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15/12/2011
Slept through thundesrstorms only to be woken at 5.30 in our attempt to get to the next lodge, up to the summit of the mountain and then back down to the hut! However, didn't turn out that way.
We raced to Chispu Hut in four hours even though we were told it would take five and a half. Was a nice walk, a bit uphill climbing and sliding along rocks and then along flats. Some of the views from different peaks were breathtaking. You could see for miles and miles, even across the border into Mozambique and the hills and mountains there, aswell as all the small villages, tea plantations and everything in the near distance.
We were often leaping across streams and rivers to get to places, getting soaked but most of the time we were careful enough to avoid falling in and my gangly legs can out-jump most!
At Chisepu Hut, we had another much-needed lie down, especially as we were supposed to be going from there to the sumnmit, Sepitwa (meaning "Don't gothere"). But the rains came thick and fast and we had to call it a day at 10am. So out came the cards and Boa for the majority of the day.
The hut was very much in the clouds and it's got to be the first time I've slept above any! We were almost 2,500 metres high!
On a more pleasant note, we needed the toilet and after this morning's failure-to-do-so in some grotty pit/hole in the ground, I succumbed to the same kind of environment at Chisepu! All I can say, is thank God I stole a bog roll in Blantyre as me and Jack would have been really screwed up there! In more detail, the pit had two bricks either side of the hole for you to perch your bottom on and there was no way I was hovering. So toilet paper was pretty much the most vital thing for us climbing Mount Mulanje! To think, what do these dirty b*****s do in these places and even in the towns!? They don't use toilet paper....Welcome to the real world!
We passed the time from 10-6pm playing cards and chatting to a German guy who had the same mission as us with his guide. I cooked tea this time and we had pasta with tomato soup and pilchards! Again, we didn't waste any!
Our guide had told us how hyenas and baboons inhabit the mountain but we didn't see any, although I did come across something big as this big tree moved. Probably a baboon.
Everywhere up the mountains is so peaceful and tranquil, except the crickets at night in some places. Also, on the subject of nature, we have seen Mulanje Cedar Trees, a species of tree that can only be found in the world up the mountain!
I had begun to get blisters.
We went to bed just after 6pm, sleeping in my bag on the mat by the open fire. The hut was very smoky because of the open fire which made it difficult to sleep. Had to keep throwing logs on the fire though else it was cold!
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