Sheila’s Report From the Mountain

Florenz, the man who is the chief guide of the group, is a lovely and very attentive man, as are all the other guides and porters. They look after everyone really well, and are always asking if they can do anything to help – carry your day sack for you, get you more food or water, help you with tent or bag zips etc.

The toilet facilities – happily – are much better than anticipated, possibly because there were only 7, now 5, in our group.  The loo is state of the art with a pump to put water in and a lever to pull to make everything disappear – and it really worked. Loo paper always available too and little trace of any smell.  Very different from the experience of those not travelling with such a good company as Exodus Travels, I know.

The food was fine.  We had porridge each morning followed by eggs and bacon with bread and tea, coffee, hot chocolate and Milo to drink. We were given substantial packed lunches in Tupperware containers. We had peanuts or popcorn when we arrived in camp. Dinner consisted of soup, followed by fish or meat, potatoes or rice and vegetables, then fresh fruit.  I suspect that the food will become rather repetitive as the days go on, but it is absolutely amazing that they can cater at all in such circumstances after walking all day, and setting up camp. They cook on calor gas (yes – they carry the canisters up the mountain) in tents in the most basic of circumstances and our cooks were producing meals for 41 people – 7 climbers and 34 support staff, who are the true heroes. The cooking we do for Catching Lives pales into insignificance compared to what these guys achieve.

The others in our group are great fun.  There is Jez and his 13 year old son, Reuben, who live near Aberfoyle and are experienced mountain climbers. Jez, who already climbed Kili a couple of decades ago, is a travel journalist and entertained us all occasionally as we were plodding along behind the guide by shouting “Press coming through” and rushing to the front with his enormous camera.

Then there are Sharon and her 15 year old son Dan, who would be happy to be called adrenalin junkies.  They have travelled all over the world doing extreme sports and activities – jumping out of planes, off mountains etc.

You can imagine that the group are never short of conversation, which is really lovely.  In the evening as well as a lots of chatter, we played travel Pointless and cards – mainly a variant of Pontoon or 21 developed by Jez – which everyone enjoyed.

I know that Jae is in excellent company and hope she isn’t worrying too much about us – Osc and I are just fine.

Oscar well and discussing football with the men from the African Walking Company who organised the climb
Oscar well and discussing football with the men from the African Walking Company who organised the climb and went to visit Sheila and Oscar this morning.

3G Kili Climb – Day Three

Exodus trip notes: Shira Plateau

A day to help acclimatisation and to explore the grassy moorland and the volcanic rock formations of the plateau. We walk to the summit of Shira Cathedral, a huge buttress of rock surrounded by steep spires and pinnacles. There is a tangible sense of wilderness here (especially when the afternoon mists come in!) and the views from our camp near Shira Hut (3840m) of Mt. Meru floating on the clouds are simply unforgettable. The afternoon is free to relax. Approx 4-5 hours walking.

Only One On The Mountain

Sheila and Oscar back at HQTHIS NEWS JUST IN FROM SHEILA:

“On the second night on the mountain, both Oscar and I got D&V (sickness at both ends) – not sure if due to bug, poisoning or altitude.  In the morning we were too debilitated to walk on, and were brought off the mountain by an “ambulance”, which we walked to – about an hour over boulders and rough terrain!  We had to share the passenger seat in the front of the vehicle. There was no seat belt and the windscreen in front of us had a big spiders’s web crack!  The ambulance careered along the dirt track at enormous speed, sending up clouds of red dust – it was like something out of Top Gear!  At one point a guy on a motor bike with sacks of potatoes piled up behind him was driving in the middle of the road, so our driver put on the siren!

We were both as right as rain once we were down.  At one of the stops we handed out all the chocolate we had to street kids and at another, Oscar bought an ice cream – so clearly he is fine!

We are back at Maivoro Coffee Plantation and had a swim in the pool and we are now sitting in the bar with a roaring fire with a coke and a G&T.

So sorry folks, we didn’t make it, but had lots of fun on the way and raised lots of money for our charities.

Oscar might have set a record by doing 152 keepy uppies on the mountain.  He and another boy and his father and a couple of guides had a competition with the football the other lad brought along.

Jae is still on the mountain: we are definitely in a more comfortable place.”

We are all so proud of you both for giving it an incredible go and for all the money you have raised for charity, not to mention the blogs you’ve entertained us with daily. We are just glad that you are safe and well. Our thoughts and support are with Jae who continues the climb. – Gwen