The good news is I did not loose my Kilimanjaro notes (diary), I found them in my bedroom on my return home; the bad news is I might be getting old and cannot remember where I leave things.
Wednesday 30th September
I boarded the flight from Mwanza to Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) through Dar es Salaam and reached KIA about 4:00PM. At Moshi I stayed at a quiet hostel and I suspect I was one of only two guests who slept there.
In the morning, the manager (or owner?) was curious to know where I was heading and when I revealed I was on my way to climb Kilimanjaro, he asked, "Where are you from?" Hearing that question made me feel like an alien from a distant planet. The man had only passing interest in me until I said I was on my way to Uhuru Peak.
I have heard a saying that people who climb mountains are not normal. I disagree. Those who climb once are perfectly normal. It is those who return to climb for the second time that are less than normal. In fact recalling my testimony of how tough it had been to climb last year, a waitress at the Moshi hotel where I stayed before the climb asked me, rather surprised, "You are back again?"
When I responded in the affirmative she asked, "I thought you said you will never climb this mountain again?"
I couldn't remember saying that but if I did that just shows how important it is to have a fading memory if you decide to climb Kilimanjaro more than once. Poor memory will not only make you to temporarily loose your Kilimanjaro diary, but it also most certainly will erase any unpleasant experiences you had from last year.
In the evening Notburga Maskini and Gerald Hando, who joined me on the climb this year, arrived at the hotel. Gerald brought me a camera that I borrowed from Muhidin Issa Michuzi to supplement my own camera so that I am not restricted by my camera's memory or battery hours and am able to take more photos than last year.
Next: The first steps
Posts related to this one:
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2009/10/on-mt-kilimanjaro-again-post-1-of-10.html
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2009/11/on-kilimanjaro-again-post-3-of-10.html
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