Preparing for Kilimanjaro 2009

This would be equivalent to serving notice to Uhuru Peak that I am on my way to the top again. Yesterday, after what seemed to me like a millennium, I began exercising to prepare my seldom-exercised body for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in September.

With the help of a few Internet searches, I have also included a series of body building and endurance exercises, that do not require gym equipment. It is not out of choice but necessity that I am waiving time in a gym; the nearest gym is in Mwanza, about three hours' drive from Butiama.

A few days ago while buying some DVDs at a shop in Musoma, I saw some gadget that I had never seen before. It looked like a laser gun from one of the Star War movies. When I asked what it was I was told it was a piece of equipment that is used by bodybuilders to build chest muscles. You hold the two ends with the hands and bend the ends inwards towards each other. Well, I thought, if I don't succeed in climbing Kilimanjaro this time, perhaps I could consider entering the Mr. Tanzania competition.

It did not cost much, so I bought it, chipping away at my budget for buying a bicycle to build my leg and thigh muscles. I have developed my own exercises of stepping up and down part of a stairway to simulate the ascent and descent motions of mountain climbing. It sounds laughable but after waking up with some muscle pains after a one-hour workout yesterday, I know I am on the right track in attempting to strengthen my leg and thigh muscles for the next Kilimanjaro descent.

Time for some mountain trekking

I am supposed to be deep into preparations for my next scheduled Mt. Kilimanjaro climb in September this year. But if you ask me, there is little to show there are any serious preparations.

It will be my second attempt to reach the summit, a feat I accomplished last year. The hotel owner in Moshi where I returned after 8 days on the mountain last year observed: "Many first-time climbers usually walk with their heads down before the climb, but those who succeed in reaching the summit are changed fundamentally; they walk with their heads up!" I agree, after I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro I thought I could conquer Mt. Everest.

During the first climb, I was also on a one-person mission to raise cash to contribute towards construction of girls' dormitories for the Chief Edward Wanzagi Girls' Secondary School at Buturu, close to Butiama. The climb raised more than $US20,000.

Photograph taken during construction of the dormitories at Chief Edward Wanzagi Girls' Secondary School. Construction has been completed.

This year, I intend to raise money for an organization in Musoma that cares for and pays for the education of AIDS orphans. When details are finalized I intend to publicise the event so that contributions can be made towards this objective.

A donation of cement (part of the more than $20,000 raised) being offloaded at the construction site of the dormitories.

Back to the training. Yahoo, my mountain guide from last year, suggested to me I buy a mountain bike and ride it as much as possible to strengthen my leg and thigh muscles in preparation for this year's climb. Climbing Kilimanjaro was tough, but the toughest part for me was the descent on a pair of legs whose muscles are only exercised when engaging the foot pedals while driving.

About two weeks ago I identified at a Musoma shop for used bicycles what I felt was a sturdy mountain bike that could ease my next descent from the top of Kilimanjaro. The trouble is I have been so busy with non-Kilimanjaro tasks that I suspect that the bike might already have been sold.

I intend to provide regular posts of my preparations for the next assault on Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Posts related to this one:
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2008/09/the-mwalimu-nyerere-charity-climb-2008.html
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2008/07/mwalimu-nyerere-charity-climb-2008.html
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2008/10/why-i-quit-smoking-my-kilimanjaro-climb_19.html

The receeding snows of Kilimanjaro

This photograph, below, of Mt. Kilimanjaro, which I took a few days ago while on a flight from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam shows very little snow on the eastern side of the mountain's highest peak, Kibo. Older photographs of Kilimanjaro show snow cover reaching almost half way down Kibo's slopes.

We are approaching the height of the warmer months in Tanzania and it is expected that some snow cover should be lost because of higher temperatures. However, the trend shows that global warming or - as others say, deforestation - continues to erode the snows of Mt. Kilimanjaro much faster than fresh snowfalls from the colder months can regenerate.

Photo sequences of Furtwängler Glacier on top of Kibo taken in 1973, 2002, and 2012 reveal a rather dramatic loss of glacial cover on the crater rim.

A few hours after taking this photograph (above), I was on another flight from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza and I noticed the mountain had far greater snow cover on the western side.

The photo, below, shows Mawenzi peak on the left, Kibo on the right, and farther in the distance, Mt. Meru. I have heard that moments before the sun rises, Kibo's shadow covers Mt. Meru, and those who have seen the sun rise over Kibo from Mt. Meru believe it is the most spectacular sight in this galaxy.
I am inclined to agree. During my Kilimanjaro climb in August I took the photo below from Barafu Camp on the slopes of Kibo showing Mawenzi just before sunrise.

A climber shares his observations on Mt. Kilimanjaro

When I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro three months ago, I shared the ordeal (it used to be an ordeal, not anymore) with Le Huyhn Dyuong, a software engineer from Vietnam. He shares his observations and his photographs of the climb:

Although it does not have the highest elevation, Kilimanjaro is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, rising from its base to the highest Uhuru Peak at 5,895m (19,340ft) in Africa. Everest and other Himalayan peaks rise from an already high plateau.

Le Huyhn at the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

The origin of the name "Kilimanjaro" was never satisfactorily explained. One theory, more or less adopted by early European explorers postulates that it comes from ancient Swahili 'Kilima' (hill, little mountain) and 'Njaro' (white, shining). As to why the diminutive word Kilima is used instead of the proper word for mountain 'Mlima' is anybody's guest.

Anyone who has seen Kilimanjaro at sunset or sunrise will tell you that it's a magical experience. As I was admiring the numerous views of 'Kili' during my climb all the

During the trek between Karanga and Barafu camps with Kibo peak in the background.

way to the top, I also felt a rather poignant irony: the magnificent scenery unrolling before my eyes, a majestic sight, is only a fraction of its original glory...

Perhaps more than any other sight in Africa, and indeed the world, Kilimanjaro has come to symbolize the tragic fate which many of the wonders of the world have been facing due to the devastating effect of global warming.

I pose with Le, right, on the way to Bafaru Camp. The Shira Hills and plateau are seen behind us.

When Ernest Hemingway wrote The Snows of Kilimanjaro, he probably could never have imagined that some day, the title of his short story would become obsolete: with the most recent ice cap volume dropping by more than 80 percent, it is estimated that the famous snow dome of Africa's highest peak will disappear between 2015 and 2020!

The consequence is more than aesthetic: the glaciers have been the sources of water for the surrounding plains of cultivation all the way to the swamps at Amboseli National Park in Kenya, famous for its elephants bathing in the swamps.

At daybreak, Mawenzi Peak, offers the more striking images on most Kilimanjaro treks.

Mt. Kenya, Africa's second tallest peak which provides water for almost 80 percent of the Kenyan population shares a similar predicament. During my recent climb of both mountains I observed vast tracts of barren rocks exposed by the once glorious glaciers which now exist only in old photographs.

Let us take a short moment of our busy daily lives to reflect on what we can do, no matter how insignificant the action may seem, to preserve the magic of our natural heritage and the beauty of our blue planet for future generations.

The Furtwängler Glacier on the Crater floor of Kibo peak.

- Le, Kilimanjaro 2008

The Kilimanjaro Climb on YouTube

Here's an interview in which a German film crew fielded questions after my first ascent of Mt. Kilimanjaro. 

I respond to various questions and share my experience of my first climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro and why I decided to climb this World Heritage site.

Why I quit smoking: My Kilimanjaro Climb Adventure (Post 10 of 10)

Tuesday 26 August 2008
After breakfast we took a group photo and began what was for me another difficult descent to Mweka Gate. On the way a group of girls passed us and one said, "I will never do this again." I understood exactly how she felt.

About 200m before reaching the gate we were met by drivers from Zara Tanzania Adventures who had walked up to find out whether we were too tired to walk the remaining part. We declined the offer to take a ride in the car. It would have stained a great adventure.

Allowing the body to gradually get used to lower altitudes as one descends is just as important as allowing the body to adjust to higher altitudes as one ascends. Apparently, the effects of high altitude take a while to wear off. At a souvenir shop at Mweka Gate Le picked up a cap inscribed with the words Hifadhi za Taifa and asked me to translate. I couldn't remember the English translation and turned to the Kilimanjaro National Park officials for help.

"National Parks", one said and I said, "Off course, how could I forget that!" His remark: "That's okay, it's normal. Your brains are still frozen." He gave me a compelling reason to avoid sleeping at the Crater Camp next time.

Now about the title of this blog: I quit smoking the first year I decided to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro because I was worried smoking would reduce my chance of reaching the peak.

Fundraising Update:

Pound STG 440
US dollars 16,180
Tanzanian Shillings 2,570,000

Post related to this one:
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2008/10/why-i-quit-smoking-my-kilimanjaro-climb.html

Why I quit smoking: My Kilimanjaro Climb Adventure (Post 9 of 10)

Le and Yahoo left for Uhuru Peak at 0400hrs to catch the sunrise. At daybreak I walked across the crater floor with the assistant guide, Hamisi Mbewa, to Stella Point where I sent text messages I intended to send yesterday from the summit: "Greetings from Uhuru Peak, the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro (5,896m)..."

My tent at Crater Camp, with Furtwangler Glacier in front.

Some of the responses were interesting. Joseph Ibanda, a pilot, wrote: "...the view must be spectacular from there..." He could not have used a better expression to express how I felt and there was no better place to live that experience than where I stood as I read his message. On my left was the vast expanse of the saddle between Kibo and Mawenzi, at a distance but in clear view. Further below I had a clear view for about 1,500m that was interrupted by a thick cloud cover. I cannot describe the exhilaration of standing on the ground and yet be above the clouds, more than 1,500m above the clouds. Only a pilot could make that statement.

Having announced to the world that I had made it, we began our descent towards Barafu Camp. The porters who rush past us contradict the difficulty that most novice climbers face. Nowhere is this difficulty brought to the fore as between Stella Point and Barafu Camp where many of those who succumb to the high altitude and the physical exertion are separated from the experienced climbers. Amidst all this an old man of perhaps 70 years passed us almost running downhill with his mountain guide desperately trying to keep up with the pace. With the Beijing Olympics in progress I cannot help suspect that the old man could be using performance enhancing drugs. He put to shame climbers who were young enough to be his grandchildren.

Further downhill, past Barafu Camp, we met climbers going up. They asked, "How was it?" My immediate response is "Tough". Le's response was more encouraging: "Fabulous, breathtaking." Then I remembered that I too climbed Kilimanjaro for the scenery: the breathtaking sight of Mawenzi at sunrise, the long vistas and the bird's eye view of the winding paths on the saddle, the feeling of being in the North Pole at the Crater Camp, but above all, standing on the ground with the clouds below. I stood there breathing the cold crispy mountain air and all I could say was "tough."

Today we walked all the way from Crater Camp (5,790m), Barafu Camp (4,600m), Millennium High Camp (3,950m), to Mweka Camp (3,100m) where we spent our final night. This was another tough walk as my rarely exercised thigh muscles began to succumb to the six days of regular walking.

Next post: Frozen brains and why I quit smoking

Posts related to this one:
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2008/10/why-i-quit-smoking-my-kilimanjaro-climb_28.html
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2008/11/why-i-quit-smoking-my-kilimanjaro-climb.html