Our second day started off at 6:15 with coffee brought to us in the tent (as would happen each morning) and some "washy washy" buckets. It hadn't been very cold and I think I actually slept (rare occurrence for me in a sleeping bag). We pack up our stuff, put it on the blue tarp for the porters and go to breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast, porridge).
We walk at a crazy slow pace towards our lunch stop. I have a video loaded on www.youtube.com/user/TenOnTopOfKili called "day 2 - porters passing". Watch this video to get an idea of our pace. At the time, I felt like I could keep up with the porters - not sure that it would be true. However I knew that I'd have to get comfortable with the "pole, pole" (slowly, slowly) pace, so I fell in line and enjoyed walking along with friends.
Prior to leaving the hotel, we'd read up on some interesting facts in the Kilimanjaro book both Heidi and Sally had. One fact: smokers seem to have a better rate of success to the summit because their lungs are already working so hard (all of us wished we had taken up smoking months earlier in prep for the trip). Other facts were about mild altitude sickness - it said if you are properly acclimating you will likely have gas, so celebrate your gassiness along the way. As a result, if one of us had to pass gas, we'd inform each other we were acclimating. Never has such an action been so embraced! Other things to look for were loss of appetite, not peeing out all the water you'd been drinking, headache and nausea. Another fact was that Hans Meyer was the first European to summit Kili -so I was hoping it was in my genes :)
As we headed to lunch (we stop on the way at the second cave because today is an 8-hr day) we, of course, ask for bathroom breaks. The guide said "you need to send an email" and, confused, we clarified that we needed to go to the bathroom. He repeated "send an email" at which point we realized that the code word for finding a nice tree/rock to hide behind was "send an email". So for the rest of the trip we looked for internet cafes where we could send emails while letting everyone know we were acclimating along the way. See? By day 2, some of the main conversation revolved around bodily functions. Everyone knew everyone's business.
When we reached the lunch area some people had started feeling the affects of altitude - not too bad, but enough to know something was different. When I stood up after sitting, for example, I was a little light headed/dizzy. It went away, but it was noticeable. From the camp to lunch I'd consumed 3.5L of water in a hope of drinking so much the altitude wouldn't affect me - overall, I think it was a good plan and I'm pretty sure I out-drank (water) everyone (not that it's a competition, but still proud). Heidi hadn't gone to the bathroom (where others of us had gone every hour) so I told her to drink -which she did but with very little affect. I was a little worried, but I'm no Dr. so I tried to just stay positive about it.
The guide told us we'd need 2L to get us from lunch to day 2 camp, but I ran out before we arrived. We were all hydrating and by the end of the day, we'd just line up side by side without a care in the world - commenting on what a beautiful view we had to enjoy when nature called. As we continued to climb there were moments I got a little bit dizzy, but overall was feeling good and strong. I was surprised I wasn't breathing heavy like I had on the Inca Trail - either it was because it wasn't as steep or we were going soooooo slow. All the same, I had a lot of energy and felt bad for Heidi who had a headache.
The map showed that on the second half of day 2 we'd pass by the Giant Senecios - a cactus found only on Kili that Sally's friend asked her to take a picture of.... it was fun to have a purpose and around every corner we hoped to see one. Along the way we passed a variety of flowers - one poor red flower was all by itself and Sally named it Bridget... after Bridget Jones, singing "all by myself.....don't wanna be...all by myself..." (the guide told us it had a different name, which I've already forgotten).
We finally made our way up and over some rocks and could see our camp (and one of the cacti!). It was a bit mucky and we had to step carefully on little tufts of grass to a board over a stream then up a hill to get to the camp, but we made it. As soon as we got to the tent, Heidi said she didn't feel well, went over to the bush and vomited. I called a guide over, he talked to her (she felt much better afterwards) and he said it was fine - normal even. Since he wasn't worried, I decided I shouldn't be either. Happy to be at Kikelelwa Cave (3600m/ 11,811ft), we unpacked before going for tea and hot roasted peanuts (then dinner).
At dinner others felt nauseated and most had a headache. Luckily for us, Sam and I only felt a little dizzy (thanks to hydrating?). Some people had very little appetite, but I was still going strong. It started to rain when we were eating so we quickly got in our tents after dinner. The rain really came down that night and Heidi and I pulled out our Freshettes (funnel to let you pee in a bottle) and were overjoyed we had them - allowing us to stay dry in the tent as the rain showers came down around us. Prior to bed I had my nalgene bottle filled with boiling water and put it at the bottom of my sleeping bag (one for Heidi too).... ahhhhh... it was so nice to put my toes on the warm bottle as the night air was definitely colder.
Click for Pictures
We walk at a crazy slow pace towards our lunch stop. I have a video loaded on www.youtube.com/user/TenOnTopOfKili called "day 2 - porters passing". Watch this video to get an idea of our pace. At the time, I felt like I could keep up with the porters - not sure that it would be true. However I knew that I'd have to get comfortable with the "pole, pole" (slowly, slowly) pace, so I fell in line and enjoyed walking along with friends.
Prior to leaving the hotel, we'd read up on some interesting facts in the Kilimanjaro book both Heidi and Sally had. One fact: smokers seem to have a better rate of success to the summit because their lungs are already working so hard (all of us wished we had taken up smoking months earlier in prep for the trip). Other facts were about mild altitude sickness - it said if you are properly acclimating you will likely have gas, so celebrate your gassiness along the way. As a result, if one of us had to pass gas, we'd inform each other we were acclimating. Never has such an action been so embraced! Other things to look for were loss of appetite, not peeing out all the water you'd been drinking, headache and nausea. Another fact was that Hans Meyer was the first European to summit Kili -so I was hoping it was in my genes :)
As we headed to lunch (we stop on the way at the second cave because today is an 8-hr day) we, of course, ask for bathroom breaks. The guide said "you need to send an email" and, confused, we clarified that we needed to go to the bathroom. He repeated "send an email" at which point we realized that the code word for finding a nice tree/rock to hide behind was "send an email". So for the rest of the trip we looked for internet cafes where we could send emails while letting everyone know we were acclimating along the way. See? By day 2, some of the main conversation revolved around bodily functions. Everyone knew everyone's business.
When we reached the lunch area some people had started feeling the affects of altitude - not too bad, but enough to know something was different. When I stood up after sitting, for example, I was a little light headed/dizzy. It went away, but it was noticeable. From the camp to lunch I'd consumed 3.5L of water in a hope of drinking so much the altitude wouldn't affect me - overall, I think it was a good plan and I'm pretty sure I out-drank (water) everyone (not that it's a competition, but still proud). Heidi hadn't gone to the bathroom (where others of us had gone every hour) so I told her to drink -which she did but with very little affect. I was a little worried, but I'm no Dr. so I tried to just stay positive about it.
The guide told us we'd need 2L to get us from lunch to day 2 camp, but I ran out before we arrived. We were all hydrating and by the end of the day, we'd just line up side by side without a care in the world - commenting on what a beautiful view we had to enjoy when nature called. As we continued to climb there were moments I got a little bit dizzy, but overall was feeling good and strong. I was surprised I wasn't breathing heavy like I had on the Inca Trail - either it was because it wasn't as steep or we were going soooooo slow. All the same, I had a lot of energy and felt bad for Heidi who had a headache.
The map showed that on the second half of day 2 we'd pass by the Giant Senecios - a cactus found only on Kili that Sally's friend asked her to take a picture of.... it was fun to have a purpose and around every corner we hoped to see one. Along the way we passed a variety of flowers - one poor red flower was all by itself and Sally named it Bridget... after Bridget Jones, singing "all by myself.....don't wanna be...all by myself..." (the guide told us it had a different name, which I've already forgotten).
We finally made our way up and over some rocks and could see our camp (and one of the cacti!). It was a bit mucky and we had to step carefully on little tufts of grass to a board over a stream then up a hill to get to the camp, but we made it. As soon as we got to the tent, Heidi said she didn't feel well, went over to the bush and vomited. I called a guide over, he talked to her (she felt much better afterwards) and he said it was fine - normal even. Since he wasn't worried, I decided I shouldn't be either. Happy to be at Kikelelwa Cave (3600m/ 11,811ft), we unpacked before going for tea and hot roasted peanuts (then dinner).
At dinner others felt nauseated and most had a headache. Luckily for us, Sam and I only felt a little dizzy (thanks to hydrating?). Some people had very little appetite, but I was still going strong. It started to rain when we were eating so we quickly got in our tents after dinner. The rain really came down that night and Heidi and I pulled out our Freshettes (funnel to let you pee in a bottle) and were overjoyed we had them - allowing us to stay dry in the tent as the rain showers came down around us. Prior to bed I had my nalgene bottle filled with boiling water and put it at the bottom of my sleeping bag (one for Heidi too).... ahhhhh... it was so nice to put my toes on the warm bottle as the night air was definitely colder.
Click for Pictures
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