Kilimanjaro Expedition Dispatch

March 22, 2010 – Starry Nights and Solitude at Lava Tower Camp

This is Patrick with the dispatch from day three. I’d like to go back to talk a bit about day two because just after I did the second dispatch, night fell and the stars started lighting up and it was so breathtaking. You just don’t see that in the city at all, each star brighter than the other. You could also see the town down in the valley below the mountain and it looked so beautiful. I’ll never forget what I’ve seen here on Kilimanjaro.

Day three we left Barranco camp to climb to 4,600m/15,100ft to Lava Tower camp. I wanted to carry my own pack and that made it a heck of a walk again. Julius is great, he taught me about many plants and trees along the way. He says some of the trees can be up to 300 years old and only bloom every thirty years.

It was funny, yesterday as we were leaving camp, somebody from another group said “oh, you’re going the wrong way!” But we were taking our own route, the Pofu Route, which no other group uses or knows. I thought that was pretty funny.

After about three or four hours of good walking, we arrived at Lava Tower camp. From there, Julius was kind enough to guide me to the top of the Lava Tower which is 100 metres higher than the camp itself and the view is spectacular from up there. I was lucky to go up there and look around at the mountain and take a few pictures. I sat for a couple of hours on a ledge close to the top with my feet dangling in the air and just sat there taking it all in, admiring the beauty of the mountain.

When I finally came down, we ate dinner which was delicious, again thanks to our fantastic cook.

Tomorrow is day four, and we’ll be heading to Moir Camp at 4,145m/13,600ft.