Doc Martin 75th Birthday Kilimanjaro Expedition Dispatch
June 15, 2012 – Photo Recap of Our First Two Days
We have just woke from our second night sleeping on the mountain. The entire team is doing well. We are at an elevation of just over 13,000ft/3,960m on Kilimanjaro. The first two days hiking up the remote Umbwe trail were challenging, but everyone got it done with a steady, slow pace. We’ve had many great conversations with the Berg Adventures staff and the beauty around up keeps the days from seeming too long.
Today we have an opportunity to send some photos of what we were doing on Wednesday and Thursday. Wow, Arusha seems a world away right now. We have climbed high onto Kilimanjaro and the mountain will be our home for the next seven days.
When we left the hotel on Wednesday morning Rita and Valentine were so excited they could hardly contain themselves.
Arnold is using our prepaid cards to transfer the fees our fees to Tanzania National Parks.
We drove a bit more through the banana forest and then started up the isolated Umbwe trail, everyone was surprised to find lunch waiting for us a short distance up the trail.
Rita and Caroline were very happy to find the Pringles.
We’ve learned these first two days on the trail that Valentine and John will be inseperable.
Doc is loving being in the forest.
Out first view of Kili were astounding.
Elizabeth on the forest trail
Steve on the trail
When we broke out of the forest, the giant scenecios covered the landscape with Kili behind
Some of the girls posed for a photo near the top of the forest
Susan working here way through the thinning trees at the top of the forest
The Breach Wall , clearly in view
Finally we arrived at Barranco Camp
Our large dome tent will be the scene of means and time spent relaxing together.
After dinner on Thursday we got into a serious card game: Uno.
Holly and Emmanuel won!