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Climb For The Cause Dispatches From Kilimanjaro
Clif and Olivia Simonson, widow and daughter of Andrea Grace Soter-Simonson, pledged to raise money by climbing Kilimanjaro as a way of representing all of those families “climbing their own Kilimanjaro” as they battle with the physical and emotional burdens of cancer. The Climb For The Cause foundation raised nearly $90,000 before they joined Mountain Madness on their Kilimanjaro climb last week. We were happy to send them with a satellite phone so we could hear about their progress along the way. Check out the first several dispatches from the mountain:
(All photos from previous trips)
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FItikoni_walk_waterfall.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=238e4eb4b577b1fd43a91319306e94a6 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FItikoni_walk_waterfall.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=a3ba2d78509f4f6793970f048f871556 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FItikoni_walk_waterfall.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=de8750ea032280d84736b434de521cc6 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FItikoni_walk_waterfall.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=967a784a00ee930b08f16b48c2b333d0 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FItikoni_walk_waterfall.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=4d3e9fd9aae8da3de75ceabed65af966 965w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FItikoni_walk_waterfall.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=d1f3e5fc730438dd474b16c3f9b99ccb 965w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FItikoni_walk_waterfall.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=84c424258539b5f33a93093b9e32fc47 965w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FItikoni_walk_waterfall.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=d9970334755d252be2fc24dab5230db7 965w)
Hiking in Arusha National Park before the climb. MM Collection
July 10, 2011
From the Arusha National Park, Itikoni camp site- Olivia, Paul, Mary, Isabella and Dylan.
Isabella is the youngest girl that our guide, Ben Mality, has ever taken up the mountain. There are 18 people total in our group from all over the United States, as well as the world. Yesterday, July 9th, we were all met by our guides at the airport. Following our arrival after an 8 hour plane ride from Amsterdam we took a 1‑hour rocky, dusty, bumpy car ride on the wrong side of the road! Coming into camp many of us were wearing shorts, flip flops, and t‑shirts in unexpected freezing weather.
Private Luxury Camp in Arusha National Park. MM Collection
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FIMG_0733.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=969ff34c7db4d849f83d4fc8fda677cb 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FIMG_0733.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=f3ca5162502f1718377c599763ce10c2 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FIMG_0733.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=56f889b255bca85ded4325c10cd98c89 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FIMG_0733.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=d9e1cdae7a648fc916be6f7ae16ca139 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FIMG_0733.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=00945820817eed29261ef4ead44fae57 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FIMG_0733.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=a9ace959701150fe6e6ec5b614696a75 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FIMG_0733.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=1d34db249d4624658563e00345eb7721 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FIMG_0733.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=c36a55c59baf7fc02238bc1c97c4daa5 1024w)
Fine dining, the Madness style. MM Collection
Once we finished an amazing dinner (all of our meals have been absolutely delicious) we were assigned our tents. They were luxurious, complete with beds, a shower and a toilet. Everyone was jet lagged but happy to be in this place we had all been dying to see. The next day, Ben briefed on the adventure ahead and we learned some Swahili.
Jambo= hello
Jamba= fart
Mambo= whats up?
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-44.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=f79304b51559535daa6133b11867a6b6 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-44.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=e08120ad62b49ea8661c3dd5e37cb0b7 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-44.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=1783aaceec4c97cd2b9048ad2889b21a 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-44.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=106390c7827e32dc8a7e85b421de4949 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-44.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=979f244c52a59760540901d1fc538a0a 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-44.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=f95feb36c1beb263688c6c6472bbe693 1009w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-44.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=8cb81f2cc2083895f10232c037e724fe 1009w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-44.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=6cb2c0c7ea7e0b38342ad84749dcd746 1009w)
On the drive to the trailhead. David Bates photo
Around 2:00 we went on a short hike to two waterfalls and took pictures of monkeys, a giraffe and a mass of ants. Dylan was dared by Ben to wrestle a water buffalo, but was beat by Paul who already had him tamed… not really. After the hike those of us who wanted it took the world’s best hot bucket shower. Later, we had “family bonding” over popcorn and cards in our own lounge. We have all had a wonderful time in just the past two days and are excited for what lies ahead.
Kwaheri! (bye!)
-Olivia
Hiking in on day one. MM Collection
July 11, 2011
This is Olivia and Paul dispatching from yesterday, July 11, from Forest Camp at 9,000 feet. Today was our first day on the mountain. We drove 4 hours, on what our whole group would agree was the roughest car ride on the most uneven roads we have ever experienced. It was fantastic! We drove through several villages and in all of them we saw children, men and women in their daily routine working with livestock in the fields. It was such a fantastic sight to see the way these people live and how different it was from our own.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-92.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=3e01323a23ef7e7565fd3edc03dba4e4 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-92.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=08c0b5e5fa13d45d1c3a362543c02978 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-92.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=8d45d87c893c609ff4bf8a1c4999aab0 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-92.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=cb350ac63575fde987825e40c1efec31 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-92.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=25aa4dcc67391c849a2f64a14da2007a 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-92.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=29c5153daaeaec5eb6265309ea353947 1009w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-92.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=2dc25926eb99804cd8b039d1120b233c 1009w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-92.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=d7e0df4b56fcccbdaf32747c2ab4af61 1009w)
Wildlife keeping a watchful eye on the group. David Bates photo
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FAfrica_2006_025.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=02e9bcfd4816021f328fe37149d20abc 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FAfrica_2006_025.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=899bb34acac66fe4a4e2603694b879c1 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FAfrica_2006_025.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=3ef8518285ab5c361778d8c3aaadbe2e 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FAfrica_2006_025.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=d9d37203f5eeb4be186d52abc3b97317 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FAfrica_2006_025.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=890def9ceae36889380073bcf4aa02ed 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FAfrica_2006_025.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=b4648dec4a925990dd3056ab593bdfb7 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FAfrica_2006_025.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=774f385b061f0c35357acab03e566f4e 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FAfrica_2006_025.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=e47938ecf7014fcb57031c4764dc3e06 1024w)
Part of the friendly crew. Shane Chelone photo
A giraffe walked in front of our car and we saw baboons on the side of the road. When we got to the mountain, we met our porters and walked an hour and a half to lunch, which we ate at about 8,000 feet in the forest. We then hiked to Forest Camp at 9,000 feet where we now reside. At dinner, everyone was talking about the amazing porters. While we were huffing and puffing up the hill, they were running past us carrying loads twice our weight on their heads. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as always, was delicious beyond all means. I am pretty convinced that we’ll be michelin men by the end of this trip. Until tomorrow!
Camp on the first night. MM Collection
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-83.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=641bde851874c808ef0e606dd9a6d273 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-83.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=e05da34acbd8ee64a9e083830b662537 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-83.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=20923898f99528eb0b937eec26dfa5d0 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-83.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=80c6ee10f9b7d9a034423d1677e2f361 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-83.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=d9b946fc5ca545a05f87f8ad69fd9223 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-83.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=26cd8208ec7fa15cd7c5ecf7b6e91ce6 1009w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-83.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=f897441fa8499f76135c0a55030d5ea8 1009w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-83.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=22e947bfe55da9411e215299ff17cf01 1009w)
Arriving to camp, already set up and sleeping bags rolled out! David Bates photo
July 12, 2011
This is Olivia and Paul, our second dispatch, on July 12 on Mount Kilimanjaro. We’re at Shira Camp at 11,000 feet. Today is our first full day of camping on the mountain. We were woken up this morning at 6 for breakfast with hot water. We hiked for 7 hours with lunch in between. We hiked from 9,000 feet to 11,000 feet. In two days we’ve gone from sub-tropical through diverse montane forest and now we are in the giant heather zone, a scene straight out of a Dr. Seuss book. We have a great view of the mountain from our camp, and tomorrow we begin our ascent of the mountain. We’ve had a great time, our whole group has really bonded and we’re getting along very well. And we’re really dirty, everything’s covered in dirt and we’re feeling great! The porters have been amazing the whole way. We’ll talk to you tomorrow!
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-135.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=3177e18834698212038c85e30869adb3 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-135.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=66c36431efab3ea3dabd1540ba3da4f5 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-135.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=634cde0ef9f86af0bf2b5187321a7097 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-135.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=84fc702fde448961a7b40df9b0753fcf 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-135.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=044e0a6c2d9ccbaeef1cd42b0e731030 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-135.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=9798d40e5203b32e1f6424783d6fc9c8 1009w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-135.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=3886ee30de1f694c0d23934c98c88681 1009w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-135.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=74cb4e1b146c2948a4c8d1754a17898d 1009w)
Entering the giant heather zone. David Bates photo
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-62.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=f7eff42e47741b19574a1f51a43d113d 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-62.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=f908025943de38c3b8915f2c884ce639 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-62.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=64fe7ae1162da2e732caa54d5fcfe4b4 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-62.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=fa2868e1f1e5207bc6c168113b683a6e 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-62.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=2b0650d4684b7ca63097df0bf506de9f 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-62.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=b4487b5b8c7fd115b0fd019c74975b2c 1009w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-62.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=cdbaf3d1dda171398a87e1d331f8940a 1009w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2FTanzania-62.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=eb03b93f2664d1511ef9f6a92ca74382 1009w)
Mess tent on the climb. David Bates photo
July 13, 2011
This is Olivia calling from Moir Camp at an elevation of 13,600 feet. We’re all really starting to feel the altitude! It was our second day on the mountain, and during the whole hike, Kilimanjaro was towering over us. There were these cool plants that bloomed during the day when the sun was out and closed at night. There was an amazing rock overhang that we took pictures at. It’s those things along the trails that make us want to keep going.
Getting into camp is usually the best part of the day, and on our down time we like to play cards with the porters and eat popcorn. Although some people in our group are major athletes, they have nothing against the altitude, which is the dark horse in this whole experience. Although we are high on the mountain, we still have higher to go. Kwa heri! (Bye!)
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Cards with the porters. David Bates photo