Kim

Girl on Girl Action-Kilimanjaro

I think that title may have grabbed your attention but you will had to read further to find out what really happened.....
Before I set foot on Kilimanjaro, everyone would say "You are going to learn something new about yourself. It will be amazing!!". My first thought was "Do I really want to learn anything knew about myself"?? I just spent the last year picking my ass up off the ground and putting the pieces back together!!! The last thing I need is something else to think about. I am fine just living in my simple mind with simple thoughts. No deep thoughts please!! So I would first like to say that Kilimanjaro was unbelievable but I didn't feel like I answered any deep burning questions like "the meaning of life" and nor did I discover how to solve my inner most evils. It was simply a beautiful place and an amazing hike.
I met so many wonderful people and truly enjoyed the experience. Difficult but absolutely worth it. The terrain was amazing-rain forest, dessert, rock formations, and my favorite section I have named the "moon"-it was very beautiful and peaceful. It was damn cold every day-especially at the top. Yes, Melissa and I spooned one night. I was the one who made the request, it had been a long journey at that point and I was absolutely freezing no matter how many layers of clothing I donned. It was about -25 degrees at the top, so spooning was a wonderful idea. So now close your eyes....and let your imagination take over. Are you done?? Ok, that is exactly how it went! Just two naked women nestled together in one small sleeping bag....all right, that wasn't exactly it but I wondered if you were still paying attention.
Ok, back to the story.... It was so amazing to see the beauty of 19,350 feet! We actually had been above the clouds for several days but this just felt like the top of the world to me. We arrived at sunrise which just made the glaciers look like heaven.
During the final ascent it was hard to breathe and my rib muscles suffered a bit the remainder of the trip down. I also hit my wall after climbing (up and then back down 1/2 way) a total of 14 hours that last day. I was completely exhausted-so tired I felt like I could collapse. The descent down to the last base was 2-3 hours of "skiing" down 2 feet thick of powder dirt-Except I didn't have ski's AND it wasn't snow! It was a 60 degree angle and every 30 minutes or so I had to sit in order to rest my legs. Regardless of the difficulty I still managed to have fun! Cruel as it may sound, watching others suffer more than me brought me comfort. There were some who had to be carried down or at least held up by their porters. There I go again with that selfish thread of mine.....
The altitude makes you say the funniest things and the 10 of us were usually in stitches each night from laughing so hard. Sharing sleeping quarters and trekking for hours each day with 6 guys and 4 girls leads to a loss of modesty! Bush toilets were the usual spot for all calls, day or night, and showering was left to baby wipes. Important to remember the proper order when using a babywipe: Face, hands, pits and then the bits! 5 of the 10 made it to the top and 8 made it to Gilman's point (crater point, nearest to the top). I am pretty proud of myself and don't underestimate my abilities but grateful for the lucky streak of no altitude sickness. One guy puked 25 time the morning of the ascent! He pushed on to the top but it wasn't pretty. It was his honeymoon and his wife was doing just fine, hiking along with me. I know that just killed him! Oh boys.....you are truly the weaker of the sexes. Will you just get over it?!
Well, on that note, I will carry on with my travels and check in after the Serengeti! Cheers!