Liezl’s Mountain Blog
Killimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, its summit almost 20,000 feet above sea level, and is also the highest 'walkable' mountain in the world. It is a spectacular, magnificent and at the same time daunting undertaking, but one that Liezl Els and daughter Samantha have thrown themselves into in order to raise money for the Els for Autism Foundation. They began their climb on Sunday 8 August and will be posting a regular blog to chronicle their adventures on the way to the snowcapped summit more than three miles up in the Tanzanian blue skies!
Thursday 5 August
Whoa, the day is actually here! Woke up this morning full of butterflies in my stomach. After hugging and kissing Ben for a couple of hours, Samantha and I set off for the airport and Samantha was quick to start checking the map (see photo right). Hope this isn't a sign of what lies ahead for the rest of the trip, because firstly our plane broke down and we were put on another airline and now we are in an indefinite fog delay. Still at George...will keep you posted!
Friday 6 August
What a morning! Last night we met up with our first teammate, Sherrye, at our Hotel, made her unpack all her gear so we could compare notes! Settled for an early night as we were meeting our guides at the airport at 8.15 this morning. Donna and Heinrich from Adventure Dynamics met us at airport and we were soon joined by Illana another teammate. Then the fun started! Our flight to Nairobi got cancelled and we were put on a flight two hours later!! We were all very excited arriving in Nairobi, just to hear we were not confirmed for our onward flight to Kili! The adventure continues...
Sunday 8 August
Sam and Liezl checking in again! We made first camp safely last night and we're having lunch after a steep four-hour hike. Halfway to our next camp, but they tell us it is an easy hike. Samantha is doing amazing; she is a real trooper. Currently at 3,300m and going up another 300m this afternoon. Later that day we finally made it to Kikelewa caves where we spent the night. Everyone was still doing great. We were now getting in to the routine a bit and getting used to tent life...although by morning time Samantha and I tend to want to kill one another in the confined space, with me trying to pack and she trying to get dressed! And the higher the altitude the smaller the tent...ha-ha!
Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 August
We reached our 'rest ' camp, Mawenzi Tarn. It was such a lovely sight, coming over our last little ridge and seeing the camp with a small little lake next to it! Fed by a natural spring it seemed like a mirage to some of us! Our sleep is good the first night as we know we can mostly rest the next day!
We meet a couple from Sweden, Linda and Hendrik. Linda gets really bad food poisoning and we try and help her with whatever meds we have. And believe me, between us we had everything...thanks mostly to my friend Jane! Our oxygen levels and heart rates get tested in the morning and at night to make sure we are all coping with the altitude. The whole group is still passing with flying colors and we all feel hopeful of summiting. The next day we do a small climatising walk of about three hours. We reached a point from where we could see the whole route up the mountain, which we would have to take the following day and night.
The next day was amazing. Everyone with us - guides and porters - told us how lucky we were with the weather. We had blue skies all the way and the best views of the mountain! That night, however, disaster struck as Samantha came down with food poisoning and we both thought it was the end of the road for us. Little did we know how amazing the porters could be! They promptly put Samantha on their backs the next morning and after she'd taken lots of rehydration medicine and water they set-off and reached the last camp Kibo about an hour before the rest of us! When we got there Samantha's smiling face was a welcome sight! She was feeling a lot better, but had very little strength.
The whole group made camp in one piece, although my neck felt as if it was going to break off! But thanks again to 'Dr Jane', I was quickly doctored to good health. That night would be the start of summit night, so we all had about five hours to recover before setting off again. Samantha bravely wanted to attempt summit, but after an hour up the mountain had to turn back as she was just too weak.
After a very long, tough and cold night most of the group managed to summit. It was brutal to say the least, but it was an amazing feeling to finally get to Uhuru peak...what a sense of achievent and what a view!
Climbing at night you don't really want to talk as you don't have a lot of air, so you are busy with your own thoughts. Family is the thing that gets you up there; thinking of the mountains we all have to climb in our lives. It really spurs you on! For me, it was Ben's mountain; the mountain he has to climb every day of his life. Also the mountain other families in the same position climb every day. 'Keep going' you say to yourself. 'We can do it!'
I am so proud of Samantha; the way she handled herself the whole trip was amazing. And having missed out on the summit this time, her determination to come back and make it to the top is great to hear. At least her flag made it up there this time, though. Thank you Manna, you were an amazing partner!
