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Hej Allesammen
Saa kommer der igen en lille update!
Siden sidst er der sket en masse, eller vi har ihvertfald vaeret igennem den stoerste proevelse paa hele Afrika turen, nemlig bestigningen af Mt. Kilimanjaro, verdens hoejeste enkeltstaaende bjerg og Afrikas hoejeste. Kilimanjaro bestaar af 3 bjergtoppe, hhv. Shira, Mawenzi og Kibo. Sidstnaevnte er det hoejeste, hvor der er tre milepaele at naa hhv. Gilmans Point, Stellas Point og Uhuru Peak (5895m). Lad os bare sige med det samme, at vi havde ingen ide om, hvad der ventede os, da vi forlod vores hostel i Arusha om morgenen.
Vi ankommer fyldte med energi til indgangen af Kilimanjaro National Park i ca. 1900m hoejde. Herfra gik startskuddet til 5 dages intensiv "vandretur". Vores foerste dag gik egentligt okay, ingen problemer bare afsted mod toppen!
Men dagen efter begyndte vi baade at maerke det uvejsomme terran samt kroppens tegn paa den vaesentlige forskel i ilttrykket jo hoejere vi kom op. Saa efter "bare" 6 timers vandring naaede vi vores anden camp " Horombo", hvilket var en sejr i sig selv. Her havde vi 2 naetter for at afklimatisere (vaenne sig til hoejden).
Paa 3. dagen gik turen mod "Kibo" campen i ca. 4700m hoejde, som er den sidste lejr inden afgang mod toppen. I denne camp saa vi virkelig, hvad hoejden gjorde ved menneskerne. Vi ankom, som de sidste, kl. 17 efter ca. 7,5 times vandring i noget der mindede om snegletempo, pga. hoejdepaavirkningen (straekningen var ca. 12 km). Herfra gik vi direkte ind og smed vores backpacks i sovesalen, gik til aftensmad og saa folk bare sidde og tage sig til hovederne af smerte over en ubeskrivelig hovedpine. Vi var stadig ikke ramt. Men efter at have sovet et par timer til ca. kl. 23 om aftenen, blev vi ogsaa ramt af den svaere hovedpine, som mest af alt mindede om en virklig haard omgang migraene.
Efter en omgang amerikanske Ibubrofen paa 800 mg stk. begav vi os op ad det sidste stykke. Vi havde en tur paa smaa 7 timer foran os, foer vi naaede den foerste milepael Gilmans Point i ca. 5600m. Saa vi vidste vi maatte give alt, hvad vi havde i os, men efter bare 1 times vandring begyndte Melanie virkelig at have problemer med hoejden. Men med jernvilje kaempede hun i 6 timer, indtil hun naaede det naesthoejeste punkt, Stella's Point, smaa 140 meter fra det hoejeste punkt, Uhuru peak, som er toppen af Kilimanjaro. Rikki naaede dog hele vejen op til Uhuru peak, hvilket var fantastisk flot gjort :).
(For at give jer en ide om svaerhedsgraden fra Kibo til toppen, saa matte 21 ud af 46 i lejren vende om, pga. hoejdesyge. 2 kom ikke engang ud af sengen og en tredie fik vand i lungerne og maatte transporteres akut ned af bjerget.)
Alt i alt har vi formaaet at trekke til toppen af Mt. Kilimanajro, og vi forstaar nu det Swahiliske navn Kilimanjaro mere end foer, da det betyder "svaer rejse". For det var virkelig det svaereste, haardeste og mest fysisk udfordrende nogen af os har vaeret igennem.
I hver fald, det er gjort, og vi nyder nu varmen.
Alt det bedste herfra 35 grader og det smukke Zanzibar!
Hello Everyone!
Here's another update.
Since last time we have done the amazing thing, climbing the magnificent Mt. Kilimanjaro. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest single standing mountain in the entire world. It has three mountain tops; Shira, Mawenzi and Kibo. Kibo is the highest and has three high points called Gilmann's, Stella's and Uhuru Peak (5895m). Just to say, we had no idea, at what was lying await for us.
We arrive to Kilimanjaro National Park (ca. 1900 m) ready and fresh and filled with energy for our 5 day trekking journey. The first day went well, no to hard and the scenery of rainforest was so beautiful.
The second day, however, we started feel the difficult terrain and the body's attempt to heave more oxygen as the altitude increased. But after 'just' 6 hours of trekking we made it to our second camp, 'Horombo', which we considered as our first victory. We stayed here for 2 nights to acclimatize.
On the third day the journey was set for a camp on Kibo (ca. 4700m), which was the last camp, before we set out for reaching the top of Kilimanjaro. When reaching this camp, we really saw, what the altitude was doing to the people. Going into the dining hall to get some dinner, we just saw people with their hands holding their heads as they were moaning and complaining about there severe headaches. Fortunately we were still fine, but that was about to change. After sleeping for a couple of hours we woke up at 23.30 to get ready for the last part of our journey, reaching the summit. However awakened with a migraine so excruciating that you don't know, what to do with yourself did not help. With the help of some painkillers we attempted to climb the yet so steep Kibo. It was dark (because we were to reach the summit for the sunrise) and it was freezing and every drawn breath was hard to take. Aside from the pounding headache, nausea and dizziness (all type A symptoms for altitude sickness) we persisted through and finally reached Gilmann's Point at sunrise after 7 hard and long hours. Melanie managed to push through to Stella's Point (just 140 m from Uhuru Peak at 5985m), but Rikki went all the way to top!
We are both happy that we got to have this experience, nonetheless it has to have been the hardest and most difficult physical thing we have ever done. And we now understand, more than ever, the name Kilimanjaro, which is Swahili for 'Difficult Journey' J.
Anyway, it is done and now we are enjoying the sun and warmth in Zanzibar. So all the best wishes from here.
Take care, xx Melanie and Rikki
- comments
Rasha El-Ali Vildt... flot gået til jer begge ;) dejligt at høre fra jer, glæder mig til flere opdateringer ¨.. Pas godt på hinanden.. kæmpe klem ;)
Lars Ej i to. 12 km på den tid.. Tja man kunne fristes med at sige dårlig form :) ej godt gået !! Stærkt at i gennemførte det. Tak for fyldestgørende Update. God oplevelse fortsat :) kram herfra