Top of Africa!

OK--

So climbing Kilimanjaro has been THE most amazing experience on the continent thus far.

Wellllll, OK. The Serengeti and Ngoro Ngoro crater were spectacular, no doubt. On one game drive alone we saw 30 lion!!!!--some that walked directly in front of our vehicles. There were also many, many zebra, wilder beasts, and a couple of ostriches doing the wild thing :-) We also got lucky enough to see 3 cheetah, which is really lucky! Check out the photo gallery for video and pics!

But on to the mountain...

A woman on our trek, Simone, joined us, and we arranged our trip up with an outfit called 'Top of Africa!' How appropriate. The climb lasted 6 days, and midnight after the 4th day (early the 5th) we had tea and biscuits before setting out to the summit. It was more than 6 hours straight up. Looking a the dark shadow of the mountain above in the thin night air, it seemed as though we just climbed and climbed and climbed. But FINALLY Stellar Point arrived for a glorious view out across the towns below and the veldt further afield. From here, it was only a short hour's walk to the top at 19, 341 feet! Boy, is the air cold! We all made it, and have never felt so exhilerated (or tired and dirty) hiking in our lives. It truly makes one appreciate the power of nature and it's utter beauty. Just to feel it makes one feel lucky to be born.