Down and dusty & the morning after!

Posted on September 5, 2010

So - we made it! 100% to the summit (10 out of 10) which is fantastic, but not without some enjoying the sensation of altitude and the lack of oxygen! The expedition went really well from start to finish and the team were superb – really positive and encouraging all the way. Everyday held its challenges but they took it in their stride and nothing seemed to put them down.

Summit day was great, clear starry skies and a light breeze to start with, and incredible classic African sunrise and the exhausting 7 hour & 1300m accent to the summit! Our incredible summit crew sang us to the summit, and between the leaders we kept an eye on everyone. At 07:00 Nelson (head guide from Ahsante) radioed me and told me he was on the summit with the first part of my team and at 07:50 the rest of us arrived.

Climbing Kilimanjaro is a huge achievement for everyone and they all thoroughly deserved it. Totally exhausted but successful the team began the long descent down the 1300m slope down to high camp. By 10:45 everyone was back in camp and had crashed out in their tents for some well earned rest/sleep. What a result.

A few hours later and we had a small lunch before packing our kit and heading down hill for 1 ½ hours to Millennium camp. As a team we move very fast downhill and managed this 3 hour trek in only half the time. The next morning, still feeling the effects from the day before re rose early in order to reach the gate before midday – again the team moved like lightening and manage new park record for the fastest descent by a team…in under 3 hours we made it to the gate – even over taking porters!! (and to do that you have to be moving fast!)

A quick nip back to the Ahsante office to collect our belongings, sort out some bits and bobs and of course give the porters/cooks/guides their well earned tips. After another singing and dancing session we said thanks for the all the hard work they had done for us and gave them their tips and some trekking gear. We had managed to collect enough items that all of them (24 in total) could have some clothing as tip also.

Back to the hotel for pizza, shower, shave and clean clothes and out to celebrate for the evening! AND WHAT AN EVENING IT WAS……

THANK YOU for all the message we received on the mountain – they were amazing and really kept the team going. If you want to send a message to team 2 then look down a few blogs to the one of how to send a message to the team! (They start on Tuesday)

 

© Copyright Jon Gupta • Designed by Dave Crossland • Admin Log in