Today has been a bit of a blur. In my defense, two days ago I stood on top of Kilimanjaro, and my poor knees just walked down 13,900 vertical feet. And I was picked up to go the airport at 3 AM this morning…. Like I said, a blur.
Mt Kenya is about 200 miles north of Kilimanjaro. My previous post was incorrect: I’m still in the southern hemisphere. It’s weird that my Gaia map doesn’t show the Equator, but I think I’m still a few miles south of it. As I write this I’m back in the land of really sketchy cell service and precious oh so precious battery power, so I can’t go online to figure it out. That will be a task for next week.
My flight from Moshi to Nairobi was only 45 minutes, but that doesn’t include the hours in security and passport control (and me foolishly screwing up my visa, which was fixed and didn’t cost me any additional time, but added a bit of stress). Since it’s only a 100 mile drive, I asked the taxi driver why we couldn’t just drive, and he said “too dangerous”. “Drugs”. We then asked what drugs and in what direction were they being trafficked, but didn’t get an answer.
For Mt Kenya, I’m with a completely different trekking company. No relation to David’s company at all. I was met at the airport by my guide Steven, and climbed into the taxi. I was told that it would be a 2.5 hour drive, but I later learned that was just to the first rest stop. Before it was over, it was a 6 hour drive, plus a stop for lunch. We’ve now been dropped off at the trailhead at 10,000’ on Mt Kenya. All the porters and cooks are with us and they are beavering away. I’m typing this in a dinning tent. My personal tent is set up. Tomorrow we will trek up to the Mackinder hut at just under 14,000’. No hiking today.
Question of the day: if two westerners – Dan and myself – had 16 guides and porters for Kilimanjaro. How many guides and porters does a single westerner get? I’ll answer that tomorrow.
I’ll be interested to see how crowded it gets up high. My group is the only one camping here. There are a couple of cars parked, otherwise, it’s quiet. Compared to the festival scene on Kilimanjaro, it’s a welcome respite. Lots of wildlife too: monkeys and a goat like creature whose name I can’t look up right now because I don’t have internet.
Kilimanjaro had no bugs at all, even down to 5400’. While I haven’t seen any yet, I’ve been told that they come out in the evening. We’re too high for the malarial mosquitos, but I’ve been told to put on the deet… makes me wonder what’s waiting for me. I guess I’ll find out. I’ve also been told to keep taking the malaria medicine for when the trip is over. Again, that’s different from Tanzania. Hmmmm.
That’s all for today. From the Naro Moru River Lodge Met Station at 10,000 on the side of Mt Kenya, good night.
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