18 September 2017: Most of us are up early. I didn't sleep well and am eager to escape the crowded camp. There are two routines to get used to. The first is your own morning routine: wake up, search for your headlamp, find the toilet paper, pull on your boots, and head for the little yellow tent. Fingers crossed you're the first one in! The second routine involves the entire team (that's what they call a bunch of people climbing a mountain). Get coffee or tea. Retrieve your water bottles from the guides, who filled them with boiling water the previous evening (they're using water collected from the mountain and need to boil it to kill all the stuff that might kill you). Pack your daypack with what you think you'll need during the hike to the next camp. That usually includes your waterproof outer layers, snacks, water, a little bit of patience, and a dose of determination. Pack your big bag and place it where the porters will find it. Eat breakfast, attend the briefing, and make sure your partner is feeling okay.
The first morning's watery brown porridge is inedible. At first, I tried small spoonfuls of the stuff, and when that didn't work, I took a big gulp straight from the bowl. That nearly caused me to hurl all over Mary Queen of Scots, who was sitting across the table from me. I wasn't the only one who couldn't stomach the porridge. I rinsed the vinegar taste out of my mouth with a cup of tea and went outside. The cool morning air was a relief.
Straight out of camp, we're greeted by a series of steep climbs, and it quickly becomes hot and humid. We're still in the forest, and I'm sweating profusely. After a quick lunch provided by the guides, we climb past the 3,000m (9,842 ft) mark, and the forest vegetation gives way to Cape Fynbos, a variety of succulents, and several proteas. Protea is the botanical name for a genus of Southern African flowering plants, which, in local tradition, represents change and hope—very apt for the team members, who are certainly out of their comfort zones and hoping dearly to make it to the top. I'm glad to be out of the forest. As we ascend, the temperature plummets dramatically.
Matt is struggling slightly. Two factors contribute to his struggles. Firstly, Matt is not exactly in tip-top shape for the mountain (not that being in shape would guarantee you anything), and thanks to an enormous camera, his backpack's on the heavy side. Cellphone signal comes and goes, and Mark uses every opportunity to find out where the missing bags are and when (or if) they will arrive. A little before 14h00, we enter Shira 1, a nice flat camp with a spectacular view in the direction of Kili's Uhuru Peak. A big improvement on yesterday's crowded camp.
The guides spoil us with a pre-dinner snack of popcorn, tea, and deep-fried drumsticks. Whether it was chicken or quail or any other bird for that matter is anyone's guess. It went down well. I'm also slowly getting used to Tanzanian tea. With a bit of brown sugar, it's drinkable. Like with most things, it helps to lower expectations a tad to prevent disappointment. It takes me a while to gather enough courage to go for a wash, but after sweating in the forest, it becomes rather necessary. Here's how it works: You take your small bowl of warm water and crawl into your tent, where you've already cleared everything from backpacks to sleeping bags to one side. You undress and, depending on your mobility (and age), you either sit on your behind next to the little bowl of water or you squat. The squat option's advantage is that your naked butt is not in contact with the ice-cold groundsheet of the tent. First, you soap, and then you rinse. And you do it quickly. Wet wipes are a great idea to get rid of the worst dirt and grime before using the little water you have. Deodorant and a new t-shirt, and I crawl out of the "bathroom" feeling refreshed and as good as new.
I take my wife for a stroll. The one thing the mountain does is take your mind off the troubles back home. We spend the rest of the afternoon in the dining tent, chatting about bicycles and beer with Jedd and Simon—two things I know a bit about.
Dinner consists of mince patties with rice and green beans, with pineapple for dessert. Enjoyable. We go to bed early. Apart from the fact that it's cold, we're also on the tired side. For the first time in my life, I pull on thermal underwear. The "Batman" suit is warm and comfortable, and I get a good night's sleep.
We're sleeping at 3,610m (11,844ft) and covered roughly 11km (6.2 miles) for the day.
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