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.
Very proud of you all. Can't wait to see Mrs Mummy tomorrow. Have a safe journey xx
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