Kilimanjaro Lives in Me: A Lifelong Bond (Part 2)
Day 4: Connecting with My Inner Beast. The True Story of Lava Tower
Ah! I feel energized. After a full night’s sleep, I feel amazing. Yesterday was a wonderful day wandering through moorland, capturing the pure beauty of the mountain.
Today is Day 4, I wake up and look around. “Another day to experience the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro.”
Today, the plan is to hit 15,000 feet, spend about an hour up there at lava tower, enjoy some lunch and descend to sleep at the next camp. Today is going to be a long day.
…but like my guide Francis said last night, “On Day 4, don’t think about Day 2, don’t think about Day 3. Simply keep walking pole pole (slowly slowly). This is the mountain.”
Day 4 started off with our usual pole pole (slowly slowly) up the mountain; putting one foot in front of the other and enjoying the gorgeous scenery.
I was in awe at the unfolding gorgeous scenery on Kilimanjaro – the light roaring of the winds, the beautiful rolling clouds and the dips and inclines of Kilimanjaro. I stopped in amazement at it all.
Pole Pole – we climb, we take breaks, we keep climbing, and have some good laughs. “Kilimanjaro – onward we go!!!”
I vividly recall a sense of pride and excitement when I take a break, look down at my watch and it says “14,000 feet”.
“I am really doing this.”
Kilimanjaro fills you with a sense of wonder. It fills you with a sense of serenity, and a sense of oneness with its natural elements.
To you all, I want to say..
“I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance.Never settle for the path of least resistance.”
-I Hope You Dance. Song by Lee Ann Womack
We keep climbing, and at one point, I spot my trail sisters, and I am all smiles. It’s amazing the people you meet when you traverse the world. I initially met my trail sisters at a rest stop with my guide and porters on our way to the Lemosho Gate to start our Kilimanjaro climb.
My trail sisters were generous enough to invite me to join them in indulging in a much needed cup of hot tea and delicious cookies. We chatted, we laughed, and we encouraged each other to keep going.
The enthusiasm and the friendliness of these four amazing brave women is something I will always remember. Anytime I met them on the mountain, they were all smiles, so encouraging, and ever ready to keep trekking up this majestic mountain.
To my trail sisters, I hope our paths cross again somewhere on this beautiful planet.
We encountered some steep climbs and some rocky descents to get to Lava Tower. As we keep climbing higher and higher, the clouds start to join our every path. I stop for a moment to make sure I am experiencing what I am experiencing – Mother Nature at its finest.
The breeze of Kilimanjaro engulfs you. The mountain gives you a front row seat to witness its captivating and ever changing scenery.
Climbing to the sky, where dreams are born,
With every step I take, I feel the earth and sky.
My heart beats with the rhythm of a journey bold and true,
Kilimanjaro’s calling, and I know what I must go.
~Eliza
The day was long, but the experience was one to remember. It felt surreal standing on Mount Kilimanjaro. We stopped at Lava Tower for lunch and to acclimatize to high altitude. I found myself dozing off whiles having lunch.
Whew! I needed that short nap.
We set off again to head to Barranco camp. This is the moment I have to tap into my inner beast, so I can descend this wildly steep 2,000 feet of rocks to the Barranco valley. No room for second guessing at this point, I am simply taking on the challenge.
“Let’s go“, I say to my guide Francis, “We are doing this“.
Over 2 hours later of tapping into the sheer human will, we make it to the valley. But we are not done yet, we have to keep pushing through.
Nighttime is starting to appear on the horizon, and it is magical.
BOOM, my first fall since I wandered onto Mount Kili. I slip right onto my left knee! Ouch! This is not happening. It is dark, it is getting chilly, we still have a few hours to go. I need my knee intact.
I quickly get up and try to balance myself, saying a silent prayer that I haven’t screwed up my knee.
Ouch! that hurts, but for just a minute. I grab onto my hiking poles, and pole pole we continue to trek towards Barranco Camp.
It’s fully night time now. I see a stream. Boy! this is going to take some creativity. The wrong step across this stream will send you flying someplace you wouldn’t want to be. Pole pole, with my guide and porter’s help, we make it safely across the stream and we keep going.
….and
BOOM! Here comes fall number 2. This time, I fall hard on the right knee, and I let out an ouch! I sit down for a second. Okay, this is enough. After 4 days of zero injuries, falling twice within minutes is annoying.
What am I doing this for again?
I stretch out my leg, and give my knee a quick massage. I grab on my poles to get up, and what do you know, I can walk, Whew!
To make this all worth it, at some point, I have to remind myself to look behind me and see how far I’ve come.
We don’t make it to camp till a little after 8pm. I am tired, I need to go to sleep.
After a great dinner, I step outside my tent and look up – oh Kilimanjaro, my Kilimanjaro, you never cease to amaze me! I see a million sparkling stars gracing the sky, and I can’t stop staring. I take it all in.
As I stand staring in amazement at the sky, one of my tent neighbors walks over to me for a chat, and we talk about the amazing stars. She tries to help me capture the beautiful stars with my phone. She tried her best, but my phone simply captured only the dark skies.
This is what I love about the mountain – we all lend a hand when someone needs it.
That night as I lay in my tent, I feel a sense of pride for that wild climb down to Barranco valley.
Thank you Kilimanjaro!
Day 5 The Barranco Wall
‘Boom boom boom grrrrrr’, a helicopter whistles high up. I turn around quickly and grab my phone to capture it as it whirls past. This is the story of someone being rescued. I send them good thoughts and prayers.
The Barranco wall looks mighty strong. My guide Francis says to me, “we are climbing up to where the helicopter came from”. Okay, let’s do this!
Just a little over an hour before…
“I am not waking up, I am not waking up. I just want to go back to sleep. The sleeping bag feels too good and cozy to get up! Not today, not today.”
I finally drag myself out of my sleeping bag, quickly get ready for the day and enjoy a hot breakfast. It is time to climb up the mighty Barranco wall.
This is a climb up a rough 846 feet wall that takes pure grit. Lots of steep climbs up rocks and boulders. There were times when I thought, no way can we climb up this section, and somehow we do it.
This climb taps into you, pulls you out and pushes you to give it your all.
Barranco wall is fierce.
Barranco wall is a warrior.
After almost 3 hours of sweat and toil, we make it to the top of the wall. Whew!
The best part – the wonder of Kilimanjaro.
We relax, take photos and head to camp. It was a day of determination and a day of helping hands.
Goodnight Kilimanjaro. You will always be with me!
Comments
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Tanya
Hello Trail Sister!! it’s Tanya from Kili, i was in the group of 4! So wonderful to read your blog. You were definitely a bright spot on the trail and i that you are a part of my memories of such an amazing trip!!
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Cathy
Thank you for sharing this with Me! I’m simply in awe of you, i can only imagine how different your experience is as a solo hiker – though I understand the allure of finding Peace in the climb. Truly an amazing experience! And i’m so glad that meeting you was part of it!