How do I prepare?

Mount Kilimanjaro is definitely one of the most climbable mountains because of its low technicality.  In other words, you need legs and feet instead of ropes and ladders.  And there have been climbers in wheelchairs so legs and feet are also not 100% necessary.

But how does one prepare for this 70km walk?  Where does one start? How long before the time should one start?  These are all questions our team asked and not all followed the same advice.  It is important to note that each person has a different fitness level and you should base your preparation on your current fitness level  If you are a relatively active person who visits the gym al least once a week you will need to start training about 3 months before the climb.  If you are a couch potato who has never been to the gym and who is only doing this to prove something, you might have to abandon the idea and go with something else.  However, if you walk often and climb stairs instead of the lift you can start about 6 months before the climb.

Our group was a bit nervous so we started about a year before the time.  Our very first fitness test was a 10km hike in tennis shoes, carrying small water bottles and no snacks.  I couldn't talk much because I was so out of breath!  And I am an active person, seeing the inside of the gym at least once a week.

It is definitely a good idea to start with something like a long hike.  10 to 15 km on the very first try.  This will give you a mental gage.  Try to do a long hike at least once a month if you plan to start a year in advance.  If you are comfortable to start 3 months before, take a hike each weekend.  Try to pack your daypack with all the goodies you would take onto the mountain.  Always fill up your hydration pack even if you won't use it all.  Always have breakfast - I like a boiled egg or two.

Preparation
Day 1
1-hour aerobics in the gym or similar - gardening won't cut it, it needs to be more intense than that.
Day 2
Suburban hike - find a route, preferably with a steep hill, in your neighbourhood.  Try to walk for at least 3 hours.  You have to walk briskly as if you are going to miss the bus.  Otherwise, there is no point...
Day 3
Endurance - my suggestion would be to choose a hill and walk up and down as many times as possible in a set time - at least 2 hours.  You have to be out of breath. It prepares you for those out of breath moments on top of the mountain.  If you live in a ver flat area, join the gym and set the treadmill to very steep.  It is not really the same but try and make the best out of it.  The hill prepares you for the uphill you will face daily.
Day 4
Rest - although it is better to do something each day but be careful not to over train.  You won't overtrain your body but your mind will probably get tired of doing the same thing each week.
Day 5
Resistance - do an hour of resistance training at the gym.  Focus on legs as they will have to be strong on the downhill.
Day 6
10 to 15 km hike in a bushy, rocky area.  Groenkloof Nature Reserve works very well as well as Fearie Glen Nature Reserve.  I am sure there are lots of rocky trails in Johannesburg and Krugersdorp.  Cape Town has the best options of course.  I am almost sure KwaZulu Natal even better.
Day 7
I would rest again but you could do an hour long suburban walk... Depending on your fitness level.

You could mix it up a bit and add some swimming or running.  You should do what you like.

1.  Train you legs and feet to get used to up and downhills
2.  Train your lungs for the out of breath feeling
3.  Train your mind for the long hikes that feel like they will never end
4.  Get used to your climbing party
5.  Get used to your gear

Be careful of sprains and strains - you don't want to end the trip before it starts.  Also ALWAYS wear two pairs of socks.  even if it is very warm - it will prevent blisters.

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Charging on top of the world

I am the type of person who is really attached to my phone.  My phone is my world.  Camera, messaging, coolness and Facebook.  Naturally, I was worried that I could not use my phone on top of the world.  But a lot of people say that there is very good signal on the roof of Africa!

When I started this whole journey may aim was to let everybody know what was going on.  I planned it all out.  I would post on Facebook as much as possible - or as long as my battery would last.  I bought a solar panel to charge my phone and camera.  I even got a chargeable battery in case there was not enough light to charge directly from the solar panel.

When arriving in Moshi I took a stroll to the nearest cell phone (mobile) shop.  I purchased a pay-as-you-go sim card which was valid for a month.  It had unlimited data and an amount for calls and text pre-loaded.  I think it cost around R100 or something.

My plan was to write an update each day and post on Facebook and send updates via WhatsApp.  It turned out that sending stuff home via WhatsApp and asking them to post on Facebook was much quicker.  So tip number one I would say is to consider the posting carefully :)

Once we started our journey up the mountain I felt like I had to document each moment.  Subsequently, I probably missed out on a few things...  In most of the pics, I am standing with the stupid cell phone in my hand!!

Tip number 2 would be to put my phone on aeroplane mode and only switch the aeroplane mode off once in camp.  It saves on battery life while making it possible to take pics and make notes.

Once we got to the summit the only thing that still worked was my phone.  Probably because it was close to my body.  The GoPro died just after the summit - so I could at least make a short video clip with that.

The solar panel worked very well.  It was compact and light weight.  Just a pity that more people used it than I did.  My suggestion is to ban all cell phones in your group and just have 1 person doing the documentation.

Bottom line, signal is ok.  Not great but ok.  It's very easy to get a local sim card.  Data is cheap.  If you wanted to you could make a call on the roof of Africa.  Leave your expensive stuff at home - they are bound to get damaged.  My poor chargeable battery got knocked around by somebody or something.

The professional cameras are hard to charge.  They have specific batteries.  Small digital cameras charge easier.  I would say leave all of that (unless you are a professional photographer and you have a few extra external batteries) and use your smartphone.  It will take great pictures and you can keep it close to your body, making it last up to the summit.  According to the experts, it is the cold that makes the battery die.

When I go again in 2016, I will definitely not be posting each and every day.  I will make notes in the evening before bed and I will rather focus on taking more awesome pictures.

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These boots are made for walking

Hiking boots are probably the most important thing during your climb up Mount Kilimanjaro.  In South Africa, we don't really get a wide range of snow boots.  Our weather is pretty mild in comparison with the Northern Hemisphere.

When I started preparation for this adventure, I tried on ONLY 2 pairs of boots.  I don't know why... I mean there are so many boots on sale and I just looked at 2 different ones.

Firstly I believe that the boot needs to be high.  It protects your ankles (the last thing you need is a sprain or strain on the highest free-standing mountain in the world) and it keeps you warm.  Secondly, the shoe needs to be waterproof.  Not water resistant, WATERPROOF.  The other thing you don't want is a boot soaked in water.  They don't dry out - even in normal weather let alone freezing temperatures. Thirdly they should have soles that are tough and can grip successfully.  You will spend 6 to 8 days on your feet so the soles need to be strong enough for you not to feel each and every small rock after 2 hours.  Gripping is important especially on the way down. Finally, I believe that boots need to be light weight.  Each kilogramme you have to lift feels like ten at low altitude.

Cape Union Mart had a few options to choose from however at the moment (Dec 2014/Jan 2015) they only have 1 men's boot that may be able to do the job.  And not even the staff is convinced.  Let's hold thumbs that their new stock will arrive soon!

I went for this one.  The Salomon COSMIC 4D 2 GTX®

This is the men's version and I took a size larger than I usually wear.  You don't need to wear these in like in the old days.  If you buy them the day before you start your climb you will be able to climb without issues.  This make of shoe is small.  So if you have a wide foot or high bridge it is not for you.  That's why you need to try on a few.

They did a really good job.  This is them after the climb. I replaced the laces with elastic laces.  Too many people spoke of fingers not being able to lace boots because of cold so I went for an elastic. My feet were so ice cold during the summit.  So I don't think this boot will do in colder temperatures.

I think if it rained then I would have had wet shoes.  They say that they are waterproof but I am not convinced.  I didn't test water on them though...  I did not have any blisters and only my toes were a bit sore on the last day.  My socks were too tight.

In future, I may think about Keen boots.  They are wider and warmer.

I am sure there are many boot options to go for. Just try them all on and think about them being warm and waterproof.  It is a pity you can't take them back if you test them in water :)

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Are Hiking Poles Really Necessary?

I didn't read too much about hiking poles before we left other than looking at prices online.  The marketers that sell tours and get kick backs from certain famous shops like to try and punt all the unnecessary gear... And I thought poles were a bit overkill.

I saw pics of people hiking with just one pole which had a handle much the same as a normal walking stick or cane.  I had a look at the different ones available in stores and they all seemed the same.  Retractable shaft and wrist straps were standard.  All had protective rubbers on their ends and most had a little round "thingy" that I didn't know much about.  OK, I didn't know anything about it.

Turns out I left my job for a new one and the farewell gift were 2 K-Way Kilimanjaro Hiking poles from Cape Union Mart.  Yeah! Something I thought I didn't really need which I got as a gift.

My hiking buddies said: "you need to practice with those". So, off I went, hiking poles ready.  Man what an effort.  They are either in the way or too long or the terrain is too rocky... so I decided to take them to Tanzania with me and NOT to practice with them.

Unknown to most the rubber is not meant for rocky terrain but to protect the inside of your bags during the flight.  They fit into the duffel bag easily and I held thumbs that the airline staff would not force my bag into a funny position for them to be destroyed!  On arrival, they were fine and so was my bag...

On day one I had them ready.  I even fixed a GoPro to the handle in case I only wanted to use it as a monopod or extension pole.  I found out that even a GoPro is heavy and I had to swap sides every day.

On day one the climb was already a challenge.  Thank goodness for these poles!  When walking they take off around 7 kg off your feet.  You get to lean forward when it really gets tough and they help you up the uphill parts when your legs can't do the work anymore.

I have to say the hiking poles are a must!  And even if you decide not to walk with them from day one, you will definitely need them on summit night.  That's when I leaned on them the most!

A tip is to adjust them once to the desired length and keep them that way.  They may freeze if you retract them before summit... Mine were quite long as I am tall so that I could pull my feet off the ground.

Even on the downhill, they helped a lot.  The ground is slippery at times and a hiking pole can assist when there are no branches or trees to grab onto.

Yes they make you walk slower and yes at times they are in the way but you walk slowly on Kili anyway...

If you plan to climb just one mountain, get the cheaper hiking poles.  Be aware though, they may not last the trip...

Day 3 - Machame - 1 July 2014

We had an early start - getting away while other groups were having breakfast.  It was difficult.  Breathing was becoming an effort and from this point, we had rocks and more rocks around us.  Our goal was to get to Lava Tower.

The temperature was not hot nor cold - however, sunburn would be a danger - we applied and re-applied twice a day.

A buff around your mouth is a good idea if you want to keep the dust away.  The path is long and not very steep but at stages, you can really see how high you are.

Usually, groups climb Lava Tower but our guide told us that it was not safe.

Lava tower is 4642 m above sea level.  It is an impressive piece of rock towering above the rocky desert.

We had lunch inside the tent on this day - it was welcome.  I was glad to see the lunch tent each time.  Slap chips and saucy vegetables with the usual soup and tea.

After lunch, we had about 10 minutes to sit and rest and off we went again.  This time we reached a valley and it felt like we were going down for once. It was another very long and tiring day and my feet started to "make mistakes" by stumbling... I felt exhausted.

Finally, we reached Barranco Camp (3984 m).  This was by far my favourite camp.  We got to sort out our bags outside - no wind - no downhill. I got to wash my feet and also do a hospital bath (hence the small face cloth).  The toilets were actually in a good state and one could even squat in piece. You still need to catch your breath after zipping open the tent but at least the camp was like a holiday :)

After dinner, I felt ill for the first time on the trip.  I took some pain medication and another Diamox and passed out.  I slept very well and felt great the next morning. We would once again get up even earlier to beat the main traffic.  Barranco wall would be difficult and technical.

Read more Day 4

Route Overview:
Distance:  10 km
Duration:  6-8 hours
Gain:  166 m

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