Climbing Kilimanjaro: 48 Days to go

For some years I have wanted to climb Kilimanjaro. Being the highest point in Africa and the highest stand alone mountain in the world has its attraction, but for me it's just the challenge. At first I had the time but didn't have the money, then when I had the money I didn't have the time, now that I have neither I must make the time and find the money.

Richard Mulvey

I was delighted to be able to persuade Sheila my wife and later my close friend John van der Horst to join me. We are doing this climb to raise funds for The Reach for a Dream Foundation (www.reachforadream.org.za) and hope to raise R100,000, and with your help we should make it.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

48 Days to go

Less that 50 days now and we are really working hard on the fund raising but alas, not so hard on the training. Yesterday I flew to Johannesburg to meet with the Reach for a Dream guys and be interviewed for an advert that the really great people at Missing Link are doing. It never fails to amaze me how many fantastic people there are in the world, all of whom seem to be prepared to give their time and money without any possibility of reward. Thanks to Sean and his team for doing a great job yesterday.

I have committed to getting this blog updated twice a day with pictures and a story while we are actually climbing, so this will be the place to be between the 18th and the 23rd of January. In

the mean time I would really like to get involved with a radio station, who would welcome the sort of daily input I could offer from the mountain as well as an interview at the summit. This would really help to bring in more pledges of funds for the Reach for a Dream Foundation. If you can help with this sort of contact this would be great.

No training since Sunday so no really exciting pictures of the team, but I thought I would post a picture of me and my grandson during our training on Sunday. (I am the one on the right).

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Itinerary

16^th January – 09:00 Leave Durban for Sani Pass

16^th January – 15:00 Arrive at Sani Pass (take Photographs) Stay over night

17^th January – 08-00 Leave Sani Pass

17^th January – 15:00 Arrive Johannesburg

18^th January – 13:50 Depart Johannesburg

18^th January – 20:45 Arrive Kilimanjaro International Airport

18^th January – 22:00 Arrive at Springlands Hotel

19^th January – Day one on the Mountain

Enter park at Marangu Park Gate – 1800m above sea level

Walk 10 km through Tropical Rain Forest to the Mandara Huts 2727m (only 10 km walk but nearly 1 km up!)

20^th January – Day two

Leave Mandara Huts for Horombo Huts - 3720m

Walk 15km through Moorland (another 1 km up)

21^st January – Day Three

Leave Horombo Huts for Mawenzi Huts (4600 m) and back to Horombo Huts.

Walk the round trip through Alpine Desert for 15km to help with acclimatisation.

22^nd January – Day Four

Leave Horombo Huts for Kibo Huts (4720 m)

Walk through Alpine Desert for 16km.Get an early night!

23^rd January – Day Five

Midnight! Leave Kibo Huts for the summit. Uhuru Peak 5895 m.

Walk through Alpine Desert, Ice/Snow and Glaciers for 6km.

This is the hardest part of the walk. Low Oxygen, High Altitude, Low Energy but High Motivation. Short break at the top to watch the sunrise, then back to Horombo Huts (3720m) for the night.

24^th January – Day six

Leave Horombo Huts for Marangu Gate and back to the Hotel to celebrate.

Walk through Moorland and Rain Forrest for 27km.

25^th January

Leave Tanzania for a few days relaxation on the beach in Zanzibar.

We are already over 70% of the way to our R100,000 target and my grateful thanks go to the following people in no particular order: Lesley Newman, Charlotte van der Walt, Cathy Grey, Trish Byrne, Marylynn Grant, Komatsu Southern Africa, Brenda James, Cindy Norcott, Ian Johnson, Loraine Ginns, Nicola Rowbotham, Ben Rabinowitz, Thamani Naido, Ross von Dresselt, Annie Strickland, Kevin Uren, Marinda Swart, Ryan Hall, Olwen Ohlsen, Peter and Catherine Tillard and the Boys, Grant Vernon,Geoff and Sue Stephens, Roger Knowles, Anne Dreyer Erasmus, Cherri and Mark Bissett, The Partners at Grant Thornton, Michele Uren, Zillah Lowental, Daniel and Brenda Bence, Peter Green, Marc Giltrow, Gordon Mackay, Paul and Trudi du Toit, Synergy Freight International, Paul O' Brian, Miralee vd Merwe, Allan Bartram, Miles and Liz Crisp, Stef du Plessis, Richard Mulholland, The Lions Club of Port Shepstone, John vd Horst, Jacques de Villiers and of course, Clive Simpkins who has been instrumental in introducing me to many of the above.