Great news! Signal has been resumed and we are back on track – literally!
Our main walk today was about 4 hours long, again very very steep in places, but in other places not so bad.
After the long day yesterday it felt like half a day today although the acclimatisation walk yesterday made up for it. As for me, it was my worst morning, my legs felt really tired and a little bit stiff, but mid-way during the morning that seemed to wear off and I am feeling pretty much OK now.
I have no other aches and pains to report at all, although I am now taking Ibuprofen 3 times a day just as a precaution, the occasional paracetomol to help with headaches, not that I have really had them either, Imodium because yesterday could have got a little bit scary if I hadn’t started to take them (did we need to know that Neil???) and of course the Diamox for altitude issues. On top of that there are energy drinks, energy bars and so on, but it all seems to be working really and I am feeling pretty good.
I would like to thank Lindsy Kass for all her nutritional advice she gave me as I am sure it is making a massive difference and giving me lots of energy.
Walking is becoming slower and slower each day and breath is becoming a little bit short but only when we tend to do something different. Surprisingly, drinking through the tubes of our camel packs disrupts your rhythm of breathing and you get out of breath for a little while after that. There is occasional pins and needles in my fingers due to the Diamox but it only lasts for 5 or 10 minutes before it goes off.
When we got to camp there was a nice hot cooked lunch for us and we refilled our water bottles and went off on the acclimatisation walk.
The morning routine is being woken up at say, 6.30/45 with a nice cup of tea (don’t get used to that Neil!!!), having half an hour to wash, again they bring you a bowl. This morning I had a really nice shave so that was most welcome. Then it is breakfast consisting of porridge, scrambled eggs, bacon (which I am not having) and hot drinks and then they fill up our water bottles for the rest of the day. They say the water is OK to drink but we are all still putting water purification tablets in which seem to be doing the trick.
We seem to be walking around Kilimanjaro, I think we approached it at the North and it seems we are nearly at the South. Today, they pointed out the track that we are going to be walking up tomorrow night – Omg! We are all still feeling pretty much very positive and positive mental attitude is very important. . . . . Richard R just called me a liar!!! and what Richard P just said is not repeatable!
We are still all having a really good laugh but as the walk gets more difficult, the banter has dried up quite a bit during the day.
Some of the funniest moments seem to be coming from Stuart – and Craig you should really learn to stand a little bit further back!
My worst moments on the trip so far seem to be lying awake in the tent at night because it is taking me a couple of hours to get to sleep then waking up after 3 or 4 hours and then quite a bit awake again before drifting off again. But on the whole I am getting enough sleep and don’t feel too bad at all.
Well that’s it for now. I hope everyone is well back in the UK and I shall try and keep you posted on the next chapter of our adventure.
NB: Don’t forget blog readers you can leave messages/comments for Neil and the guys on the blog for when they return.
Sorry, didn’t receive any photos today