Yawn! 'I slept like a fat baby girl!'
Today starts off with a short but steep climb out of Karanga on compacted scree with wide views. We are seeing brilliant vistas of Kilis sumit, it's truely breath taking, scary, beautiful, dangerous and simply magical all on one vision.
Each day we are learning more and more about the flora and fauna, the history of how Kili evolved and why it is soooo important to the Tanzanians. I feel like I've bonded with both William (super dooper cute and lovely man - I'm guessing mid to late 30s) but I simply adore Ben.... who... well.. how do I put this...... was not touched but the attractive stick.... but truely has the soul of a very special person. He's probably late 30s? Could be older.... the rotten and tea stained teeth doesn't make it easy pick his age. He has picked me up, egged me on, told me off, kicked my butt, patted my head and hugged me all at the right times. I've been calling him Baba (Dad) - sorry Pa. I started calling him KaKa (brother) at first but he didn't seem to like it- but loves it when I call him Baba. Hilarious - I'm probably way older than him!
Todays climb again was hard but short... phew..... later tonite is D-Day. But hey.... heres the kicker.... I've added another layer in the last day or so, the temperture has been dropping steadily. I've been sleeping with the hired sleeping bag AND my sleeping bag, whilst weating thermals....
We are just heading into Karanga camp and I realise it's hailing! We make it to the tent in time before the serious weather starts in, last look out of the tent reveals the cliff face and what we'll be attempting to sumit in less than 12 hours.... OMFG
But before that happens we are feed well as usual and then William and Ben knock at the tent door..... it's serious briefing time......
Open the tent door to see that it is not only hailing but there is a light to medium covering of snow now! Crap!
We ask the boys to climb inside the tent and this is pretty funny but they were both seriously uncomfortable..... they came in reluctantly (so they didnt get covered by in snow) but kept they're backs to us the whole time. Basically, they wanted to go over all our gear for the summit challenge and check that we understood what was going to happen later that night. They were happy with Nics gear.... but not mine.... yes... the top layers were good - 3 thermal long sleeve tops, a fleece and a snow jacket, two sets of gloves, 3 pairs if socks, a skull cap, balaclava, neck gaiter, head band and fleece beanie, but my 3 layers on my legs were not good enough. They chatted in Swahili for a bit and then left the tent and told us to wait and rest. Next thing I know Praygoods at the door and throwing his pants at me saying 'Try these!'
Ummmmm ok - so I wore Praygoods pants as my 3rd layer before the rainpants....
Sooooooo technically...
I got into a boys pants on the side of Mount Kilimanjaro?!?!?!?!?!!
I didn't quite know what or how to thank him - so I got out of the tent (wearing his pants) and did some sort of jig for him..... he laughed and I said 'Asanti' - Thankyou in Swahili..... bless him.
Clothes wearing was already strained.... I'd worn my own cargo pants everyday so far and they were getting fresh.... even though they'd swapped from first layer to second etc. .. so when I had no option but to wear someone elses pants (and NOT fresh) I decided there really wasnt any point to cracking out any fresh gear myself. Ewww. I Know.....
Ok time for bed... at like stupid o'clock - maybe 3pm? Get up call is at midnight.
