Day 2

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Today we discover “Africa time”. Africa time is measured as a sequence of events, not necessarily by the hands of a clock. We don’t leave the hotel for Mt. Kilimanjaro until well after 9:30 am. The trip, which is only supposed to take 45 minutes to the mountain, takes an hour and a half. But the sights are amazing.
Along the way, I notice lots of homes built from sticks and mud. Some of the roofs are thatch and some are a tin secured with tires or rocks I also notice a lot of the buildings don’t have glass in the windows and have sheets covering the open doorways. I see lots of brick or concrete buildings that are merely the shell of a structure with no roofs or floors. I can see right into the buildings. There aren’t any internal framing, drywall, studs, plumbing, or electrical components. There are several building that look like someone started building the external frame and then just stopped for no apparent reason. Further out of town, we see small villages and markets that are little more than a collection of mud huts or woven stick structures. We watch as Maasai men and boys herd their cattle in the fields on the edge of the highway. There are no fences and they seem to be walking from nowhere to nowhere.

A woman does household chores near her home in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania, Africa, Friday March 2, 2007. Many homes in the area do not have doors, glass in their windows, electricity, or running water. (photo by Tammy McKinley)

A woman does household chores near her home in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania, Africa, Friday March 2, 2007. Many homes in the area do not have doors, glass in their windows, electricity, or running water. (photo by Tammy McKinley)

Families gather to do chores near thier home in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania, Africa, Friday March 2, 2007. Many homes in the area do not have doors, glass in their windows, electricity, or running water. This home is constructed of sticks from the jungle, held together with mud and a corrugated tin roof. (photo by Tammy McKinley)

A trio of Masai men herd their cattle on the open plain in Tanzania, Africa, Saturday, March 3, 2007. (photo by Tammy McKinley)


We finally arrive at the Kilimanjaro National Park to register for the climb. We are taking the six-day Marangu route, also known as the coke a cola route, to the 19, 340 ft peak. We start our journey in the tropical rain forest. The assistant guide, Abdi Mdoe follows behind carrying supplies on top of his head. He doesn’t speak much English, but smiles all of the time. Teacher, the head guide, stays behind to clear up some registration paperwork. On the way we meet a few local children holding some of the native lizards and frogs on long sticks. We cross several wooden bridges over creeks and small waterfalls. The path is well marked and lined by giant ferns and tall trees.



The Margangu route to Mandara Camp in the Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania Sunday, Febraury 25, 2007. (photo by Tammy McKinley)

A chameleon clings to a stick on the Margangu route to Mandara Camp in the Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania Sunday, Febraury 25, 2007. (photo by Tammy McKinley)


We meet lots of trekkers on the way down from the climb. They are still wearing their winter clothes from the trek down the mountain.
Several porters pass us carrying huge loads of supplies on their heads and backs. Our own porters have gone on ahead. We have 10 porters, 3 cooks, 2 waiters, a potty porter, 3 assistant guides and one head guide. It is quite a large group of people to assist five women up the mountain. But most reputable climbing companies require the high number of porters and guides. We are torn about hiring so many porters, but also realize that hiring these men, we are contributing greatly to their families and to the local economy, which depends on the eco-tourism trade. And it really does make the climb a lot safer and more enjoyable.
After several hours of walking along the trail, we arrive at our lunch site. Teacher is already there, having come up a back route. We are tired and beginning to feel the altitude. I am starting to drag behind. I quit smoking about 6 months ago and the effects of twenty-five years of poor health and diet choices are taking their toll on my body. I’m a little nervous because today is supposed to be the easy day of hiking and I am having trouble catching my breath. But Teacher assures me that this is normal. Laura is concerned that we aren’t keeping up with the time. The hike to the Mandara hut is estimated at 3 hours and it has taken us 2 1/2 hours just to get to lunch. Teacher tells us not to worry about the time and just go “pole pole” which means slowly in Swahili. The slower we go, the better we will acclimate to the altitude.
At the lunch site, we have our first encounter with a long drop. A long drop is an outhouse with a hole in the ground instead of a toilet. It’s all about the squat in Tanzania.
We see a Ratel, or honey badger scavenging for leftovers at the site. It looks like a cross between a ferret and a raccoon.
After lunch, we continue our walk to Mandara Camp. The rest of the girls go on ahead and Teacher stays behind with me. The jungle charms me. I want to know what each plant is. I see Colobus monkeys jumping from tree to tree. And then it begins to rain. The trees provide a lot of cover for the rain so we don’t get too wet. But the sprinkles that do land on me feel refreshing after such a long uphill hike.

Our group begins the second day of hiking in the Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania Monday, February 26, 2007. (photo by Tammy McKinley)


I arrive at Mandara Camp about fifteen minutes behind the other girls. Mandara Hut is at 1980 meters. The porters that arrived hours ago, cheer me on as I walk into the camp. The last one, but I made it. I am in good spirits despite the arduous 5-hour ascent.

Hikers make their way to thier huts at Mandara Camp in the Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania Sunday, Febraury 25, 2007. (photo by Tammy McKinley)

Our room is above the dining hall. When we climb the ladder to the room, all of our bags are there. We proceed to hang our wet clothing in the aisle between our bunks. Only one overhead light works in the long room. The camp is solar powered. The porters bring up a large bowl of boiled water for washing. The order is always washing first, then tea, and then dinner.
After washing we go down the ladder to join the other groups for tea. They bring us boiled water, tea bags, hot chocolate, coffee, popcorn and peanuts. Soggy popcorn never tasted so good.
After tea, I return up the ladder to bandage my blisters and pack for the following day before the light gives out. Lisa and Ada take a nature hike to Maundi Crater.
For dinner, we are served soup, fresh fruit and vegetables, spaghetti noodles, and beef stew. We meet with other climbers heading up the mountain. We meet groups from South African, Germany, America, and Romania. There are people from all over the world. Group sizes range from 1 person to 20 people and cross all age groups over age 16. There are more people over 50 than I would have imagined.
After dinner, we all retire to our bunks, exhausted and full. It’s dark and raining. We each take turns going out into the night to use the toilet. We have a private toilet tent set up for our group just behind the dining hall. Ada goes outside and sees a monkey wandering through camp. Lisa gets lost on the way back and finds the porters’ quarters instead. She walks in and all the men turn around and say hello. Eventually, she finds the dining hall where we are staying and the door has been locked. She bangs on it until someone comes to open the door. It’s late and she is tired and scared and starts to cry. As she relates this to us, we can’t stop laughing. What a day of adventure. We are tired but ready to start our climb to Horumbo Hut.