Doc Martin 75th Birthday Kilimanjaro Expedition Dispatch

June 19, 2012 – The Team Summits Kilimanjaro!

At 2:15 pm on June 19, and here comes Charles, he and Cyprian are climbing together. The entire rest of the team, Steve, Susan, Elizabeth, Caroline, Holly, Valentine and Rita with our guides and staff are stepping onto the crater rim of Kilimanjaro, Stella Point at 18,900ft/4,961m. It took us 6 hours of climbing from our high camp. The team is doing great. John said this morning, “Let’s try to do it in 6 hours,” and that is exactly what we did it in.

We will have lunch here at Stella Point. Oh wow, here come the cooks in their white coats and their chef hats and they’ve got cans of Red Bull on platters which they are serving to everybody to help us replenish so that we have the energy to continue on to Uhuru Peak.

Later:

The summit of Kilimanjaro

It is 4:25pm and a dream come true. Charles Martin, his daughters, his son-in-law Steve, Valentine, Rita, Holly and about 12 Berg Adventures Staff just stepped up to the sign at Uhuru Peak, the very top of Africa. It is Charles’ fifth trip to Africa and his third time here on Uhuru Peak. He was here in 2007 and the dream he and I have had since that trip was to be here again with his family. He is 75 years old and on the top of Africa. Charles was tired today, but his strength is showing as his bright blue eyes shine across Africa. We are going to descend to Crater Camp where we will sleep at 18,700ft/5,700m. We have great photos which we will send soon. We are working our way down the mountain. We will head back to Arusha where Rita and Valentine head off for a short safari adventure.

Congratulations to Charles and the entire team!

Update from the office: Everyone is back at campm tired, but proud of their accomplishment.