KILI

I made it. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, both mentally and physically, but I made it to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa.
Let me elaborate just a little bit on "hardest thing ever". We climbed about 4000 meters in four days. Day one is easy: a 9 km hike through rain forest. We saw black monkeys. And the huts are little triangular buildings that accommodate 4 people each, and it reminded me of the rockies. Day two is a little harder: 12 km, most of it through brushland, with fewer and fewer trees the farther you go. The huts the second night, called Horombo, are identical to the first, called Mandara. Then, the fun begins. The third day is when the fun begins. The hike is about 9 km, but most of it is through alpine desert, completely devoid of life. And halfway through you reach the saddle, the area between Uhuru and Mawenzi (the two peaks of Kili), which is cold and windblown, and almost entirely uphill until you reach kibo, a ragged assortment of huts at the base of the summit. You eat as much as possible when you arrive, around 4 or 5 pm, then sleep until 11 pm, if you can at that altitude (ie, if you don't have a headache). Then, at 11pm, you wak up, have tea and biscuits, and begin the ascent into hell. You climb for 11 km, up almost vertical trails paved with dust, almost entirely unable to breath because of the lack of air pressure. Ever step I took was the hardest I had ever taken. 10 minutes in I wanted to stop.
8 hours later, I reached Gillman's point, the first spot you reach on the caldera rim (kili is a volcano). Then you walk steadily uphill to reach Uhuru, pushing yourself harder than you ever have before.
How ever, once I made it I had the best feeling I have ever had. Adrenaline rushed to my head and for thirty minutes I was pain free, energetic, and happier than you can imagine. And then the adrenaline ran out.
I have never been in more pain. Kibo might as well have been the moon, and Horombo, the middle huts, and the place I had to walk down to that day, might as well have been Mars. I was spent. At Gillman's on the way down, I vomited everywhere. You know the sweet relief that you feel when you vomit? I had no relief. I threw up everything I had in my stomach, dry heaved and waited for the relief. Instead, I was made painfully aware of my headache. Everytime my heart beat (probably way to often to be healthy- 150? 160? 200?) my brain screamed to get out of my head. I've never had a worse headache. And then I started to descend. Every step down made the headache a little better, but my legs got a little weaker. It was like jelly. I was totally, completely, utterly spent. Did I mention I was tired? When I finally made it to Kibo, I couldn't stop shaking. My guide untied my shoes and I crashed into bed. Btw, Val made it to the top with me and Courtney turned around between 4 and 5 am, due to altitude sickness. Everyone of us threw up on the mountain.
The rest of the descent is a blur. But the climb was incredibly rewarding and incredibly difficult. I'm still tired, and I've been down for two days now.
I am currently in Arusha, at Kundayo Serviced Apartments. We leave for the field tomorrow, and I have no idea when I will blog again.

Mpaka baadae,
Caleb