Day 2 Kilimanjaro Machame Hut to Shira Camp

Tuesday February 8^th.

2,900 m to 3,850 m

Up at 7:00, breakfast at 7:30, leave by 8:00. Had breakfast outside my tent, it felt good to eat in the sun and feels its warmth. Breakfast was tea, fried egg, hot dog, bread with peanut butter and jam, papaya, tomato, cucumber, and millet porridge. I asked Emmanuel how old he was and he said 26. He asked how old I was, and I told him 57. He said “Same age as my father.” So, from then on he called me Papa! Danny, he wants to meet his brother!

Today was all uphill and pretty steep and the terrain became rougher – lots of rocks and some mud. We didn't leave first, but we were the first to arrive at camp! Yesterday Emmanuel told me to start without him, as he had something to do and he'd catch up. He never did, I beat him and my porters to camp. Today he lead the whole way and set a pole pole (pronounced “pole-eh pole-eh” meaning slowly slowly) pace. My breathing was good but my legs got tired.

It's getting colder. I walked in t-shirt and shorts, but it's really cool when you stop. At camp I talked to an American named Anthony from Colorado, who is a cruise director in Alaska and was married to a Canadian.

We arrived at 11:30, one and a half hours faster than Emmanuel thought we would. He said I was very strong! and should consider doing it in 6 days instead of 7. The Russians showed up at 1:00. (Me competitive, naw!)

When we got there, lunch was orange pieces, banana, spaghetti with stir fried veggies for sauce, cooked white cabbage, tea, and fruit juice.

We went on a one hour acclimitization walk to the Shira Caves. I talked to a guy named Damien from Melbourne, but it's really hard to meet people here as they are mostly in couples or pairs and hide in their tents resting and hiding from the cold. So, I spend a lot of time in the tent alone.

Dinner was carrot and mint soup, Tanzanian fried chicken, a mountain of rice and cooked veggies for the sauce and green beans, mango and tea.

Lousy night's sleep, stomach and bowels full of gas. Had to go to the washroom in the middle of the night and was awake most of the night just feeling bloated and cold.