Day Four – (Actually, by the time I was able to connect it was the morning of Day five)
We are at Lava Camp. So far, I’m feeling good. I started taking Diamox yesterday at lunch when I started getting a slight headache. So the altitude is not bothering me – I’m very lucky. Several folks have suffered everything from headaches at level 9 from a scale of 1-10 or vomiting, or both. I still have an appetite as well, which is good. Of course, we’re at 15,000 feet now, still have another 4,000 to go and it is the hardest 4,000 of all. But one day at a time.
Our group is awesome. Two men in the group are both 68, then we go down to the youngest who is 28 years old. We’ve all seriously bonded with each other, even the porters have commented on what a fun group we are. We have 4 guides on this trip, Agger, Kipenge, Tumani, and Samuel. They are all very focused on making sure we are doing well and having fun. Then we have (this amazes me) about 60 porters for the 12 of us. We’re this huge village hiking up the mountain.
I don’t have the bandwidth to upload photographs, unfortunately. Or maybe not since none of us have bathed in 4 days and it is a dirty, dusty hike. None of the 5 women on this hike are showing their hair, that is for sure.
This may be the last time I can post an update – we have very intermittent cell service. I could have updated yesterday if I had been willing to hike another 45 minutes uphill after I had just finished hiking 6 hours uphill with 75% oxygen. Needless to say I skipped that fun.
I can say that when we get to the top, we will only stay long enough for photos, probably about 15 minutes. It will be anywhere between -5 to -20 degrees below zero. Plus, we will be looking at an 8 hour hike downhill to the next camp, so nobody wants to linger.
Categories: Africa
Did I say that out loud? 
Well done Kelly. Sounds like you doing really well. Not surprised. Anyone who can read a book in the back of the car going up to the Grand Canyon (only 6000 ft) and not once feel ill has an amazing constitution!