Go big or go home: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for the Big 4-0!!
It all started a few months after I sponsored my first child through Compassion UK when they started a challenge called Blood, Sweat and Compassion and invited sponsors to take on the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to fundraise for the charity. That was in 2010. For years I would look at the challenge and think, “Nah I’m not fit enough”, “I’ll never raise the money” etc.
Then in 2018 I found myself working in the Compassion UK offices and there was a team out in Tanzania taking on this very challenge. So I spoke to Andy who was the challenges manager about when the next climb would be, which just happened to be in 2020, the year I turned 40. It felt like a no brainer then, rather than have a big party for the big birthday I’d take myself to Africa and attempt something I had wanted to do for many many years. I’d have well over a year to prepare and get myself ready. And I had seen other people with disabilities and limitations do it so I had the inspiration that I could do it too in-spite of having fibromyalgia.
The majority of my physical preparation was attending Pilates classes on a weekly basis as well as some one-to-one sessions with a great teacher. Closer to the go day I met up with other climbers on the team for walks and I seemed to manage pretty well. I felt strong and was really excited about getting there.
An added bonus of doing the challenge for Compassion was that I would get to meet the children that I sponsor. At the time of the climb I had six children all in Tanzania who I was going to get to meet after years of corresponding by letter.
What follows is a summary of the trip.
25/02/2020
I was heading out to Kenya before the rest of the team as I wanted to visit the Masai Mara while I was there before we did the climb and also to give myself time to acclimatise before meeting everyone. I was excited, nervous and a little anxious all at the same time. Having fibromyalgia makes life hugely unpredictable when it comes to my physical body because it can decide not to function for no specific reason even when doing all the right things to help.
26/02/2020
After a good 4-5 hours sleep I had a good breakfast before being driven to Nairobi Wilson airport for my flight to the Mara. I was going to be on a proper puddle jumper dirt airstrips African adventure.
There were two stops before we got to Keekorok airstrip where I was met by staff of the Sarova Mara camp with a wheel chair as requested though I decided to walk as I needed to stretch my legs. We had a 15km drive to the camp and en route we saw a pride of lion – 2 brothers and a sister. This was a first for me, seeing lion in the wild. We also saw a leopard (another first) and elephant all before checking in. I was on a roll with 3 out of the big 5.
After checking into camp and a spot of lunch we had an afternoon game drive where I got to see the final 2 of the big 5: buffalo and rhino (who was too far out of range for my camera to capture a photo so had to be ok with just seeing him through binos). We also saw giraffe, a group of 5 cheetah and warthog.
27/02/2020
It was an early start as we had a morning game drive. It was lovely watching the morning balloon safaris take off and then seeing nature’s scavengers in action. Hyenas and vultures picking at a 2 day old elephant carcass that had died of natural causes I was told.
Back at camp it was an alfresco breakfast. I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon relaxing before heading back to the airstrip for my flight back to Nairobi.
28/02/2020
This was going to be one of the most exciting days for me as I would be getting to meet my sponsor children in Arusha. I was also going to get to meet the rest of the team.
Our buses arrived and our bags were loaded on top. We got to Namanga Gate border crossing entered Tanzania.
We arrived at our hotel around 13:30. Compassion had put on a fun day for all the children who were meeting their sponsors including jumping castle and face painting. There had been some delays with 2 of my children arriving so I spent the afternoon meeting Anastasia, Hilda, Deborah and Alex.
Shaban, who is my first sponsor child, arrived in the evening and we had dinner together.
29/02/2020
David arrived and joined me for breakfast. I spent the morning with him and then had a few hours on my own to relax. The rest of the group had gone to see a Compassion project and visited homes. I was saving energy for the start of the climb.
The African Walking Company who were going support us on the climb had suggested that I have a guide of my own for the climb so I could go totally at my own pace.
We all spent the evening getting our bags sorted as we had a strict weight allowance of 15kgs.
01/03/2020
We were all ready to go by 8:30 and had a 4 hour drive to Moshi and Mount Kilimanjaro National Park.
We arrived at the Kilimanjaro National Park around 14:00 and after signing in set off about 14:45. My guide was Jonas and he carried my day pack for me which meant he made sure I was drinking enough. I was able to take plenty of rest breaks and got to camp around 18:30. Everyone cheered when I got there. It was super emotional and I, of course, bawled like a baby.
After a bit of “washy washy” we had tea and popcorn in the mess tent followed by a lovely dinner of zucchini soup, fish and rice and fruit salad.
02/03/2020
Because I had been so “pole, pole” (slowly, slowly) I was going to set off earlier than the rest of the team. I was up around 4:00 for breakfast of an omelette and some fruit with a cup of tea. Jonas and I then set out at 06:45.
The rest of the group caught up and over took me around 11:00. By 15:47 I hadn’t made it to the lunch stop and there was still a good 4-5 hours to the camp for the night so the decision was made that I was to go back down the mountain. Although I had prepared myself for this very situation, I was gutted that I only made it to 3500 metres. There was just not enough time for me to catch up with the rest of the team. So I was accompanied down the mountain by my guide Jonas and two porters Lucas and Julius.
By 21:00 that evening I couldn’t take another step and I collapsed. Jonas went ahead to Simba camp and brought a stretcher to get me to camp. I was totally finished. I was shivery and hot all at the same time. My legs were like jelly and my feet ached. In total I walked for 15hrs and 45mins that day. I slept sporadically during the night being too hot one minute and too cold the next as well as being in a lot of pain. I had put my body through an awful lot.
03/03/2020
I was awake quite early and Jonas came to my tent at 06:00 to see how I was and to offer me tea. We made a plan to get me down to the gate as there was no way I was able to walk. Jonas managed to get some porters together to help.
They stretchered me down the mountain. I was so appreciative to not have to walk down the mountain that morning. While we waited for the rescue vehicle to collect us I was able to sleep.
When the rescue vehicle arrived we were driven back into Moshi where I was met by a representative of The African Walking Company, Godwin, who drove me back to Arusha where I was able to check back into the hotel. Another member of the team, Julie M had also come down after a bout of altitude sickness so her and I hung out together.
04/03/2020 to 06/03/2022
The next few days were spent relaxing by the pool, getting a massage and taking in a safari at Tarangire National Park. The rest of the team finally all arrived back at the hotel late on the 6th and it turned out they only got as far as Gilman’s Point before having to turn back due to bad weather. The peak had been closed. I felt a little bit better that I had got as far as I did.
07/03/2020
And so our final day in Africa dawned. I had an early breakfast and was packed up ready to go by 9:00. We headed off to a Maasai Market around 11:00 and we were there until 13:00 before heading for lunch at The Blue Heron.
The drive to the border and then on to Nairobi airport was gruelling for me. I couldn’t get comfortable and in order to make good time and not miss our flight there wasn’t time for extra rest breaks so by the time we got to the airport I could hardly move. Thank goodness for special assistance and wheelchairs
The flight home was full. I was in so much pain that all I could do was cry. The cabin crew were lovely and although they couldn’t bump my up, one of the crew had a hot water bottle that she loaned me and made sure was always hot which really helped.
08/03/2022
When we landed at Heathrow, their special assistance was a complete and total shambles, so much so that I gave up waiting for them and walked myself rather painfully to baggage claim and my taxi home.
I was grateful to get home and have a well deserved long hot soak in the bath.
All in all, climbing Kilimanjaro was an epic adventure and I have every intention of going back at some point in the future to make it to the summit. I learned a lot about myself and got to meet an amazing bunch of human beings along the way too.