my boring recollection

Let me tell you a little bit about climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. I'll end up focusing mostly on the summit day.

DAY 1. From civilization into the rain forest. Ants that poison without mercy dominate the ground and monkeys that look like giant skunks master the canopy.

DAY 2. From the rain forest to Horombo Hut; a little spot just above the clouds where God doesn't hold back any of the stars. Glorious. But also just enough altitude to get me up a couple times in the night sick with diarrhea.

DAY 3. Acclimatize. Go up a bit and come right back down to Horombo. Ferocious diarrhea. That evening, begin taking the altitude sickness medication Diamox.

DAY 4. The miracle of Diamox means no more diarrhea. Helpful on the long ascent to Kibo Hut. Arrive at Kibo in the late afternoon, eat a quick meal and try to force sleep. Wake up again at 11pm to begin hike to summit.

DAY 5. Hiking up slippery switchbacks in the dark from midnight to 6:30am proves that no one is invincible against the altitude sickness. Forced to pass by friends and leaders vomiting and dry heaving on the side of the trail. Just keep walking. It's all that can be done.

As the sun began to rise I could look back at all we had accomplished in the dark, and see how high we had climbed. Finally we reached the top of the switchbacks at Gilman's Point. The sunrise was beautiful like someone telling you how much they love you.

But then I turned to face the summit. And I knew that what others had said would only take 45 minutes would take far longer. My body ached and wanted no more of it. But the mental battle was even worse. Who cares? What does it matter if I make it to the summit? What's the difference? Why are we doing this at all?

I felt I could easily fall down at any moment and have to start crawling to continue. But then I thought about how I didn't care to continue. This was much harder than anyone had let on. More difficult than anyone bothered to tell me. And then I quit. I completely gave up.

But for some reason my stupid feet kept walking. Something deep in my guts stirred around. Nausea? No... Something emotional that doesn't know whether its place is in the mind or the body, so it takes over both.

Take a step. Take another. Don't stop. No more breaks.

Finally we crested a hill. And I saw the sign that marks the summit. I think my eyes started leaking. Probably the wind or something...

The summit itself was a blur of action. A few moments rest. Then quick photos. Then hurry down. You can't stay up there very long, I guess.

Summarizing far too much-we shuffled all the way down to Kibo, took a short rest, and went all the way down to Horombo.

DAY 6. All the way back down.

Maybe the next blog will contain some useful thought about what I've learned.