New audio update from TA and the WOKies on Kilimanjaro.

This is the text of TA’s audio message:

Hi this is TA calling in from the Karanga valley camp, which actually isn’t in a valley its on the ridge above the valley.  Which, we were painfully aware of as we were really wanting to be in camp and we had an 30 minute climb to go…but we used 20 questions and a few songs to get to the top of. 

So were here at 4200 metres or so…and have been treated to the most amazing views of Mount Meru across the way and tonight we could see the lights of Moshi, because the clouds cleared off.  We have actually been spending much of our days since day one above the clouds and looking down on the cloud layers.  In the evenings it often clears and gives us a view of the surrounding country side and today we got a view of the African planes out from the flanks of Mount Kilimanjaro. 

It was a rich and full day climbing up through the Barranco Wall which many people enjoyed because of the scrambling up through…it was amazing to watch the various porters climb through this scramble rocky cliff thing, with things on their backs, things on their heads, and things on their backpacks, making their way around us as we climbed through.

Most people found the crux move which called the kissing rock actually easier than anticipated, finding the move just before that which is a big airy step to be a little more difficult, but we all got through it.  Pretty amazing views from the top of the Barranco Wall and then some down and up, and down and up, that brought us here to our camp.  This is our last camp before we head to what our guides like to call ‘Base camp” which is Barafu which we will go to tomorrow. 

Folks are doing alright still a few little headaches…I’ve a little GI upset, so I’ve been making many trips to our little grey tent as its called…but folks are doing well a little bit of fatigue is filling our quads and our calves and we know that we’ve been hiking hard for 4 days.  Looking forward to our big day tomorrow and of course with that comes lots and lots of nerves and fear and anxiety and excitement and all of the things that go along with taking on a big dream.

So we are sending our love out your way…and we did have one new nickname for today, the newest nicknames added to the fold is ‘Vitamin K’ and again we will leave that to you’ll to decipher.  We also have a tradition on our trip of assigning a ‘Wally’ this came to us from Karen who has brought it from other trips, basically at the end of the day we vote on the silliest moment or the silliest mistake and bring that forward.  So things like tossing toilet paper rolls into the toilet, or dumping sunscreen on the rocks, or leaving one’s dirty underwear on ones tent-mates pad gets one the ‘Wally’ which is a Tanzanian flag/bandana which you have to wear in a new and creative way each day.

We continue to have lots of fun…we continue to think of all of you and appreciate the wonderful messages of inspiration.

We will catch you again tomorrow…

TA