Breakfast at 8:00am with temperature at 25 degrees before briefing with Louisa. Collected our sleeping bags & porters loaded van. Drove an hour to Marangu gate for check in then 3 hour drive to Rongai with stop to collect rest of porters & a stop for lunch at Tarakea. Set off from Rongai gate at 2:30pm in sweltering heat. After 10 minutes realised I had lost my sunglasses, doubled back but they were nowhere to be seen. Carried on at a very steady pace st...

Arrived into a very warm a dusty Kilimanjaro airport. Organised chaos getting visa then hairy taxi drive to hotel. Quick shower & moved lizard off towels then to restaurant for excellent meal of pasta, soup & pork chop.

We are off to Tanzania on 31st January 2012 to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. 29th January - Pre-trek meeting in the Miners at Hundall. 31 Jan - 5;00am. At the airport, everyone checked in & having a coffee. 8:45 - Arrived at Amsterdam airport having another coffee awaiting connecting flight