Kilimanjaro

ааааа	Climbing to the peak of Kilimanjaro was more exhausting than difficult. We took the Marangu route, the only one available to those who are not experienced climbers.
	Day One. We took the bus from Arusha to Moshi from where a shuttle took us to Marangu Gate (1870 m).We walked with a guide and two carriers, and after three hours of walking through a lush rain forest (р la Indiana Jones) we arrived at Mandara Hut (2700 m), the first of a series of very spartan refuges. There we spent the night.
	Day Two. We awoke early and set out on foot at a start of a day we knew was going to be tiring. It was an eight hour walk up a steep path where during the trip the vegetation gradually thinned out. We arrived at Horombo Hut (3720 m) where we spent the night. We experienced the first signs of altitude sickness (insomnia and lack of appetite). It also began to get much colder, expecially at night.
	Day Three. A day of acclimatization, after a three to four hour walk we reached the height of 4320 m at the foot of the Mawenzi peak.There was less and less oxygen and we became easily tired. "Pole pole" (in swahili: slow, slow) was what our guides reccommended. We went down to Horombo for lunch and we were pleased to see that the altitude sickness became less troublesome.
	Day Four. We left early in the morning for the Kibo Hut (4700 m). It was an eight hour walk in a setting that was becoming more and more "extreme": there was very little vegetation, there was less and less oxygen and there were some of us who had to turn back. For those willing to carry on, there was a refuge ahead, a very austere one at that (no running water, no heating and bitterly cold), a refuge that offered a few hours of rest (so called). This was the last rest before the final climb. Day Five. At about midnight we headed off for the peak. The moon lit the path along the sandy and slippery slopes of the volcano.
	The climb was arduous but we arrived at Gillman's Point (5685 m) at dawn.The sun rising over the glacier was an incredible sight. We stayed to take in the scene for a few minutes but the icy wind soon urged us on our way for another hike of an hour and a half through the glaciers. We were by this time very tired but we pushed on all the way to Uhuru Peak (5895 m). We were thoroughly exhausted, but we had done it! The terrible wind didn't let up (-32^o C) so after the ritual photograph-taking we descended to Kibo Hut where we collapsed! Later, in the afternoon, we continued down to Horombo.
	Day Six. We went from Horombo to Marangu Gate easily enough where a shuttle took us back to Moshi. A shower, finally! On to Zanzibar ...

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