Just Put One Foot in Front of the Other.....and Try to Avoid Looking Up

Mount Kilimanjaro, Machame Route, Tanzania
Sunday, February 17^th, 2013

Day #4 –  Baranco Camp to Karanaga Camp
Time Started: 0932
Time Ended: 1335
Maximum elevation Reached: 4200 metres (13,780 feet)

Camp Elevation: 3930 metres (12,893 feet)
Total Distance Hiked: Approx: 4 kilometres (2.5 miles)

The mountain looks particularly beautiful on this morning.

Today started the same as the others (warm water for washing, breakfast…..all with a friendly “hello” from Frankie). I woke up feeling much better than yesterday. No nausea, no diarrhea. Both excellent signs of an improved day.

Looking up at the start of today's hike. You can see people up there. This is one of those moments when I shouldn't be looking up.

It’s a good thing I felt better as our day started with the trek up Baranco Hill also known as “Breakfast Hill” (because you tackle it right after breakfast). From the ground it looked very challenging……and it was, but totally a different type of challenging.  I really didn’t find it as bad as yesterday and it probably helped that I felt a whole lot better….less fatigued that’s for sure. It also helps if you don't look up. Looking up makes the trail look endless.

A few of the porters making their way up the Hill. They made it look very easy.

The trail....yes that is the trail. At times it looks a lot more like a jumbled piles of rocks that we worked our way around.......I guess it was. Also shouldn't look up now but I just couldn't help it.

Greg, Axel, Me and Lola on one portion of the wall.

The porters once again make it look like they're walking up stairs. It was not that easy for the rest of us.

Lola and the boys making their way up that same section.

Victory!!!!

My turn.

Almost to the top. Don't worry, made it safe and sound. No injuries on this hike.....yet (insert wood knocking here).

The trail today did make me a little dizzy. It went up and down and up and down. It was a little defeating but once again it’s all to make the climb easier on us so I guess I shouldn’t complain.

Oh no.....I'm falling. It would not have been a nice fall at all.

We found these everywhere on the trail. People always want to leave their mark......and find their way home.

Axel and Greg pointing at the......summit. It is there I assure you, just hiding behind all the cloud.

Yes, all those clouds behind Lola and I is also where the summit should be seen.

The trail we had just wandered down.......we are now on the way up the other side.

As we have often found is the case, there was one last final giant climb to our camp (it just always seemed to be that way. But it wasn't so bad and eventually we got there.

Because of our early arrival in Karanaga Camp (which means peanut by the way) they prepared lunch fresh for us…..fried chicken and potato wedges. Normally I would put some ketchup on those potato wedges but since arriving in Tanzania, I put chili sauce on everything. Ahhhh chili sauce……so good.

Karanaga Camp is once again different than the other camps. It’s actually quite small and can get really crowded. On this day Arshad sent 2 porters up the mountain nice and early (before the sun came up) in order to save us a nice spot. They did a good job. I liked this little camp site. Yes, I know I’m on a mountain, but the camp is on a hill and really over looks the valley. The weather wasn’t that great today (lots of cloud cover) and unfortunately we missed a lot of beautiful views of the summit.  Also meant we couldn’t see down the valley until after the sun went down.

Karanaga Camp......looking a little sparse today.

We got to take another wonderful little afternoon nap before Abraham took us for a nice little hike up the mountain. Greg didn’t make the trip with us. He has been suffering from some altitude sickness. Hopefully he’ll be feeling better soon. Summit day is right around the corner.

Another look at tonight's camp location.

So even at this attitude there are a lot of little birds and rodents around. I find the little 4 stripe mice entertaining….maybe it’s the mountain or the altitude or something, but I probably shouldn’t be this entertained by them.

Dinner tonight; fresh carrot soup, pancakes, fried beef, rice and a chick-pea sauce. Yes, it was fantastic…..how could it not be?

It turned into a pretty beautiful night after the clouds cleared off and we once again could check out the view of the valley below. After dinner I learnt a few new card games from Axel. Greg and Lola had turned in a little bit early so we killed some time. I think I mentioned that Axel and Greg are border guards from Norway. They sit on the border with Russia. I forget how far north they really are (they have about 6 weeks of pure darkness every year) so they spend lots of nights playing cards. I learnt a couple  new games….. I even won a few hands.

The valley below. Always such a breathtaking view.

Before long though it was time for me to head to bed as well.  Tomorrow we head to base camp.

Day #4 in the books. The real fun is about to begin.

Julie