Kilimanjaro trek - Day 3

I woke up at 5.30am feeling much better.  Bags packed, cup of tea delivered to tent.  7.00am breakfast of porridge, toast with peanut butter and honey.  A much better start to the day.

From the camp there was a good view of the summit.

We started our days hike at 7.30am sharp.  The hike was a very gradual incline through a moonscape of boulders and dust.  After a couple of hours it seemed to be threatening rain and then started to sleet slightly.   I decided that this was the time to bring out my secret weapon - the multi function poncho.



The jolly green giant moon landing





















This jaunty little number not only acts as a waterproof coverall, it also doubles as a very convenient personal toilet tent - no need to find a rock to hide behind when you have one of these!

The mornings hike went on and on, hour after hour, and the group gradually split into pods according to speed of walking.  I got separated from Lisa and Justin who were ahead in a faster 'pod'.  I was teamed with brothers Danny and Martin Flannagan, Jim and Kev. 




Martin, Kev, Me, Jim (Danny taking photo)





















Danny took the lead.  I was starting to feel the effects of AMS again and was grateful that Danny was setting a good, slow and rhythmic pace for our pod.  I concentrated on following his heels to take my mind off my increasing nausea.  With Danny ahead of me and Martin behind me, this 'Flannagan sandwich' arrangement was working well for me until the boys started talking about what type of soup they would like for lunch.  I managed to keep a lid on it until Jim said that he was hoping for French Onion soup with gruyere cheese croutons.  Last straw - sick again! 

Shortly after this we caught up with Lisa and Justin.  Slumped on a rock Lisa was now also suffering with AMS, headachy and nauseous.  I later found out that Nick and Anne had also succumbed to AMS, as well as Emma who had been effected badly for two days.

We eventually reached the lunch tents after 5 and a half hours.  Neither Lisa or I wanted much to eat.  I tried to force down a couple of stewed potatoes.  I don't think Lisa ate anything.

As we set off down into the valley after lunch it started sleeting again and was very cold.  After a gradual descent into the valley we then climbed uphill steeply.  At the top I asked if one of the porters could take the weight of the rucksack off me as I was starting to feel ill again.  Thomas took it.  The next section of the walk was across a ridge and then down the mountainside into the Barranco Valley to the camp site.  I decided to keep at the back of the group, prefering to walk as slowly as possible. 

I found myself walking behind Brian and his son Simon.  Brian at 78 years old was the oldest member of our party and has two metal replacement hips.  As I witnessed him carefully negotiate each rocky, uneven step down the mountainside over a four and a half hour period I absolutely marvelled at his courage and determination. 



Brian - a gentleman and an inspiration



























I find it incredible that he would even consider undertaking a challenge of this magnitude.  A true gentleman, he did not complain (or even sigh) once.  As the hours went by he was clearly increasingly exhausted, two porters and his son Simon were assisting and supporting him with every step and ensuring he did not lose his balance.  Finally at 7.00pm, after an eleven and a half hour epic hike we arrived in camp by torch light.

Wow! What a courageous, truly inspiring Gentleman.

Back at camp I discovered Lisa and Emma were both tucked up in their sleeping bags with AMS.  Lisa had started taking Diamox tablets to combat AMS symptoms.  Emma, a young fit marathon runner who was effected particularly badly by AMS, was given an injection of something by the Doctor.  Gary, a Liverpudlian with a big heart who had had a successful operation to remove a brain tumor in 2008, had been suffering badly with a chesty cough for two days.  Kilimanjaro is a very dusty environment, the dust seeps into every pore. The Doctor diagnosed Asthma and he was given medication to relieve the symptoms.

Those who felt like it enjoyed a hearty dinner of soup and bread; spaghetti with minced beef sauce; pineapple and hot chocolate.  We all retired to our tents early. 

Those of us who were taking Diamox had our nights sleep broken up with regular wee breaks - one of the side effects of taking the medication.