Family Visit

The Family Visitors from L to R: John, Maureen, Me. Mom, Luis

Right after my Kilimanjaro climb, I was fortunate enough to have my family visit from the U.S.!  After 8 months of being away from your close friends and family, it’s great to have the ones you love come to visit and also have an opportunity to show them the great culture of Tanzania, my home and schools and give them a view of what my life is like living and teaching here.

After decompressing for a couple of days following my trip up Kilimanjaro, I traveled to Zanzibar where I met up with my mom, her fiancée Luis, my aunt Maureen, and her friend John O’Connell.  They had just finished a Safari through the Serengheti and we were going to spend a few days together in Zanzibar, so they would see the all of the best that Tanzania had to offer!  We stayed at a really nice hotel in the heart of Stone Town called The Chavda House Hotel, which had a great Zanzibar atmosphere in addition to a convenient location.  Being in Zanzibar with my family this time was great, since I was already familiar with the island after traveling there a couple of times previously.  This trip, however, even I still got to be a tourist for a few days and experience some of the sights that I hadn’t seen in my previous trips. 

Relaxing in Zanzibar

Besides exploring all of the great culture of Stone Town, we also took a day trip to experience a Spice Tour excursion, which was a lot of fun.  Zanzibar is known for its extensive cultivation of various spices, so taking a tour of one of the spice farms is a common tourist activity.  The tour included a guide walking us through a spice farm, and along the way stopping at many plants and trees where spices, fruits and vegetables common to Zanzibar grow.  It was quite the sensory experience as we got to taste and smell all of the exotic spices and fruits that are grown throughout Zanzibar. 

On the Spice Tour

Our Spice Tour Guide

Following the spice tour we traveled to Jozani Forest, which is known for its population of Colobus monkeys.  That was a fun experience because as we walked through the forest, you could get pretty close to some of the monkeys and there were times when we were completely surrounded a multitude of Colobuses. 

Other than being a tour guide/tourist in Zanzibar for a few days, it was a lot of fun to relax with my family and catch up with everything happening at home.  We even got to celebrate my mom’s birthday, which was great to be a part of while being away from home.

Birthday Celebration in Zanzibar!

When our trip in Zanzibar was finished, we all traveled to Morogoro, where I could show my family my schools, home and my temporary hometown.  It was a chance for them to see what my daily life was like, and an opportunity for them to experience the “real Tanzania.”  When we arrived at Dar es Salaam after taking the ferry from Zanzibar, my family was already a bit overwhelmed by the chaos of the city and the people of Dar.  It can be a bit chaotic for foreigners, so luckily I was there to help navigate my family though the craziness.  We were picked up at the ferry by a driver and took the beautiful drive to Morogoro, which was lush and green since we’re in the midst of the rainy season.  Once we were in Morogoro, I was able to show my family the main town and some of my frequented “hotspots.”  

The next day we drove up to Mzumbe, where my family got to see both of my schools and my house.  I have spoken to them at length about my house and what my schools are like, but it’s one of those things where you have to actually see it to get a true sense of what it’s like here.  It was fun to see their reactions to what my surroundings are like, and give them an idea of how different things are here.  They even got to meet some of my neighbors, colleagues and one of my school’s headmaster! 

Touring Mongola Secondary School

The following day my family got packed up and were driven to Dar es Salaam for the long trip back to the States.

Having my family come to visit was great because no matter how close you may get to people here, it’s not the same as having family nearby.  It was sad to see my family go but since I only have a handful of weeks left, it felt like a good boost of motivation because I have getting back to my friends and family to look forward to.  I was proud to share with them all of the culture I’ve been fortunate to experience and become accustomed to and also to show them how far I’ve come as a teacher and resident of Tanzania.  As I said, it’s easy to talk about what this experience is like, but you can never truly understand it unless you get to see it for yourself.  I’m glad that part of the memories that I will have when I leave Tanzania will include sharing it firsthand with the people and the family that I am closest to.

Conquering Kilimanjaro

“It’s said that only when runners are exhausted enough to reach that place do they find out what they can truly accomplish.”- John C. Maxwell

In what was certainly one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences I have had while in Tanzania, two weeks ago three of my fellow volunteers (Abby, Alice, Becky) and myself took the 5-day hike up to the Roof of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, which stands 5895 Meters (a little over 3.6 miles) above sea level.  It was no easy feat, but most definitely well worth all that we went through to reach the highest peak on the continent.  Climbing Kilimanjaro was one of my main goals I wanted to accomplish when I came to Tanzania, so the trip was especially fulfilling for me.  There are a lot of great experiences, sights and memories from the trip to share, so here is a day-by-day recap of the climb:

Pre-climb Day 1: Friday February 25th

The other volunteers and I traveled up to the northern Tanzanian town of Moshi from Morogoro by bus.  Moshi is at the base of Kilimanjaro, so many visitors go there as a starting point for climbing Kili.  It was about a 9-hour ride, but actually a really pleasant and scenic trip.  When we arrived in Moshi, I was struck by how beautiful the town was.  It was quite different from Morogoro, and I especially noticed how clean it was.  Apparently, Moshi is the first town in Tanzania to have a public waste system.  We spent the night in a local hostel where we were able to relax after the long trip, and even meet a few other young travelers and volunteers.

Pre-climb Day 2: Saturday February 26th

After leaving our hostel, we spent the afternoon in Moshi town, and then traveled to the nearby Mountain Inn, which was our base hotel for our trip.  The company we used for our climb was called Shah Tours, and from the beginning they were absolutely fantastic.  The Mountain Inn is the hotel Shah Tours boards the climbers before and after the hike, so we were able to have a comfortable evening before the long trek.  That evening there was an orientation by Ms. Luizer, a Shah Tours rep, during which she explained to us our itinerary for the trip and any other useful details.  We were told one main guide, two assistant guides, eight porters to carry our bags and camp gear, and one cook would accompany us.  Certainly a large crew to help 4 people up the mountain!

There are a few routes you can take up the mountain (some are much more difficult than others), and our itinerary was a 5-day climb up the Marangu Route, also known as the “Coca-Cola” route, because it is the most popular and common route that people climb.  It’s also the only route that has hut villages along the way, instead of camping in tents each night.  Our orientation also included renting some of our gear for the climb, since none of us really brought much hiking and cold-weather gear when we came to Tanzania.  After orientation we relaxed and got ourselves packed and mentally prepared for the trip ahead.

Ready to go!  I think that jacket I rented was from the first Kilimanjaro expedition!

My backs are packed, ready for the climb!

Kili Climb Day 1: Sunday February 27th

The brave climbers.  All smiles before the tough road ahead.

At 8AM, a Shah Tours van picked us up and drove us an hour to the Marangu Gate at Kilimanjaro National Park, which is the starting point for the Marangu trail.

After renting some final (but essential) gear for the climb, we met our main guide Robert and one of our assistant guides, Alan.  After some initial pictures at the gate and registering with the park, we were off!

The forest along the first leg of the climb

Our first day of hiking was our lightest and easiest.  It was only about a 4-hour climb to the next checkpoint, the Mandara Hut village.  The hike on the first day was through a lush forest, with a lot of greenery around.  We got accommodated to the pace (you have to walk up the mountain VERY slow- “pole pole” as we were often told) so that we could easily adjust to the altitude.

Taking it "pole-pole"

In the early afternoon we arrived at the Mandara Hut, which was a small village of wooden huts used for sleeping and dining.  The huts are very basic, with only 4 beds, and that’s it.  Not much of a difference from tent camping.  Our bags and gear was waiting for us as we arrived, which made it easy to settle in for the afternoon and evening.

The Mandara Hut Village

Our Hut for the first night.  Below me are the bowls of warm water prepared for washing up.

Inside the hut.

 The sun was out when we arrived and already I could get a sense of how high we were above Moshi.  When we arrived at the hut village we were prepared some hot water in a small bowl to wash our hands and face (that’s the closest we got to showering throughout the whole trip), and had some tea in the dining hut.

Enjoying some tea and snacks in the dining hut.

After a tea break and snack prepared for us by our cook, we took a brief hike to acclimate ourselves to the altitude.  Along the hike we saw some great views and also a few monkeys. 

Already we were at a high altitude after the first day.

Following our hike we relaxed for a bit and had a delicious hot meal for dinner.  The food for most of the trip was actually really good.  It was always a hot meal, usually with soup, a main course and some fruit.  None of us ever went hungry on the climb, that’s for sure.  In the dining huts we also noticed that there climbers of all nationalities and ages, from young climbers from Germany, to a wealthy Russian that we were told was bored and wanted to do something challenging, to a group of Japanese climbers that didn’t have one person in the group younger than 65!  It was pretty impressive to see all the climbers from around the world who were attempting the difficult feat.

We turned in quite early that night (about 8PM) and that night in the huts was a bit of a surprise for us, as we didn’t expect how cold it would be.  Since all of us have been living in high heat for the past nine months, we were definitely not acclimated to the cold weather.  It was pretty beautiful at night though, since I saw more stars in the sky in one night than I probably have in my life.  Also, on a more humorous note, we all had been taking medication to prevent against altitude sickness which apparently makes your kidneys work overtime, so all night there was a constant chorus of sleeping bags zipping and unzipping as everyone had to go to the bathroom every few hours.

Kili Climb Day 2: Monday February 28th

At 6:45AM we were awoken by one of our porters, Jackson, and given some nice hot tea right in our hut.  Another bucket of warm water for washing up was also prepared, and after waking and washing, we enjoyed a nice breakfast.  Shortly after, we headed off on the next leg of the route, which we were told would take about 5-7 hours.  This leg started to test us, as it was a much steeper, longer and tougher climb than the previous day.  However, it was the first day when we could get a good view of Kilimanjaro ahead of us, so seeing that was really a magnificent and motivating sight.

The Mountain getting closer...

We climbed above the tree line and into the moorland, which was basically a lot of tall grass and some other short greenery. 

The Moorland on Day 2

 We also passed many descenders who wished us luck, and also got to see how our porters carry our bags up the hill, which involved climbing the same route we do, only at a faster pace and with extremely heavy bags over their heads.  I really couldn’t understand how they were able to do that!

A glimpse of what the porters had to experience up the mountain.

 Unfortunately, on this day I got a bit sick, which didn’t help the difficult climb that day, and I’m not sure if it was the altitude that caused it, or something I ate.  Luckily, it passed by that evening and didn’t hinder the rest of my hike.

Horombo Hut Village

It took us about 6 hours to make the over 6 mile trip that day, and after a very exhausting day, we arrived at the next hut village, the Horombo Huts.  We had the same routine as the day before (tea, rest, dinner), but we also noticed that it was significantly colder than the last hut, so we appropriately prepared ourselves for the night ahead and turned in early.

Getting higher...

Kili Climb Day 3: Tuesday March 1st

Almost to the mountain...

 I awoke from a surprisingly restful night ready for another long, tough day ahead.  After our typical morning routine (tea, washing, breakfast) we set off on the next leg towards the Kibo Hut at the base of the mountain.

After a couple of hours with more moorland as scenery, we ascended a large hill, and when we reached the top we got an incredible full view of Mount Kilimanjaro awaiting us. 

The Mountain ahead and the Arctic Desert below...

Enjoying a nice, hot lunch with a great view.

We descended in to a valley, which is called an “Arctic Desert,” and I can see why they call it that.  There is no plant life, only just dirt and rocks and some REALLY cold temperatures.  We even enjoyed our hot lunch sitting on some rocks in the middle of the desert!  Getting to this point in the climb, you could start to feel your breathing get much lighter as the altitude took a strong effect on your lungs.  Most of the walk this day was relatively flat, but no less challenging.  Also seeing the mountain summit that awaited us widened our eyes a bit.

The Kibo Hut

We arrived at the Kibo Hut right at the base of mountain, and it was so cold we didn’t really want to do much more than stay warm.  This night we were not in individual huts, but the hut was like one large dorm, with more than just the 4 of us staying in one room.  After our dinner, we were briefed on the summit climb to come.  We were told that we would be awoken at 11:30PM and our guide made sure we were well equipped for the cold and the steep climb.  All of us tried to get what sleep we could, going to bed around 6PM.  None of us knew how challenging the night/morning ahead would be.

Kili Climb Day 4: Wednesday March 2nd

As promised, our guides woke us up at 11:30PM on Tuesday night, and after a quick cup of tea and putting on all of our gear for the climb, at around 12AM we started the long, steep ascent to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa. 

Getting geared up.  FYI, The West Virginia gloves are also rented...

LET'S DO THIS!!!

The Gang ready to go!

We were also told to keep our cameras close to our bodies so that the battery wouldn’t freeze or die at the top.  Since it was pitch black, we had to wear headlamps for the climb, which only lit the ground beneath our feet.  However, it was good that it was dark and we couldn’t see much, because I think no one would have attempted the climb had we known how steep and long the hike up the mountain was.  As we climbed, if you looked up, you could see other climbers’ headlamps and they looked like they were straight above you since it was so steep.

For the ascent we had two guides leading us, and one guide following close behind.  We took only brief breaks, since it was too cold to stop for too long.  We walked extremely slowly up the mountain, and since it was so steep, we had to walk on a sort of zigzag path.  Along the way, we started to see snow and ice, and that was a good indication that at least we were walking to the right place!

Like the climbs on the days before, the altitude definitely had its affect.  Since we were walking so slow, my legs were not getting tired as much, but the air is so thin that it has a significant effect on your breathing.  Most of our breaks were taken just so we could catch our breath.  It was a treacherous route, too, as the terrain was loose gravel, and one false step or look in the wrong direction could be disastrous.  As we climbed higher, we grew more exhausted, and the mental toll started to take effect.  Along the way, one of the other volunteers started to feel a bit sick, so one of the guides fell behind with her, and the rest of our group continued on.  Just when we thought we couldn’t climb anymore, we reached the first peak, Gilman’s Point at around 5AM.  Reaching that point alone felt like a huge accomplishment, but our guides kept moving us along since our mission wasn’t finished!  We still had Uhuru Peak to reach.

It was still dark as we continued our final ascent, but this part of the climb was a bit easier than the first part of the ascent.  Since we were still walking along loose gravel, and now slick ice, it was still quite treacherous.  Even though it was still dark, we could see that we were walking along the mountain crater, and down below was a valley of snow and ice that was really incredible to see.  On the other side of the mountain, we could see all of the lights from Moshi town below, which was also cool to see.

Getting lighter...

As we got closer to Uhuru peak, the sky was beginning to get lighter as the sun was about to rise.  About an hour after leaving Gilman’s Point, we could see Uhuru Peak up ahead.  After a strenuous and difficult six-hour climb, we finally made it to the Roof of Africa!  There were already a few other climbers up at the top, and honestly it was a bit chaotic when we got there. 


We rushed up to the sign that signified our accomplishment, and after a few group shots, our guides told us we should start our descent soon since it would be crowded at the peak any moment.  I had just enough time to get some good pictures and also take in the incredible accomplishment I had just achieved.  Also, the sun was starting to rise which added to the magnificence of the moment.  The view was indescribable and it really felt like you were looking out on the entire continent of Africa.  It was undoubtedly an emotional moment.

The Roof of Africa!  And some Russian dude, too!

I don't know the other people in this picture...

One of our assistant guides who helped us to the top.

A view of the African Continent

Starting our descent down just as the sun comes up

Once we were satisfied with our time at Uhuru Peak, we started our descent down the mountain.  We walked back the way we came, and since it was starting to get lighter, we could see how difficult our climb really was.  I was also able to get a better view of the nearby ice glaciers and snow-covered craters, which were great to see in daylight. 

Ice Glaciers

Snow Valleys

We took a short break at Gilman’s Point, and started the second leg of our descent, during which we saw how truly high and steep we climbed from our hut.  All I can say is that if you are afraid of heights, then descending Kilimanjaro will be quite a tough task for you!  Although the descent was a lot quicker, we could feel the toll that the ascent had on our legs, and we were all pretty sore going down the mountain.

The view from the top before our final descent.  See if you can spot the Kibo Hut below...

A look back.  You can get an idea of how steep our ascent was.

Exhausted but happy.

 At around 9AM we finally made it down to the Kibo Hut, and we were told we would have to get the rest of our things packed and ready because our day wasn’t over!  We still had to hike back to the Horombo Hut, which would be the place we would stay for the night.

On the walk down, post-Conquering

After a brief hour of rest and some refueling, we started our walk back to the Horombo Hut, after already climbing and descending for 8 hours.  Of course we were really exhausted, but we knew the walk would be downhill, and we were just anxious to get to our hut to rest and have a nice, well-earned meal.  The walk to the Horombo hut was about 3-4 hours, and we all pretty much crashed after walking for almost 11-12 hours.  We enjoyed a lot of good hot food when we returned and then turned in for a much needed good night’s sleep.



Kili Climb Day 5: Thursday March 3rd

All these people just to take up 4 climbers

We got an early start this morning, our final day, since we would have two legs to descend.  The rest of the group was still feeling quite sore, but since I’ve done a lot of endurance training and events, I felt pretty good and ready to go.  After our breakfast and before we set off for the day, our lead guide Robert asked us to gather with our crew so we could all exchange our thanks and appreciation for a great trip.  It was also the time when we had to give our tips for our guides and crew, as we were told tipping your crew is extremely important.  We gave each of our guides and crewmembers their tips, which they genuinely appreciated, and took some pictures with the crew. 

Following that, the entire crew gathered together, and as a group sang us a very upbeat song that thanked us for the trip.  We were also extremely grateful to them, and showed them our appreciation as best we would before we started our hike for the day.

A celebration song and dance.

 That morning we started our climb back to the gate to finish our climb, and it was no longer “pole pole.”  We moved at a good pace, and after about two hours we reached the end of the first leg of the day, the Mandara Hut, where we stayed our first night.  We enjoyed a nice hot lunch there and then commenced our final leg.  We kept moving right along, and after another two and a half hours, we finally reached the Marangu Gate, and the end of our journey.  We took some final pictures, and even received certificates for our accomplishment! 

With our guide Robert, and our certificates honoring our accomplishment

 We said farewell to our truly wonderful guide Robert and our assistant guides and were taken back to the Mountain Inn for a night of comfort and rest and reflection on the amazing journey we just concluded.

_ _ _ _ _

Even though many people have reached the top of Kilimanjaro, I feel lucky to be among of the small percentage of people to have reached the peak of the mountain.  It’s an experience that’s emotional, difficult, challenging and also very rewarding, and in a lot of ways tough to put into words (even though I used many here!).  Some people say that the experience can be life changing, and I wouldn’t totally disagree.  The adventure of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro really taught me a lot about myself and the limits I can push myself beyond.  In a year filled with so many incredible highlights, conquering Kilimanjaro is without a doubt one, if not the, top experience I will be fortunate to remember for the rest of my life.