We are on our way home!

More pictures below!

We are now at Addis Ababa airport having taken the flight from Kilimanjaro. We have a 5 hour wait before our final flight home to London. 

We had lunch at the hotel and then all our bags were loaded onto 2 coaches.  We said farewell to the Kilimanjaro Mountain lodge. 

On the coach ride to the airport we have discussed once again and in great detail the horrors of summit night and would we ever recommend anyone to do it!! 

We have also had the time to think about the people we were raising money for.  There are journeys from both sides.  The 23 of us often felt isolated frightened and had major reflections on life. 

We all needed both physical and mental strength regardless of who made it to the summit on Saturday night. 

Everything we have just been through also had a ripple effect on our families. 

The difference is, we could walk away from the mountain. 

Through our efforts, hundreds of people now know more about Chai Cancer Care should they need it and Chai can continue to provide its specialist services. 

Thank you from all of us for your donations and support - we are all so very proud to have been involved in this challenge, together we can cope. 

With Love,

Team Chai Altitude

Xxx

To sponsor the 23 girls and support Chai Cancer Care please click here.

The Night Before We Leave

So there you have it, it's all done - 23 north London Jewish girls who set out to conquer one of the worlds highest mountains. 

It is without a doubt the hardest physical challenge that we have ever been through. Do not compare it with child birth please! We have been told that the side of the mountain we climbed Is the hardest route to the summit. 

You cannot imagine how difficult it is to climb vertically up volcanic ash.  For every step you take you slide back one! It is pitch black, we asked why we have to climb in the dark and one of the answers was' you wouldn't do it in the light as you would see how difficult it is!'

As well as the ash and steepness you have to deal with the altitude! It is harder to breath on every step you take.  Eventually your water freezes along with anything else in your back pack including the wet wipes which you really need when the upset tummy kicks in,  not to mention the throwing up as you are desperately trying to put one foot in front of the other ! 

There are 3 main points to reach. The first is Gilmans then Stella and if you can stomach it Ahuru! All , if which you reach you cannot remain at for longer than 7-10 minutes. 

Sometimes You feel like its impossible to go any further and for some of us it was! 

We are so proud of each and everyone of us who made it or attempted to make it. 

Unbelievably at this point of sheer hell one our girls was chatted up by a lovely Canadian gentleman, who shared his ginger tea with her and managed a conversation at over 5000 Mtrs above sea level. Emails were exchanged! 

The descent down can only  be described as ski like, you have your walking poles and if you position your boots in the right way you can ski down. 

There are massive boulders that you have to negotiate as well. Some ran down as you feel so ill that you just need to get to back to kibo camp. Your water is finished or frozen solid,  you are dehydrated, shattered, exhausted, delirious and desperate to feel safe. 

It's important to note that you do not feel elated or happy, it's is physically and mentally shattering and very frightening. 

When you get back to kibo camp it is pure relief.  From starting at 11 pm on Saturday night the summit journey finished 12 hours later. 

Two of us were stretchered to the next camp and one of us had to leave the mountain. The night was spent at the high camp and in the morning we set off to the gates of Marangu, the final descent to leave Mount Kilimanjaro. 

The views and surroundings along this journey have been more than stunning and summit night was no exception if you reached the top. We all feel incredibly lucky to have seen such amazing scenery . 

The  photos that we took will appear on our face book pages, laptops, phones for a while until we swap back to our children but those magnificent  images will remain in our minds forever. 

After reaching the gate to the park, the local beer is definitely in order and a few were drank.  Our porters and guides come to the gate with all our luggage that they have been dragging from camp to camp for last week.  They too have a beer with us. After the tipping and hugging and out pouring of gratitude to these people who have loved being with us as much as we have loved being with them, it is time to say goodbye. It's sad as they are just fantastic people who have one remit, and that is to protect us and make our journey safe. 

The bags are loaded onto the buses/cars and we bid fair well to the mountain.  The hotel is only 20 minutes away this time. We have exited the park by the Marengi route. 

The need for a shower or bath is indescribable.  The dirt, dust is embedded and one shower or bath is not enough. We met in the bar of the hotel, the one we left a week ago, but this time we were all going to have a drink.  

We had dinner and then there was our award ceremony. A certificate from Charity challenge, the point you reached and also a  medal, all of which were  given out by Gwyn out guide, and with lots of cheering and clapping and far too many pictures, we have completed this part of the journey. 

There is no doubt that everyone's head will hit the pillow and at least 8 hours of sleep  will be had. No one will be telling us what time to go to bed or get up and to pack our sleeping bags, we are slowly back to reality and welcome it. 

This morning - Tuesday, a week from when we started our climb, we are all struggling to walk, our legs and bodies have been through a battering. 

We are now ready for our long but safe journey home to London where will share our adventures with you all. 

We are looking forward to chicken soup and protein based meals. We will update you when we arrive to London. Knowing us there will be a story to tell.

With Love,

The Team Chai Girls 

Xxx

To sponsor the 23 girls and support Chai Cancer Care please click here.

Victory snaps!

To sponsor the 23 girls and support Chai Cancer Care please click here.

The Chai-est point!

On our way to Kibo camp before summit night 

Well what a night!!! If you could have seen the panic packing for the summit climb you would not have believed it! Hand, foot warmers all over place, wooly hats, snack bars galore.  Last minute coffees and off we went. And yes we were all a bit apprehensive. 

It was cold but not freezing initially as we thought.  It was pitch black but the moon was full and there to guide us. It is a vertical walk up to the summit on a very slippery surface. You push small rocks down the mountain as you walk. 

We stopped at certain points to catch our breaths and have a snack, and anyone who was brave enough to 'use the facilities' did!

We left at just gone 11 to beat the rush. Seriously the world and its mother were heading to the summit. We were gone before the South African rugby players but they soon caught us up.

As we have said several times its been an emotional journey. We are immensely proud of ourselves for all summit attempts last night, being stripped of our home comforts including not washing since last Tuesday and toilet facilities, we will never complain again!

Tomorrow we make our descent down, approx 6 hours to the gate of the Park. We collect our certificates and head back to the hotel for what will be a major rush for the bathroom and a few alcoholic drinks at the bar!

We went up the mountain friends and are coming down  with strong and unforgettable bonds. We will hold onto our special memories of an amazing 10 days in aid of Chai Cancer Care. 

Please send us your comments. It will really encourage us!

With love,

Chai Altitude Xx

To sponsor the 23 girls and support Chai Cancer Care please click here.

Reaching the Top!

Above the Clouds

Hello Everyone,

To fill you in on yesterday, we had a wonderful shabbas dinner on our mountain,  we did everything just right from our beautifully kept chollas  to Alex who read out lynndy levin's words of wisdom and Debra who talked about this weeks parsha, which was very poignant indeed. 

We sang and voices rang out across the whole camp. 

Our briefing by Florence  our local guide, for this morning was strict, today had to run like a military operation, we had to leave camp by 7 am, packed, with breakfast inside us and ready for long walk across what is called the Alpine  Desert.  The day started cold but bright and beautiful sunshine and amazingly we were out and walking  at 7 on the dot. Even our South African rugby neighbours were impressed. We have been sharing our journey with them from the very start. 

The terrain was rocky at first and then as we reached the desert we were able to walk side by side, not something we have been able to do as the trails have always been narrow. 

The scenery was once again breathtaking and we were all doing well, but half way across one of us started to feel unwell, we stopped, laid her down and saffron our doctor and Gwyn were on hand. As friends we kept the humour going and after a short while we were off again.  

The journey was tough today as we reached over 4600 meters our bodies took a beating. For some of us we have not slept for 5 days. Altitude plays Havoc with your sleep pattern and that in itself makes the walking even harder. 

We reached kibo huts which is base camp for tonight by 1.30. We have all tried to rest this afternoon and have prepared our thermals and we have covered our selves in hand warmers and the iPods are charged and ready. 

Sadly, Gwyn our guide and inspiration will not make the summit with us. He  has taken ill with a fever. Gwyn is a professional mountaineer who has climbed kili 6 times, not to mention skiing down Everest! You never know what is going to stop you making it! Florence our local guide who we trust and adore along with Justice and the other porters who we have come love and adore  will lead us up at 11 pm tonight.  

Did I mention that we have more porters than Victoria Beckham and the flatulance on this trip could have powered a 747 across the Sahara desert!  I won't mention any names:). 

So our first stop is Gilimans point which will take us 5 hours. We will grab a cup of tea. And then we move onto Stella point, which basically means you have made, as you are at the rim of the volcano, however to reach the summit -Uhuru- which takes another 3 hours, but its a round trip and brings you back down to Gilimans point.  That is our aim. 

So we are leaving in 30 minutes.  We are nervous, we have seen the challenge of the climb today and are fully aware if what is ahead of us.  

We are quieter than usual and we have all said our prayers. We know that in 12 hours we will be down and heading for our much needed hot baths, which we have been dreaming about for the last 6 days. 

This is what we came here for, in memory of those we love and those we continue to pray for and to keep Chai Going. 

Our view from camp

Dalia

Day 5

Alicia Ani

Please send us your comments. It will really encourage us!

With love,

Chai Altitude Xx

To sponsor the 23 girls and support Chai Cancer Care please click here.

Text from the girls

Dear all

We had a 3 hour walk this morning, very steep and extremely rocky. We were high up and saw the amazing view of the summit. We wrote the words  chai  out of rocks. Those rocks will remain there forever, no wind or person will ever move them. The tears were flowing and once again we were emotional wrecks, something that happens daily, we are supporting each other with lots of hugs and words of encouragement. But better out than in! 

We've had a restful afternoon, some have slept, or played cards over tea and biscuits. It's very hot, too hot to sit out in. We are about to bring in our Shabbas on Kilimanjaro and it will be an early night, we must be packed and organised. 

Tomorrow we rise at 5.45 and must leave by 6.45. It's an 8/9 hour walk to get to our next base where we will have dinner and rest for a couple of hours. 

At midnight we will start our climb to the  summit in 2 groups, this is a 5 hour walk in the dark in minus 30. 

So whilst you're all enjoying Shabbas, spare a thought and say your prayers for us, we cannot hide the fact that we are nervous about tomorrow. 

But  We are all in fantastic spirits and determined to make it. Our local guides are truly amazing who have supported us every step of the way, and you cannot do it without them, they are some of the most special people we have ever met. 

Gwyn, our main tour guide has been our inspiration. He briefs us daily and looks after us like we are his children. Needless to say, we have driven him mad and he cannot believe how much we talk whilst climbing. 

As you know we miss all our families and can't wait to see you all. 

Loads of love the girls.  

Xx 

To sponsor the 23 girls and support Chai Cancer Care please click here.

Chai-er and Chai-er we go!

We have just arrived at our base camp for the next two days. It was really exciting for quite a few of us as struggling with sleeping bags and knowing we didn't have to pack tomorrow was just fab. 

We sat down for lunch...chips! I mean who would have thought we were going to make chip butties, and we stuffed ourselves big time!

Fabiana told us a beautiful story in the mess tent about an orthodox woman who wanted to climb Kilimanjaro. Some of us sat and listened which was really lovely, it was an emotional story which we all related to and confirmed the spirituality that is deep inside of all of us. And most importantly why we are here. Our commitment to chai, to the people we love who have been helped and are still being helped by those amazing people who keep it all going.  Without doubt we know why we are here!  Others have gone for a lie down. There are a few that are suffering from altitude sickness which is tough as we all feel responsible for each other and in truth we want us all to be well. Gwyn - our main man- is truly impressed with us and is hoping we will all make it. We had dinner and off we went to our tents. What is fantastic is the laughter that comes from the tents in the middle of the night. 

We cannot go any further without a brief mention of the toilet facilities. We are changed women, and all we can say is the rocks are getting smaller to hide behind! 

It is now day 5. We all know what is ahead if us and yes we are nervous. The schedule for tomorrow is strict and a minute cannot be lost. So leaving camp in the morning is crucial.  We will walk for 9 hours followed by an early dinner and we leave at approx midnight for that final climb. 

We know that the spirit will see us through it. We have a beautiful evening prepared, with thanks to Angela for our chollas. 

We might not get another blog through till after Shabbat, but we will try. 

If not wish us luck and Shabbat shalom to all. 

 

Please send us your comments. It will really encourage us!

With love,

Chai Altitude Xx

To sponsor the 23 girls and support Chai Cancer Care please click here.