Toilets...I was warned.

We had been warned about the state of the toilets (known as Kilimanjaro Long Drops).but NOTHING prepared me for what I experienced on the other side of these wooden walls...

Toilet paper in the nose did not help to mask the smell...

Our homes.Although they look small, these 2-man tents were actually quite roomy.

The green tent is the mess tent, the central meeting place

An early morning view of the mountain

Barranco wall...a three hour climb for us, our porters did it in 45 minutes!

No one could explain these to me.

Found in only one area, there were dozens of them

Everything we need to eat and drink had to be carried up the mountain by the porters.This included chairs and tables for the mess tent

"Pole,Pole" means "Slowly, Slowly" in Swahili...one step at a time.

We learned very quickly to get to meals early. That way you got a seat that was out of the wind.

Our guides and porters...

Barafu camp to the summit!

A view of our group makes its way into our final camp before our summit attempt

It is much easier for guys on the mountain...although "mountain etiquette" decrees that you face away from the mountain.

Private toilets are available(at a price)...ask your tour operator if they have.They are well worth the cost. I was lucky enough to be able to use one that belonged to another group.It had a proper seat, toilet paper, a magazine rack and it was spotless!

a table and chairs provides a bit of comfort amongst the rocks

My screen says it all...

Our group arrives at Stella point...

Just in time to see the sunrise!

Truly breathtaking...if you have any left after having climbed for the past 7 hours.

The sun makes an appearance...

Walking along the ridge from Stella Point to Uhuru Peak.Although the distance is only a few hundred meters, the walk takes about an hour

The glaciers on the top of Kilimanjaro are evaporating, but there were still a few left in 2006

If you look closely you will see where this glacier is melting...

another glacier...they are spectacular.

A view of the crater...Kilimanjaro is a volcano

 

This is what it is all about...a board at the top of a mountain!

A local entertainer,Steve Hofmyer gave me R10000.00 for hospice.This CD,which he signed, was later sold at a charity auction

I found this chameleon on the long walk back to the gate...

I collect my completion certificate from John our head guide...

 

and it looks like this...note the age segment is blank...

Welcome home,my truimphant return

 

 When you step off the plane you have to make sure that you are wearing a Kilimanjaro t-shirt, because you DO want people to notice.

For me, saying goodbye was emotional, as many of us will not see each other again as we live in different towns and cities.

 

When you get home…

HAVE LOOOOONG SHOWER…THEN DO YOUR OWN WASHING! The only kit that I have not still not cleaned is my boots. I washed the laces, but the boots are still covered in Kilimanjaro dust.

Between unpacking, doing your washing and downloading your photographs, you can start to tell your story.

Despite all the hardships we faced, everyone, including Quinton and Karen, who did not summit, had a very positive attitude.

A spiritual and emotional trip, it brought closure for me after the sudden and unexpected death of my Dad in 2004.

The climb gave me a renewed sense of spiritual peace, harmony and direction.

There are symptoms that might return with you from the mountain. I found that for three weeks I was still feeling dehydrated and I was drinking a lot of water. Food also took on a whole new meaning, especially if it did not have green peppers in it!

If Kilimanjaro is on your to-do list, then do it sooner than later, as Kilimanjaro is changing on an annual basis.

I hope that you have enjoyed sharing this adventure with me and I hope that it gives you the impetuous to tackle you own mountain, whatever that might be.

And for my next challenge? Life is a journey and not a destination, so I may as well enjoy the journey for as long as I can. And the universe has a strange way of giving you what you want when you least expect it.

Life, the world and everything else takes on a whole new meaning when viewed from 5895m(19340ft.)