Safari Day 3: Tarangire Nat'l Park

June 03, 2012

Today was the last day of safari. I woke up thinking I wouldn’t see anything new and wouldn’t have much to write about today. I was pleasantly surprised  - I thought today’s park was the best yet! I went to Tarangire National Park. The name is a Wa’azabi word tara means warthog and ngire means river (I thought this name was weird because the wa’azabi tribe has a clicking language, not sure how these words were chosen). These people used to live in this area and hunt warthogs. When the government made the land a national park the tribe largely died out because they were unable to hunt. It’s not often animals win over man! This park is full of those Lion King, perfectly African Baobao trees. Tanzania has 122 tribes; a few of them believe (like the washona) that the Baobao trees are either gods or the gateway to gods. These trees have a smooth gray bark, however the bottom meter or so of each tree is scratched up because during the dry season the elephants chew the bark for water, salt and minerals.

This park is known for its extremely large population of elephants. Some herds were so big I actually couldn’t count them. There were a lot of babies, too, but the adults huddle around them all the time so they’re difficult to watch. One herd had little elephant fights (I figured they must have been sisters) and the adults trumpeted at them. Real Africa. Among this herd was a lioness and her two cubs. The babies were the size of my mom’s cat, Goldy, and ridiculously adorable. They were playing around, totally oblivious to the elephants and giant iguanas around them. Mom was alert though. She kept leading them away when an elephant got close. Oscar and I followed them. I thought the elephants would have been afraid of the lions, but the opposite was true. The baby lions try to chase the elephants but they’re little and can’t take down an elephant. So usually what happens is that they get stepped on. While we were observing the baby lions Oscar called the other guides to tip them off but they all got there too late. It would have been nice if everyone had seen them, but it was also pretty cool that I was the only one.

I also saw two new antelopes today, the waterbuck and the littlest of the family, the dik dik. The dik dik is sometimes called true lovers. They are paired at birth and spend their entire lives as a couple. They have a 1km territory just for the 2 of them. The male secretes some white chemical to mark the territory and they spend forever together. When one dies the other stays in their territory alone until their time is up. How romantic. A fun fact about the dik dik: in their 1 km they have a designated bathroom and only ever poop in one place. Less romantic.

The last major national geographic moment of the day was the giraffes. I saw them the first day, but they are one of those animals that doesn’t get old. The giraffe has 1 baby a year and lives until about 28. That’s a lot of babies. You can tell the males and females apart because the male is bigger and doesn’t have hair on his horns from fighting.

After the safari we parked at the gate to sign out. A guy I’ve seen around the past few days approached me. He saw my Peace Corps shirt the other day and had to say hello because he is an RPCV from the Caribbean. He had a very different PC experience than I have, but he says that even 5 years later he still thinks of it every day and how the experience shaped his life and who he is. RPCVs pop up everywhere!

Today I also did some shopping. I bought some Maasai jewelry from a woman’s co-op by the hotel. She was a very sweet woman, I think I spent too much on it, but that’s what happens when you don’t know the local language. I also bought paintings for my family. I did a good job haggling for those, my guide, who didn’t help, said I got fair prices. I bought one for myself as well of a single elephant standing in front of Kilimanjaro. It’s a little cartoon-y but it was of exactly what I wanted. The mountain because it was just a major week in my life, and the old elephant because I’m still thinking of the poor guy out there all alone.

I got back to Springlands Hotel feeling content with the trip. I feel like I can leave Africa now and be fulfilled. There are still things I’d like to do on the continent (Cape Town, Lake Victoria, experience West Africa) but I can go home tomorrow and say I did Africa. Though I’m happy I still have another 7 months left to explore what’s left of Ethiopia.

Safari Day 2: Ngorongoro Crater

June 02, 2012

Besides it being a little cool out today’s safari was pretty great. Would have been loads better if I had binoculars and a good camera/photography skills. My favorite animal today was the rhino. He was too far away to photograph, but I still enjoyed watching him trudge alone. I really love the massive animals. The rhino was difficult to find because there are only 14 in the whole Ngorongoro Conservation Area (conservation areas differ from parks because people like there with the animals. The Maasai are allowed because they don’t disturb the animals. They are pastoralists, not hunters. Ngorongoro is actually the Maasai word for cow bell). The rhino is a solitary animal and never travels in a herd. This is why there are so few of them. If they happen by chance to run into another rhino, of the opposite sex and the female is in heat they will mate. Seems to contradict survival, but I guess some animals just like to be alone. I get that. Lions, however, like the few prides I saw today, like the company of other lions. Prides are a mix of males and females. Females get to choose their mates, and apparently there’s no ill feeling if a male isn’t chosen. It is possible that a male will kill cubs so that the female will go into heat sooner and be able to have his babies instead. I got quite lucky today seeing lions. There were 9 of them sleeping in the road. Since the sun didn’t come out today the grass remained dewy and wet. Cats don’t like water, so they slept in the dirt path.

Another cool animal story, surprisingly, is the ostrich. The females protect the eggs during the day because they are gray and blend with the environment better. The males are black so the spend all day absorbing heat so they can keep the eggs warm at night.

I saw many other animals, and it was all awesome, but not at all what I had expected. I thought I’d see more hard survival and tough living. I expected cracked, dried mud in the hot, hot sun, animals hiding and being territorial. Instead the zebras and wildebeest hung out like they were part of the same herd, once I even saw lions sleeping in the sun with them. Warthogs were always running somewhere, but not from anything. The hyenas roaming during the day struck me as strange, but I was glad because that allowed me to see babies. The flamingos were far away since the water was ceceding, but the lake looked bright pink there were so many of them. The only major disappointment today was that I didn’t see a cheetah. Everything else was pretty easy to spot in the huge, open expanse of the crater. By how peaceful they all were today it’s hard to believe that hunting and not-for-fun chasing happens at all. And that people can live there, too, all in harmony amazes me. The animal kingdom isn’t as hars as Discovery and Animal Planet would have you believe.

Other Animals Seen Today

Zebra

Wildebeest

Flamingo

Warthot

Hyena

Golden jackel

Thompson gazelle (small, only males have horns)

Crown crane

Elephant

Ostrich

Buzzard

Buffalo

Lion

Egyption goose

Black striped jackel

Grand gazelle (larger, all have horns)

Hippo

Eland (biggest of the antelope family)

Rhino

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Now I’m sitting outside my room watching the sunset again. Today I officially miss having the company of my friends. The solitude has been great, and conversation with passing strangers pleasant, but now I want someone to laugh with. I feel like a rhino.

Safari Day 1: Lake Mayanara Nat'l Park

June 01, 2012

I'm writing this entry from a very different, but equally beautiful view as on the mountain. High View Hotel certainly deserves its name, situated on a hill quite a ways off the main road. Feels a little silly, actually, being such a sheltered tourist. The view out my room is vast rolling, green hills. Some sections are densely forested, others neat and trimmed farmland. I could almost be in New England. Almost.

My day began at 9:00 when I met my guide/driver, Oscar. There wasn't the quick sense of kinship that I felt with Samuel. Oscar is more of a "that" guy, too cool for school. He's nice enough, but I'm not as comfortable with him. I've never been good with cool people. We chit chatted a bit on the way, but I passed out on the drive to the lunch stop. At the stop we met another Zara group. We had a nice lunch, it was good to see other people. Oscar and I spoke a bit after the break. Along the road there were a lot of Maasai (a tribe in Tanzania) boys with black dress (sort of like capes), sticks, ostrich feathers and white face paint. I don't have any photos because that's rude and weird in my opinion. I hate when strangers take pictures of me, especially on a bad day. And as you'll soon see, these boys are probably having the worst of the bad days ever. It really was quite a sight, though. Very Africa. Oscar told me their story. At this time every year the 3 month circumcision ritual takes place. Starting at age 14 the boys are woken up by a beating with a stick. Presumably to numb the body to pain. Then comes the circumcision. It is done in public, in front of the young girls (whose circumcision is done privately, the government is starting to discourage FGM but it is such a part of the culture it still happens often). If the boy cries the family is shamed and the boy will probably never find a wife in his village, because she saw him cry. After the circumcision is finished the boys are taken to the forest for 3 months. They pain their faces white with dye from a plant and may only wear black. During the 3 months the boys become men. The elders lead the camp and teach about Maasai culture, their way of life and how to be a warrior. Culture is so important to this tribe that when Mayanara became a park they chose to completely relocate rather than live in lands occupied by other groups, afraid the culture would get lost. Once the 3 months are finished the men return home in bright colors ready to take on life. Sometimes instead of age 14 there are 20 somethings who have fled from circumcision.

By the end of this lesson we reached Lake Mayanara Nat'l Park. The name Mayanara comes from the Maasai name for a plant that is used to cure malaria. A good plant to have in a town whose name means Mosquito River. At the entrance to the park Oscar put the top of the land cruiser up and, being the only passenger, gave me leave to stand on the seats to get a perfect view. Shade over my head, wind in my hair, coca cola in my hand and surrounded by jungle: Safari time!

The first animal we saw was the Oliva baboon. We have those in Ethiopia so it wasn't heart stopping exciting. This troop was more lively than the ones I know. There was some fighting against the males and it finally made sense why people say they are so mean. Those teeth! Totally big enough to eat babies. The second animal was a spring buck. They were a little too far to get a good picture, but they're adorable. They look like baby deer - only they're adults. Then came my favorite part of the day - the old elephant. He was my first big animal and I was beyond excited. He was enormous and so close to the car. I asked Oscar why he was alone, because I thought elephants stayed in herds. Oscar said that sometimes elephants get lost (how do you lose a herd of elephants?) and sometimes, if they are sick, they are abandoned. This particular elephant was too old and unable to fight for the women so he was left behind. I suddenly felt overwhelmingly sad for the elephant, I have a soft spot for the elderly. Because he was old he was left alone for the rest of his life. Then thinking of him being alone forever I felt lonely, doing these awesome things by myself without my herd. After a moment of hating every other elephant in the world I realized, humans do this, too. When grandma/grandpa get too old for us to take care of we remove them from the herd and send them to a nursing home. Oscar said this elephant may find other displaced and abandoned elephants and form a band of misfits. Maybe they'll start a bridge club or do puzzles or something. But I love this elephant. I watched him eat for a long time, he was just so big and beautiful and wrinkled. He flapped his ears while he picked up grass with his trunk and fed himself. At one point he walked up to the car and kind of waved/snorted air at me with his trunk. I like to think we shared a moment. After I said goodbye we came upon a herd of impalas (antelope family, also called McDonalds because of the Ms on their butts). There are two types of impala herds, bachelor groups (all male) and stud groups (one male, lots of females). Because strong impalas have multiple females, most males don't have any ladies, so they join bachelor herds. When a male is about 1 1/2 the father kicks him out of the herd, afraid he'll take his women (kind of like Craster from Game of Thrones!!). The young male is then meant to find a bachelor herd. Unfortunately, just coming from him mother, he smells like a female and isn't well received by the other lonely singletons. The head of the herd (who is the only one with a chance of finding lady friends) fights the young male. Eventually they see the new guy isn't a thread and let him join the boys' club.

I saw a ton of animals so I'll only write a few more stories and end with a list. As far as birds go, the 2 coolest were the ugly ground horn bill and the far away flamingos. The ground horn bill is large with black feathers and a little white on the wings. The males have red necks. They can fly, but choose not to because their food is on the ground. The flamingos were far away and few in number because the lake was drying up and far from the road again, and many are at Ngorongoro Crater laying eggs. I'll see them tomorrow. The hippo was also really cool. I've only ever seen them in the water. They don't have any sweat glands, so when it's hot they prefer to be submerged. Fun facts about hippos: they can be underwater for up to 15 minutes, they give birth underwater, babies can feed underwater and their mild is pink. This hippo was walking around on land eating grass. A few little birds were hanging out on her back. The best part was the white duck that was following her around. She'd stop, the duck would stop. She'd walk and the duck would run after her. Pretty funny to watch.

The last animal that deserves a story today is the beautiful and elegant giraffe. We saw a few of them in a foresty area crossing the road into the open plain. The first one I saw was a male and was surprisingly tall. Even for a giraffe. It walked right in front of the car and stopped like it was posing for a picture. There were also a few babies hiding in the bushes. Just the way they move is captivating. After the Old Elephant, these were my favorites.

Now I am at the hotel. Dinner is soon. I feel good about today and how much I've seen already. A big change from Kili though! The whole thing has been incredible. I'd really be  missing out if I had left Africa without doing this trip. Egypt and Tanzania were excellent vacation choices. Not 5 star living or great cuisine, but experiences not to be missed. I think PC has made me a better tourist, too. I have more questions, more to base thoughts on and a bigger thirst for cultural knowledge.

Other Animals at Mayanara

black face vervet monkey

yellow beast hawk

wildebeast

zebra

crown crane

blue monkey

buffalo

warthog

hammer crop

pelican

snake

Kilimanjaro Day 6

May 31, 2012

A long, uninterrupted night's sleep did wonders for me. My people tolerance level went back up, my cough dried out and I'm all around rejuvenated. We left early today hoping to get back to Moshi so the guys could help me out in town. Now that we're at the bottom of the mountain the car isn't ready. The walk down was long and painful, but stunning. The second half was all in the forest, covered with a lush canopy. It was so great to be in the woods without people following me, asking for things or making me feel threatened like in Ethiopia. I forgot how nice that could be. Again, Samuel was rushing me and walking so close behind me to speed me up, which was a little annoying but I kept my own pace and enjoyed my walk in the woods. We passed two waterfalls, different flora, crossed bridges and enjoyed the sound of birds, rain and streams. We passed a few hikers on the way up, looking as excited as I did 5 days ago. When we made it to Marangu Gate we registered, claimed my success and got the coveted gold bordered certificate. Now I'm sitting at a local restaurant. The food here was good, spiced rice, cabbage, meat with brown sauce over white rice, bean soup and bananas. Now I'm ready to go back to the hotel. Shower. Get clothes washed. Get a beer. Prepare for safari.

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Got back to the hotel. The man at the desk said that I'd be better off to buy paintings in Arusha on safari. That gave me time to relax and prepare for the next big adventure. Upon arrival the team and I had awkward speeches and my certificate ceremony. Kind of lame with just me, but in Africa certificates are kind of a big deal. And this one is kind of a big deal to me. We parted ways and I had my first beer in 31 days. It was a tall boy called Kilimanjaro. Relaxing, but just okay as far as beers go. I had a quick briefing with the safari coordinator and, sadly, I'm alone for this leg, too. I emailed home today and broadcasted my accomplishment. So glad I won't have to be too embarrassed to talk about the trip. So far it's been nothing but greatness. 

Last thing before I surrender to this bed. I realized when trying to charge my camera battery that the outlets are different. I asked the front desk if they could help me out. The guy replied "you can plug this in your room, come look". He inserts his metal key in the empty slot. Then I did the same thing. Goes against everything I learned about outlets as a kid. Too funny.

Kilimanjaro Day 5

May 30, 2012

I feel like I am getting ready for battle. The troops are preparing for a surprise midnight attack. I just put on my warm clothes. Doesn't help much when they are cold from sitting out. Next time I keep them in the sleeping bag. Besides the cold, I feel ready.

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Now that my little asthma episode is over I'm ready to write about my climb ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP! Samuel and I left around 12:15am, a little later than we planned and after most everyone else departed. No matter - I didn't know anyone else at camp so the competitive side didn't come out. We trudged along at a slow pace, but eventually caught up with people. Half an hour up there were people already struggling, a few vomiters and one woman saying over and over "I'm doing bad". i assume the altitude got the best of them. We continued along with the "no breaks until Hans Meyer Cave" plan. Along the way we passed several parties resting. At this point I was still chit chatting with Samuel and whoever we passed. I felt pretty darn good. We blew through Williams Point (5100m) and made it to the cave. We rested for a bit, had some water and then Samuel started getting a little pushy. We left the cave even before people who arrived some time before us. Then the very few times I asked for a breather he gave me barely a minute and started going again. The part between the cave and Gillman's Point on the crater rim is the most physically challenging. At this point I was leading the groups coming from our camp, with 2 New Yorkers close behind. We took turns passing each other the whole leg. This part was definitely a challenge, I can't deny that, but up until Gillman's Point I was doing and feeling great. It helped that it was dark out so I couldn't see the gradient of the slope or how much was left to go. Just stars when I dared to take my eyes off the scree and bouldered pass. After Gillman's was when I really started to feel fatigued. Each summit on the rim hid the fact that right behind it was a higher one. For most of it we were walking on ice and snow or in thin paths between them. The fake outs were the worst. And then I thought Stella's Point was much closer to Uhuru. It's like the end of a race when you're so close to the finish you realize just how tired you are. But I wasn't even close! And then I could see it - the Uhuru sign. And the sun coming up all at the same time. I've never been so relieved, happy, accomplished and proud. I got there at 6:30, only 6 hours and 15 minutes after I left. And I tied for first to the summit with a group from the other base camp. My camera battery froze so there aren't many pictures of the top. Some things are just meant to be memories for those who experience them, I suppose. I did get the proof photo though! After a few pictures we turned around to head back, encouraging and congratulating those we passed. 

All was still going well until we got to the scree. Even though it screams erosion, the popular way to descend is to ski down the mountain side. I did not like this. I felt like I was going to wipe out and dust was everywhere. The dust was the trigger. I started to feel that elephant climb on my chest, my ability to breathe disappeared and each breath burned. And the coughing made it even harder to breathe. I sat down to wait it out but Samuel was eager to get back to camp. He didn't like that I was taking the long and slow way, walking back on the zig zagging path we took up and insisted that we run down the ash. I told him I'd try again, but the burnong was worse and I sat for a bit and went by the path again but really couldn't breathe. Samuel had my pack and had abandoned me for the scree. So I sat, wheezing, coughing and not really breathing well as others threw dust in my face. Finally Samuel came back to me and I had my inhaler. When he realized what the problem was he felt pretty bad and stayed with me for the rest of the descent not really saying anything. We finally made it down, had some juice and I passed out for a bit. I'm breathing fine now, but the cough is still there. Lunch is good though, pancakes and french toast. And I just climbed Kilimanjaro. How annoyed can I be about a cough, really?

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After a little nap I awoke feeling happy and accomplished. All afternoon I've been composing blog entries, emails and facebook messages to send tomorrow night. The walk to Horombo Huts was pretty uneventful. We walked through the saddle again, but  on the adjacent road. Still a desert so nothing new to see. A few picnic spots and helipads, which Rongai doesn't have. Following the saddle we went back into the moorlands. This time there were the funky lolebelias, unlike the ones in Ethiopia at lower altitudes. The road was very eroded and full of large rocks. made for difficult travel, definitely ankle twisting potential. Glad I only did that road one way. The whole walk (13k) to Horomobo I was coughing, wheezing and burning from the earlier episode. I hope it's better by morning so I can have an all star finish. the road is supposed to be nice and foresty (and downhill) tomorrow. I'm pretty excited about it. It's been a lovely week and a real life changer, but I want a shower and a bed. And a beer. 

During the saddle walk Samuel and I had some nice conversation. He wanted to know about America's indigenous people and what happened to them. It spurred a conversation about poverty and homelessness in America then into Muslims in America, religious tolerance and what's going on in the Middle East. A great thoughtful chat.  

The Horombo Huts is a big camp. The porters and workers are really loud and disturbing. As i write this one just kicked my tent. There are a lot of people here. The noise distracts from the beautiful view outside my tent and cloud forest. I am so happy I did Rongai with 2 nights all alone in the beautiful wilderness, camping the way it should be. Even last night wasn't bad incomparison to this circus.

Dinner is here. Carrot soup, fries, rice and beans. Running out of the good stuff I guess. I'm not all that hungry anyway. During dinner Samuel stopped in for debrief asking for more tips than Zara recommends. I reminded him I'm a volunteer and I'll do what I can. I'm less in love with TZ than I was a few days ago. It's kind of all the same.

Kilimanjaro Day 4

May 29, 2012

I'm all packed and "washed" waiting for breakfast. I think my appetite is finally beginning to diminish. Crazy dreams last night, proof that I must have slept at least a little. The Vitales put in a crazy expansion on their pool and cleared out the woods all the way to the beach. Thinking warm thoughts! There is water dripping in the outdoor room of my tent. The sun is out and the ice is melting. Today is a 4 hour day, not as steep as yesterday. When we get to camp I'll have lunch and rest up to save energy for the midnight summit climb. Between the cold, porter party, snoring brits and the inability to get comfortable last night wasn't the best sleep of my life. I feel confident I'll be able to nap well at base camp.

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Finished Day 4: The Saddle in 3 1/2 hours. I left after the big group, passed them in the first hour and they still haven't arrived yet. I got to see what the altitude could be doing to me. This one woman, definitely fitter than I am, was falling behind at the beginning of the first incline, struggling to breathe and unable to carry her pack. I feel so fortunate that I'm feeling almost perfect save for the sunburned fingers and the occasional slight, brief headache. The first stretch today was a decline followed by a short but steep ridge, then a long relatively flat saddle that connects Mawenzi Peak to Kibo Peak. In this part Samuel told me a little history of Tanzanian tribes. There are over 100, most from Southern Africa speaking a Bantu language. They came during the great human migration. A few tribes in the north originate from Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia. The tribes' way of life is largely the same, but some (like the Chagga in Kilimanjaro) cultivate bananas, some less "civilized" forage honey, others are agriculturalists or pastoralist nomads (like the Maasai) and others are businessmen. As far as religion goes there are many Christians and Muslims (who get along peacefully) and still a fair amount of local beliefs, like the Maasai who sacrifice a black sheep for rain. It's nice to learn a little something about the people while I am here as a sheltered tourist.

The rest of the saddle Samuel told me to take the lead and go whatever pace I wanted. He and Gabriel stayed behind and went pole pole. I thought about home a lot. What people were doing, if their company would have been good on this trip, if any of them were thinking of me, if they even knew where I was. Then we started going uphill and because of my quicker than pole pole pace my breathing started getting heavy. Kibo became more detailed in my view and I could see the summit path. I still felt confident that I'd make it to the top, but seeing the summit path put my ego in check a little bit. After sitting in the sun having a stare down with Kibo lunch was served. Delicious chicken stew, biscuits and pineapple juice. Tea, too, but the sun beating on my tent is making me hot for once. Good time to catch up on some sleep.

                          

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I got a good few hours of sleep in before dinner. An angry Englishman in the next tent over keeps yelling curses. Not very relaxing. I carbo-loaded at dinner. Veggie soup, pasta with a beef sauce, toast and oranges. I ate as much as I could. I took everything out of my my pack that I will need tonight, pretty much everything I own. Samuel's evening briefing was more of a pep talk. We said how much we've enjoyed each other's company these few days. He appreciates my friendliness and kindness and I appreciate his stories and answering all my questions. Our plan is to go way slower than we have been and try to only stop at Hans Meyer Cave, Gillman's Point and Uhuru Peak so as not to lose momentum. It's ambitious but going slowly it's not impossible. I feel good about myself, my climbing partner this challenge and life. Let's do this. 

Kilimanjaro Day 3

May 28, 2012

Just woke up at 6:30 again. I hard a hard time sleeping last night. Not because of the cold, the hot water bottle fixed that problem, but because of this cold weather sleeping bag! I have my black liner in the blue down mummy bag that zips above the shoulders. I can't turn in it, curl my legs or change my position at all. When camping I can never stay long on one side because my hip begins to hurt, so every hour or so I had to wake up to readjust. Good thing I went to bed at 8:30! I think i still got 7 hours or so in. Now it's time to put on a cold pair of pants and start Day 3!

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We made it to Mawenzi in about 2 1/2 hours. I kept a relatively quick pace considering the point in the journey that I am at. Today was a considerable amount steeper than the first two days. We climbed over ridge after ridge and are now at the base of the Mawenzi Peak. It kind of looks like Night on Bald Mountain should be playing. Vegetation has weaned, only a few patches of grass here and there. The streaked little birds and ravens are still hanging in there. For most of this morning's hike the clouds were at bay allowing for views of Mawenzi and Kibo along with Kenya and endless rocky, steep hills. My legs still aren't fatigued, I think the hiking poles are actually a huge help. I was breathing pretty heavy today, though. Not bad enough to need an inhaler or a break, but pretty loudly the whole day. My only complains are sunburned pointer fingers, a splinter and it's cold out. Still no headache or nausea. And I'm still finishing my meals (today's lunch was potato pancake, cucumbers and green peppers) so my appetite is still intact. The camp here has potential to be interesting, but the clouds are so heavy you can't see too far ahead of you. Finding the bathroom was a quest all of its own! Once in a while the clouds pass for a minute and it's actually pretty neat. I hope it clears in the evening to do some exploring. For the first time since I left I am among other people. There is a big group here staying another night to acclimatize. It's weird though. I arrived and it looked like an abandoned settlement. Lots of tents and a few porters ambling about but not a single hiker in sight. Not even noise coming from the tents. When lunch was served people emerged. They're just so quiet for a big group. I'm guessing the added night means some aren't faring well. Probably why they're so quiet.

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Since the sun came out and an hour nap is plenty I decided to go outside the tent for a bit. I explored the cairns above the camp and sat up there for a few minutes. It wasn't all that high up but I couldn't hear a single sound coming from the noisy camp below. It was peaceful, but I was scared the heavy fog would roll in and complicate the way back down to camp. I saw on a rock near the tarn with the sun beating on my back waiting for the brief moment when the clouds would be just so and I could take an up close photo of Mawenzi. As I sat, Samuel joined me (I haven't seen anyone else talk to a Tanzanian all day) for story time. I asked him to tell me about his life growing up in TZ. I expected football and school but instead I got a tragic story that nearly had me in tears. He grew up in southwestern TZ with 2 older sisters and a younger brother. His father's parents lived with them since he was their youngest son. They had some land on which they grew maize and beans and also raised cattle. When Samuel was 4 his mom became ill, and when he was 7 she died at the hospital, a bus ride away. Samuel's father went to collect her body so they could have the burial at home. On the way to the hospital the bus was going quickly downhill in the rain and crashed. Days later they heard of the accident in the village and realized the father had died. The youngest kids didn't understand so they had the funeral still, 6 days after the mother died and 4 after the father had died. Not knowing what to do with 4orphaned children, the grandparents called Samuel's aunts and uncles for support. They only agreed to help if they were given a piece of the kids' land. They agreed. A year later the aunts and uncles said it wasn't enough and demanded more land. Samuel's oldest sister thought this wasn't fair and asked the grandmother to give the kids land instead. They hired workers and used the profit from the corps to pay for school fees. This worked for two years. Then the aunts and uncles came back into play. The grandfather had passed away by this time, and the grandmother needed to be taken care of. The aunts and uncles wouldn't take the grandmother in unless she gave them the land. So Samuel's sister approached their mother's sister. She offered to take them in despite having 3 children of her own. The grandmother said the kids couldn't leave her, there was no way the aunts and uncles would take care of her now. So, instead, the mother's sister sent money. This wasn't enough, so Samuel's sisters needed to get married. They went off to be maids for rich people and kept some money and sent the rest to Samuel and his brother. Samuel was a great athlete so to continue school to high levels he competed in national races. His performances paid off considerably. He was admitted to Teacher's College, but really didn't want to teach and didn't see the point in going. He started doing carpentry work. The guy he was working for saw Samuel was unhappy and could do more. He told him to go across the country to Kilimanjaro where his brother worked. Samuel went, but he was afraid he was being led astray. He got to Kilimanjaro and took courses to be a park ranger. After his exams the board said that top scorers could be trained as guides instead of rangers. Zara was short on guides, so after some time training on the mountain as an assistant guide, his 6 year contract began. A few years later one of his hikers took a special interest in him. If Samuel agreed to save money for expenses, the man from Minnesota would pay for university. He went to university in Moshi at a school that attracts students from all over Africa and other parts of the world. His school took him all over the continent. He graduated last year. He still works for Zara, but is hoping something better comes along. Most orphans get left behind. Samuel kind of did, too. But with crazy ambition and good karma he beat what probably was inevitable. Such a sad, but motivating and beautiful story. when he finished he looked at me and said 'remembering how bad my life was and losing my parents doesn't make me sad. It makes me feel lucky to be where I am and to have finally met kind people.' Wow.

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The clouds cleared up before dinner. Mawenzi looks much more bad ass among them. Now it's just big sharp rocks. The sunset was blocked by the ridges we walked over today, the pinky blues make a cool background to the cairns on the wall behind the camp, though. I would have taken a photo but I had a panic attack today that the battery will die before the end. I'd rather have photos of everything than a lot of the first half of the hike indifferent lighting. 

Dinner tonight was the best yet. cucumber soup, crispy chicken, rice, veggie sauce, green beans, orange slices and pancakes. I miss being the only party at camp. Big group = lots of porters = lots of shouting. Also they are very us vs them and it's kind of sad. Samuel came in for tomorrow's briefing, same as te last few days. He said he was too cold for a bedtime story. Tomorrow he'll tell me of TZ culture. I still feel healthy and chipper. Bar anything crazy I'm gettign to the top tomorrow. Even Samuel is being less calming and more feeding into my excitement. Bring it on. 

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Woke up at 3:30am for the bathroom. So hard to get out of bed but I couldn't wait another 3 hours. When I finally got the strength to leave the tent the air was biting. My tent had a layer of frosty ice and the bathroom was far away. I could only stop to look at the stars for a few seconds before I retreated back to my two twisted sleeping bags. And it's only going to get colder. 

Kilimanjaro Day 2

March 27, 2012

 

I arrived at my second camp, Kikelewa Caves, about an hour ago. No spectacular views of the twin peaks of Kilimanjaro, but something really wild. At this camp there's no check in, no people working. Samuel, Gabriel, Shorty, Daniel and I could be the only people in the world right now if I didn't know any better. There's water near by and the occasional raven or little brown bird, but otherwise it's prehistoric looking moorland with a few senecios scattered and these little yellow flowers and white-ish plants (both are helichrysums). Today began at 6:30. I woke up from a crazy dream about an old lady who joined my hiking group and ruined the trip with her crazy. I was glad to see she didn't exist when I awoke. Breakfast was porridge, eggs, cucumber, bread with PB & honey and some papaya. Followed, of course, by tea. I was given hot water to wash up, and as I was packing the porters builed and filled up my water bottles. At 8:00 Samuel and i set off. We walked for a bit - not strenuous at all, then he stopped to tell a few stories of his time studying environment and wildlife at university (paid for by a former hiker from Minnesota). During year 2 he had to do a 4 day survival course on the north side of Kilimanjaro. Everyone's least favorite part of the program. He was dropped off with only matches and a knife and was left to fend for himself. Being the rainy season, the matches weren't very helpful and hunting is scarce anyway. There aren't any berries either so he just didn't eat for a few days. Fortunately, the rainy season meant water was available so he wasn't completely screwed. He made his own shelter and survived a terrible few days. This year a student managed to start a fire- and with wind, dry climate and very flammable shrubbery he took a good chunk of the moorlands with it. Needless to say, he failed. Another practical portion of the environment and wildlife program, strangely enough, is a hunting safari (if you aren't in the national parks everything is fair game). In groups of 6 they had to go to this huge region and catch whatever possible, but the real assignment was to kill a lion. His group caught an elephant, zebra, buffalo and a few other things (the meat went to the nearby villages, the skins were stuffed to be presented to the professor). After a couple days of hunting, his group came to a group of buffaloes acting like there was a predator around (sending look outs, recon missions, hiding the females and babies). Sure enough, there was a pride of 3 lions stalking the buffalo. After some planning his group went in for the kill. they began with the best shot of the group. He was so nervous he missed (guess Hemingway knew what he was talking about!). The two other young men also shot and missed. They gave one of the women the gun. She was scared to even try because if the men couldn't do it then certainly she couldn't (what!?). The guys cajoled her into taking her shot. It seemed like she missed, but the lion was acting strange. She shot again and got the second lion right in the heart. The third lion ran away, and the group moved in, finished them off, and packed up. After that big win they got lost and had to wait for signs of other human life to be rescued from the large expanse (radios and GPS didn't work. silly technology). when they returned they got commended for their performance and the young woman who killed two lions became a bit of a legend and now works for the ministry in charge of hunting. Pretty big deal, I'm told. 

 

 

 

After these stories and the porters passed us with tons of gear on their heads, we kept walking. The way got decently steep and we gained about 1000m of altitude today in 6 hours. Along the way we found lizards and chameleons, cute mice/hyrexes and a bunch of wicked annoying flies. We went at a slow but steady pace, stopping briefly to enjoy the views of Kenya, the cloud layers and to take a few pictures. After about 3 hours we stopped at the 2nd cave for lunch. This is where we could have stopped for the day, had I not chosen to go the long way. I had a packed lunch of chicken, bread, biscuits, oranges, banana and a hard boiled egg. While we were eating a cloud floated by through us, like when an airplane passes through a cloud. Unlike skydiving through a cloud it wasn't painful, it was just kind of chilly. I imagine that is what it would feel like if a ghost went through you. When I finished eating I went to check out the cave, took some pictures, and got back on the trail. The 3 hour addition we did today, according the the guide book, is the way to go. And what was I going to do alone at the camp from noon to bed time anyway? Best to keep moving, see some more and not just do the minimum. The way was quite rocky, at some points huge rocks which, uphill or downhill, are a challenge for those of us with little legs. Once in a while we had to cross mud pits where there was some ground water. The walk itself wasn't difficult, just the footing was a bit tricky. By the end I was getting tired. My legs aren't fatigued yet thought, and so far no signs of altitude sickness. I feel good about my performance today. When we got to the camp at 2:30 the tents were already pitched and the porters were making me popcorn and roasting peanuts. I had my snack, washed up and now I'm just hanging out breating the fresh, thinning air. I'm still feeling happy and in love with the world. But I'm getting cold so I may go hide in my tent for a bit. Wish I could play cards. Probably the only con to hiking alone. I should have brought a book. I thought I'd feel to ill to read, but I'm feeling great.

 

 

 

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I just finished dinner. Beef, carrot soup and a boat load of pasta with that great veggie sauce. Appetite is still intact. I think I'm going to gain weight on this hike!

I stayed in my tent most of the evening. So cold out. Rethinking Alaska. Gabriel had the brilliant idea to make a hot water bottle from my left over tea water and I'm feeling much warmer for the moment. Samuel came in for tomorrow's briefing. Same schedule. The hike tomorrow will be steep but only 3-4 hours to Mawenzi Tarn Camp. I'll have the afternoon to explore the less traveled of Kilimanjaro's twin peaks. 

 

 

 

The clouds cleared just before sundown. I noticed when I braved the elements to go pee. Wish I had a po po. It's probably a trick of perspective, but from this camp the peaks look less massive. We covered about 9k and 950 vertical meters today- maybe I'm just making progress and that's why the mountain is less intimidating. I still have zero symptoms of AMS. Samuel says the team is impressed by me and happy because I'm easy to be with. He says that most people at least have a headache at this altitude, some even start vomiting. I feel GREAT and so glad I put in all those hours at the gym. I definitely don't feel like I've been hiking for two days. I'm feeling confident that I'm going to make it to Uhuru. My pace is average and I don't feel tired yet. Day 2 and life is still wonderful. Lala Salama!

Kilimanjaro Day 1

May 26, 2012

 

Day 1 on the mountain. I'm writing this in the setting sun looking at what appears as a chocolate volcano cake with melting icing dripping from the top. All day the clouds have hidden her from me, but about 10 minutes from making camp she showed herself. Unlike the intimidating view from the sky, she's just majestic, strong and beautiful. Last night I kept waking up about every 2 hours hoping it was time to go. When 7:00 finally arrived I rushed to breakfast, ate a tone because when you're hiking all day that's acceptable. At 8:30 we loaded the car and set out to the north end of the mountain. On the way, my friend Spencer's (who just came back from TZ) evaluation that Tanzania is 5% richer than Ethiopia and it makes all the difference in the world began to make sense. People are still poor and agriculture is still number one, but the quality of life is improved. The homes are much better quality, the people are fatter, less arguing/fighting, less idle hands, healthier land and lots less trash. As I was waiting for Samuel to get the permit I stood outside the car. for over an hour no one asked me for money, no one said anything inappropriate, no crowds and the only people who spoke to me just said hello. I found myself starting conversations and being chatty - something I haven't done in Ethiopia for a long time. I came to Tanzania looking to lose my bitterness and to love life and the world again. I think it's happening. Also at this rest stop I told Pemba, the driver, about my life and work in Ethiopia. he then told me all about the work I could do in Tanzania. The porters apparently lack knowledge in HIV and need to take classes in it (along with AMS, history, English and technical areas) to eventually be promoted to guide. Pemba and Samuel like to compare Ethiopia to Tanzania - we talked about tourism, HIV, daily life, FGM and why Ethiopians are such good runners. We also talked about Obama. I guess ever since he supports gay marriage he's lost some respect in Africa. I told Pemba that it shouldn't matter. Then he changed the subject. We then discussed Egypt, Libya, and the Arab Spring. We talked about Mugabe in Zimbabwe. They think a united Africa can work. I still have my doubts.

 

After the ride we stopped at the Rongai gate to do paperwork. I found some kids to talk to. I taught them a few camp songs and games. Victoria (the oldest girl, 11) taught me a Halloween song. We shared biscuits and she told me her love of math and dream to be a bank manager. then I realized that it was the first time in a long time that I willingly and truly enjoyed time with children. The old Nikki still exists!

 

 

 

We left check in at 2:45 and officially began the climb. The first part was in cultivated land. Nothing special. then was my favorite part of the day - the mountain forest. the whole thing was wicked lush with sun peaking in through the shade. The temperature was perfect, the pace slow and the incline barely noticeable. Samuel and I spoke of the days to come and he said that I looked fit and he was sure I would make it to the top. Hearing that felt good. Even if he does say it to everyone. The whole 2 1/2  hours of today was really easy. I was told to slow down twice (didn't think that would happen). I didn't need any breaks and only felt out of breath once. And then the mountain became visible. I arrived at camp not tired at all, surrounded by kind Tanzanians whose company I enjoy, the only hiker on the trail/at camp and completely happy and at peace. I signed the registry - the guy said I looked strong and able (another compliment!) - and we talked about how much we love Americans. Yes we do. I was just given hot water and soap to wash up and tea/popcorn to snack on. People are making me dinner. The sun is setting, the mountain is calling me. Life is wonderful. This is exactly what I need  right now. I keep thinking of home (and talking about Andrea to my guide) thinking of what everyone else is doing right now.

 

 

 

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I just finished my 1,749th candlelit dinner for one. So much food. I was instructed to eat as much as possible because I may lose my appetite at higher altitudes. That'd be a first! I had cucumber soup, fried fish, cabbage, vegetable sauce, potatoes, bread, bananas and tea. All delicious. And served to me in my tent. Tomorrow's a long day - Samuel came to tell me our program. I think he's disappointed that I want to go the long way. But he said they all love me and will do whatever they can to make my Tanzanian trip memorable and perfect. Ethiopians tell me all the time that they love me, but for some reason Samuel's comment made me feel great. I'm on some kind of high tonight. After dinner I stepped outside my tent. Holy shit there are a lot of stars! I'd say even more than that one night in New Zealand. I had to stop and stare for a few minutes congratulating nature on another perfect backdrop to life. If it wasn't so cold I'd still be otu there. Since then I changed into my expensive LL Bean expedition wear. Officially a good purchasing decision. I'm warmer already. I guess now the only thing left to do is curl up for an early night. I'll go to sleep with a smile on my face. I know it's going to get a lot harder and maybe even miserable, bur for now I just want to enjoy this bliss and real, pure peace and happiness.

Arriving in Tanzsania

May 25, 2012

 

I left this morning for my Kili adventure. The trip to the aiport with Nesro felt normal. I sat next to a  high school kid going on a mission trip in Kenya. I wanted to be supportive and welcome him to the continent, but he sat there practicing his lecture about creationism and I didn't want to have that conversation. He's too young to have the "should-we-be-preaching" conversation without breaking him or upsetting him. And then Kilimanjaro came into view. For the entire flight the view out the window was a forever reaching field of clouds. And suddenly there was a massive mountain growing out of them - and that was only from the cloud line up. I said to the kid next to me the same thing I said when I first saw the city of Addis - "I think I made a big mistake". Once the dread subsided I got really excited knowing that in a few days, I'd be on top of that mountain.

 

 

Arrival at JRO was no problem. Joseph from Zara was waiting with a sign that had my name on it, but the car wasn't. I waited with a Brit-German couple for the car to come. She had volunteered in Kenya for a few years when she was young and was in Tanzania visiting her daughter who is teaching in Moshi. The Zara rep kept coming up to apologize for the driver. Poor guy- he must have to deal with impatient tourists all the time. Luckily we had all lived in Africa for a while and didn't mind the delay. Now I am at Springlands waiting for my prep meeting. A few people who just finished climbing were talking about how shitty altitude sickness is. Is it weird that I'm excited to see how I fair? I'm happy to be climbing by myself, but I am a little jealous of their comradarie. Maybe I can find someone to swap stories with for a little while tonight.

 

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Now I am sitting next to a HUGE group that just finished and are about to start their debrief meeting. Now I am sure that coming alone was a good decision. Not only is the total group size overwhelming (30 porters!!) but some of them are absolutely obnoxious. They are asking things like "who was the last up?" and "who was the last down?" and "who did you pass?". And their tip situation sounds terrible. I think I would have been miserable. I also think Peace Corps has made me a bit of a loner and a recluse.

 

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I  met my guide today, Samuel. At first he seemed shy and unsure of his English. I had a deep feeling of dred that it would be like a week with an Ethiopian who wants to hang out but doesn't say anything. I cracked a few jokes, mentioned I live in Africa and smiled a lot. He warmed up to me and we agreed to tell stories, communicate and speak Swahili. I think he was just weary of a week with a weirdo. After the meeting I sent an email to the family and talked to a guy that just finished. He made me feel confident that I'm more prepared. No one has said a thing about the fitness demands, just altitude sickness. I'm a naturally slow person so I'll be golden. I also spoke with a spanish lady at dinner who just finished the Rongai route by herself. It was her 4th attempt and she did it! I'm glad I started a conversation with her, I'm sure she was itching to tell someone about it. And she had some advice. Also, she too has tingly feet and hands from the Diamox. Phew! It's normal! I'm glad I met some folks today to get a little bit of a briefing and to be more social.

                           

 

Introduction

Since this blog is not about Ethiopia or Peace Corps at all, I decided to make it a seperate entity from my current blog. Which you should check out if you haven't already. This blog is from my trip to Tanzania from May 25, 2012 to April 4, 2012. I'm going to try something new here and just type up  my journal from the trip. For people planning to hike Kilimanjaro in the future it may be a good resource to learn exactly how it feels to be on Africa's highest mountain.

 

Before I begin, a little about myself and the motivation to climb. In July 2009 I was sitting in bed, itching flea bites on my ankles brought to me by a feline house guest, Spice. I was interning for free at the hospital, really wondering why I thought it was a good idea to return to Putnam. One afternoon it finally came: my invitation to serve in the Peace Corps. Since October 2009 I have been in Ethiopia, and since then I have been saying to everyone that I will climb Mt Kilimanjaro. I almost went a few months ago with friends, but plans fell apart, money was tight and the group didn't end up going. Two and a half years later I still was all talk and I was starting to doubt that I would actually do it. And so in March 2012 I finally bought a plane ticket, forcing myself to get in shape and just do it. I ended up doing a solo trek which, for me, was probably the best way to do it. Since I was alone I booked the entire trip with a tour group. Figuring out things when you arrive in a new country can be fun, but when you're alone, I've learned, it's just stressful. I booked a package deal with Zara Tanzanian Adventures: 6 Day Rongai Route with 3 Day Safari. Ethiopia doesn't really have a whole lot of animals, so it felt silly to go that far and not see an elephant or two. Zara is a little more expensive than other tour companies, so for a frugal person such as myself it is a strange choice. I chose them because, after some research, I learned that they have a good reputation for their treatment of staff, particularly porters. Also it is a Tanzanian company started by a woman...which is amazing. It's better to keep money inside the country (it is their mountain afterall) and to support women in development is a good thing.

 

The three things I was most worried about regarding the climb was fitness level, asthma and altitude sickness. For the two months preceeding the trip I trained pretty hard (turns out probably more than I had to) and spent 2 hours at the gym everyday I was in town. Mostly stair climber, hours walking uphill on the tredmill and strength training. For the asthma I lost some weight and practiced yoga regularly. The breathing techniques with yoga have helped a bit, and on the mountain I only had one episode on the way down. For altitude sickness there's not really a whole lot you can do. I live at a high altitude which helped a lot, and also I took Diamox before and during the climb. All the prep was enough, I had very few problems during the hike.

 

The last bit of preparation was packing for the trip. I try to carry as little as possible when traveling, so I didn't bring everything on the suggested packing list. In fact, my bag was lighter than my guide's and I was able to go with one less porter. The things I was happiest I brought: hiking poles, LL Bean expedition weight thermals, rain covers and good boots. Things I was happy I brought but didn't need: a jar of nutella and my journal. Things I brought and didn't use at all: extra towels (I used one the whole time), rain pants (I rented these, never wore them) and bug spray. Things I wish I brought: a book, better camera, binoculars (for the safari).

 

Just a note about the cultural information and stories. I didn't do any academic research or refer to any writings, websites or historical accounts. Everything in this blog was told to me by a guide, porter or other person I met. I take no responsibility for the accuracy/inaccuracy of information. The pictures are all mine though.

 

I think that is enough of an introduction. The next entries will be the daily writings in my journal. I'll do minimal editing so the experience stays in tact. I apologize if anything seems arrogant or makes you think "who says that?!". It is a journal, and we're all a little full of ourselves when no one is looking. Enjoy!