The first car of the parade was carrying musicians.
All our members of our team were taking pictures of the parade.
We went into a souvenir shop near the hotel.
We shopped in this supermarket.
There was a person who checks the people coming out by identifying the receipt and items in their bags.
This is our hotel. Our room is on the 1st floor on the left side.
We can view Mt. Kilimanjaro from the pool area of our hotel.
I ate dinner together with all members of our team.
First, chickens were served. We ate chickens like this every time.
All of us introduced ourselves one by one.
There are various members of young and old men and women.
They look normal but actually I found them so unique people with many unique experiences. Half of them said they had climbed Mt. Kinabalu and so on.
On February 11th, we started our trip to Marangu Gate which is the portal of entry of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Since it was Sunday, many people well dressed were walking for church.
We can see Mt. Kilimanjaro from the bus.
This is the Marangu Gate. We need to register and pay for the entrance.
We started from 1879m height.
These are all the member of our team which includes 15 climbers of us, 5 local guides and a tour staff from Japan. The porters have already lefted.
This is the gate, through which we went climbing.
We found monkeys.
They say it was a blue monkey.
The road is in jungle area but the road condition is very good.
I sometimes take measure of my saturated blood oxygen level (SpO2). It is lower and lower. I seem no good condition. I need to breath deeply to avoid altitude sickness. (The lower numeral shows the saturated oxygen content)
This is the lunch time. A big lunch box is served.
It was too many. In addition, I have portable foods from Japan.
This is a toilet at the resting point.
Porters are going through with big bags. They carry 7Kg for a person.
We arrived at Mandara Huts (2720m).
Mandara Huts is a comfortable place with grasses.
Our space is in the mountain hut for 4 people.
We were waiting for diner, lying on the grass.
This is dinner. We must eat food so much and drink water so much against mountain altitude sickness. However, I ate too much. I have got a little diarrhea. I feel no good at this early stage. I have to get well soon.
This is the dinner. The dishes are served by our cook.
The sun set at 6 pm.
I am afraid not to be able to take photos of constellation of sky.
It was so beautiful. There are many stars not familiar with me in Japan.
I should have studied it before hand in Japan. However, I found the big dipper and Orion as well as in Japan.
On February 12th, we could see sea of clouds in the morning.
We were waiting for the starting time at 8 am.
Every day with our schedule, we got up at 6 am, had breakfast at 7 am, and started walking at 8 am.
We started for the next camp Horombo Hut.
We can see Mawenzi Peak.
We can see Kibo peak of Kilimanjaro at February 12th 9am.
This is our target Kilimanjaro.
The altitude is 2855m.
We are getting a rest. As for toilet during the walk we can do it in the bush.
Our tour stuff said like, gWomen should go for toilet on the leftwards, and men to the rightwardsh.
We are starting to walk. This is very comfortable way.
The walking speed is slow for adaption of higher altitude.
Lunch!
Our cook brought tea to us. Anyway, we need drinking so much.
I decided not to eat at once. I ate it separately later.
At about 3pm, we arrived at Horombo Huts 3772m. This is about the height of Mt. Fuji.
Our space today is in the big mountain hut.
At 6pm, SpO2 is 85%. Is it normal for this altitude?
I feel get better by taking attention not to eating food so much and drinking water so much. But our tour staff gave me a comment to drink water more, checking my Health Control Sheet. Actually, we write SpO2 and body conditions on the Health Control Sheet every day.
This is my bed on the bottom of the bunk.
We are staying here tomorrow again for adaption of high altitude. We may be able to be relaxed because we are getting up at 7 am tomorrow.
On February 13th, for adaption of high altitude, we went hiking to 4000m point and back, starting at 9 am.
This is Zebra Rock because it looks like zebra.
This is a picture of all members of our team.
Exceeding 4000m, this is my first experience.
Good scenery point for viewing Mt. Kilimanjaro.
You can see the mountain huts at Kibo Huts, and the attack route above.
We are climbing up to the wide top on the right hand (Gilmanfs Point) and walk around the crater to the left hand (the highest peak of Uhuru Peak), where there is an ice river.
We went back from here to Horombo Huts.
At Horombo Huts, there was a meeting event with porters. There are so many people concerned.
Our cookfs dancing.
On February 14th, the sun rises at 6 am.
We are starting for the next camp Kibo Huts.
Approaching to Kibo Huts, it became much colder.
Lunch time! It was nearly the same as before. It includes chicken, bread, boiled egg, apple, banana, etc.
The road to Kibo Huts was in the desert.
We arrived at Kibo Huts (4703m) at 2 pm.
As soon as arrived there, we prepare for tomorrow's journey.
We ate dinner at 4 pm, and then went to bed at 6 pm.
We got up at 10pm, and had a light meal.
We started climbing at 11 pm.
This picture was taken just after started climbing.
It was dark and there was nothing in the picture aside from us walking.
On February 15th, I was alright until about 3 hours walk. I remember I realized the altitude exceeding 5000m. I wanted to drink water but my water outside seemed frozen, so I took another one from my bag to drink and ate a small portable food.
The route was zigzagged and got steep and steep with stones and gravel.
I suddenly wanted to go to toilet. I asked a guide if there were somewhere suitable for toilet. There was no place of it. Then, SpO2 seemed lower. My legs lost power because of insufficient oxygen. I was going forward very slowly. I got sick of altitude obviously. SPO2 must be below 70%. But I could see the top at a short distance. Cheer up! Sub-guide offered me to carry my bag but I did not think I need it. But he offered it again and again, they say I looked like drunk.
Finally, I arrived at the top, called Gillmanfs point (5685m).
It took 6 hours and half from Kibo Hut (4703m)
My son and other people had left and started for another peak of Uhuru Peak. I have been disapointed. Then, the chief guide said, gLet's go down nowh. Another person also came up later. He also had to give up Uhuru Peak. He objected to the guide and said gI can goh but eventually gave it up.
The sub-guide Yohana took my picture at the Gilman's Point.
But it was too dark.
Only this picture was good. This is the view from the top.
What is this? It was strange and looked like sunk ships.
It became bright at 6:30am.
I realized the route was so long when I look down and walked down.
The mountain in front of me was Mawenzi Peak.
I caught up with the people.
About this time, my son, Tsuyoshi, arrived at Uhuru Peak (5895m).
He said it was so hard to reach here. You can see the ice river on his back.
When I walked down to Kibo Hut, I had a rest.
The group went to Uhuru Peak came back and had lunch together.
And we started walking for Horombo Huts, 1000m down from here.
We could see Horombo Hut. The oxygen level got higher and higher.
On February 16th, this is in the morning at Horombo Huts at the same altitude as Mt. Fuji. We slept so well. I felt dense oxygen and very comfortable. I thanked Oxygen!
I remember I said to my son, gIt may be easier to climb Mt. Fuji 10 times because of denser oxygenh. He agreed.
I sometimes saw craws which do not afraid of people, as well as Japanese grouse.
This is Horombo Hut on cloud.
This is a chameleon we found on the way. This was not afraid of people as well.
The monkey looks gentle.
This is the sub-guide, my friend Yohana.
All the team members were taken photos including 15 members of us, a tour staff, local guides, cooks, and porters.
I received this certificate mentioning I have successfully climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, Gilman's point 5685m. I regret it was not Uhuru Peak, but I am deeply impressed for the long way of the preparation for 6 months, high altitude training, and effort of adapting altitude.
All members of our team received the certificates. According to our tour staff, it is very rare case of all members getting it. Normally it is half. It means our members are so strong.
Anyway, I would like to retry to climb it from another route some day. Thank you.