24th November 2013
After approximatey 28 hours in transit having flown via Bangkok, Nairobi and Kilimanjaro, we safely made it to our hotel in Moshi. The transit however was not without drama. Sitting in Nairobi airport having checked in, we thought everything seemed to be going nicely. We even had free wifi to suss out Facebook whilst we awaited the final flight to Kili.
So there we were waiting patiently at (what we thought was) the departure lounge to be called to commence boarding at 7:30am for an 8:30am departure. 8:00am goes by and we hadn't heard anything but reassured ourselves that it was ok as it was only a small plane and therefore they don't need very long to board. 8:20am passed by and we decide that maybe we should confirm that we are actually at the right place. Turns out the 50/50 decision to sit to the left or right after checking in, we'd made the wrong choice. Everyone else had already boarded the plane and they'd been paging us for ages (we couldn't hear these pages as were waiting in the different boarding lounge, and who knows how they were pronouncing Buchholz)! Luckily we were just in time and were whisked out onto the tarmac by foot and arrived just before they were to close the plane door. And the ironic thing... all along we'd been worried our luggage wouldn't make it (which thankfully it did).
On the plane ride from Nairobi to Kili we got our first glimpse of our holygrail and there it was poking it's head out above the clouds. It was then when it really sunk in just how high the mountain is.
Moshi a town at the base of Kili and is the main hub for all for climbers to gather before and after the trek. There's not much more around but we might hire a guide tomorrow and go for a look. Our hotel is within a compound just out of town but we feel safe and everyone is nice. We have met a few other people on our trek, and a few who have already completed the trek. We also got more than we bargained for when asking advice/tips and Sam in particular is now a little nervous. The food is different and basic but quite nice - we dine at our hotel.
Learning points:
1. Don't make assumptions (re sitting in correct departure lounge) - as famously quoted by Richo they are "mother of all f*#k ups".
2. There is no such thing as fashionably late when it comes to flights - there is nothing gracious about getting a sweat up running on a tarmac to make your plane with everyone watching.
3. Apparently Kilimanjaro is REALLY high!!!
4. Reconsider the questions you ask previous trekkers as the answers are often not what you want to hear!
