15th September - Barafu Camp

Another day of acclimatisation. I know it’s important, necessary in fact, but it’s still tedious. Well, that’s not quite right. Although there is nothing to do in camp, there is plenty to see. The views at each camp have been stunning and some do not need the imposing backdrop of Kilimanjaro to give them authority.

At present, I am sitting in my Eureka Scorpion tent writing my journal and waiting for Freddy to take me out on another short but steep walk. To get here I had to ascend from 4200m (Karanga) to 4600m (Barafu). The road up was steep, rocky and dusty. We only stopped 3 times and by the end of it my head was swimming. Fortunately, my headaches seem to be behind me, but the I still get bouts of nausea.

Every so often I take a look up at the towering rocks about me and I realise just how far up Uhuru Point is. At midnight tonight I start off for the summit. Yes, I’m feeling a bit anxious but only because of the fact that I’ll be walking at night over difficult rocky terrain.

Mid-afternoon I went for a little stroll up the summit path with Clemence. On the way I felt my breath going and a touch of dizziness but as always they passed. However, I met up with Jodie and Pete of the South Africa bunch. It turned out that they were on the 6 day hike (I’m on the 7 day), so they shot past Karanga camp and made straight for Barafu yesterday. They would have arrived about 4pm after a hard climb only to be woken at midnight for the final ascent. During the time we were together Pete had similar symptoms to myself and it turned out that he had problems on the summit. A quick hooch from the oxygen bottle and he was fine, but he had to go down carefully which is how I met them. We’ve agreed to exchange email addresses back at the hotel. They are going to leave theirs in the visitors book.

I’ve sent off a few text messages, and read some more of my book, but all I can do is wait. I’ve arranged all my equipment based on what the others told me: thermal layer, woolly tracksuit bottoms, 2 thin and 1 thick pair of socks, T-shirt, optional thermal sweater, fleece and windproof jacket. Oh – and my trusty beanie that is nearly as good as my green fleece for keeping me warm. In order to keep my Camelback from freezing I’ve been told to wrap it up, and to avoid keeping water in the tube.

Tick tock, tick tock...

Cold, so cold. Have put on thermal gear. Heard a woman crying – she didn’t make the summit. I’m trying not to feel anxious but the rain has started so that means sub-zero temperatures and therefore lots of icy rocks to climb.

I’m confident that I have all the right equipment. I have kept myself hydrated with at least 3 litres per day, with 4+ being more likely. I don’t have any symptoms of altitude sickness (except for a minor case of the shits). All in all there is no foreseeable reason
why I should fail to make the summit.
Darkness is falling. Wish me luck.