KILIMANJARO- CLIMB DAY 3

Day 3 - 18th October 2012.
Out_Cause.. KILI-CANCER
Start from Shira 1 to Moir hut.
Altitude : 3810 to 4200 m
Hiking time : 3-5 hours
Distance : 3 km.
Terrain : Hike through heather and moorland, entire into high Savannah dessert , before reaching Moir Hut in the Alpine zone .

Well for starters let me say this 3 km , felt like bloody at least 10..
And I felt like I had just never stopped walking.
For someone who never ever walks in the heat of Mumbai..
This was really crazy walking ..

I woke up to the sun glistening on the snow on Mt. Kilimanjaro ..

And after breakfast, we got our water and Gatorade in order and started our "pole-pole" walk to Moir hut...
Well it was going to be a very long day..
After the first 5 steps I felt like I had just not stopped walking

Vikram , Shallu , Shayamal and me walked together ..
Vikram is a really experienced trekker , and it was just really really sweet that, he just stayed back and walked and and would pull out his notes and give us various amazing information on the changing topography..

It used to be filled with bouts, of breathlessness, songs and knowledge...

And then Shyamal just said the sweetest thing, "I'm just two steps behind you" ...
I think it just showed how large a heart he had..

And as we kept walking, because that's what happens when you decide go trekking up a mountain..
We came across a road..
Bang in the middle of our looooong walk ...

WHAT THE ............?????????
 There is a road that comes here and we have been walking three days...
all of us really could not quite understand why the hell , we could not all have driven till here, instead of trekking till here, life would have been so much easier...
Well this is what they do to city- folk into the mountains ..
You show them a road , but don't let them drive on it ...ha ha ha
CRUEL CRUEL JOKE ..WE ALL THOUGHT, as we walked past it and continued our tryst with nature and its pebbled pathways...

As we walked on this 3rd day, we would keep meeting Yudi, Anish and Ram intermittently as they were also filming this entire climb..
Frankly don't know how the three of them did it..running up and down , in between the Diamox and the breathlessness..
But they were like three rock stars on that walk ...

We also found a lair, that was inhabited ten years ago by lions , this was called "Simba's cave"...

No one knew why the lions , went away, I guess it was lack of prey, because I only saw crows and field mice, chubby ones though...

Lunch that day was sandwiches and soup, that was devoured by us "the tired mountain Goats.."
And I wanted to take a nap, which I did, because I can sleep anywhere and at will...
Bad ...bad .. Bad .. Idea , when you have to still walk up and down many a path to reach Moir hut..


I was tired, I was sleepy, I wanted my mummy...
I just followed Shallu..
Step for step ..
Somebody get me a stretcher...
Or carry me piggy -back ...

Then somewhere up a really rocky path, Yudi and me decided to dance and sing one of Sunny Deols songs...
And we did..
We laughed so much , that we were all tired.. oh and did i forget "breathless"
We very very slowly walked to camp..
In the middle of which we got sleet...

No its not called "Crazy" , the scientific word is "Altitude Edema"....

Well we were all really happy and perked , but still dragging our tired legs towards camp...
At camp we were greeted by "Shadrock and his boys" who sang till all our spirits were lifted..
It is just not possible to not take part in their infectious display of warmth , that they infuse in their singing...
And Moir hut came alive with the most rhythmic baritone voice that echoed in the valley, so much so that, the Trekkers from other camps , all came to partake in the revelry...

I could not help but dance...
Bad bad idea, because my head started throbbing ..
Even Kabir felt, we should have resisted the urge to dance, because our heads were a bit wobbly..
That evening, a few of us had mild head-aches..
I was tired..
And the weather dropped to 0 and below..

We all had dinner...
And some of us , took a combiflam and slept ...

Well as usual , Shallu and me woke up because of Diamox..
And then as we were walking in the freezing -0 temperature , we decided to discuss the summit walk, with shivering hands and chattering teeth, " how the hell are ever going to climb , the summit, when we should be sleeping"
We decided that we may be probably going insane..with the Diamox walks to the loo..
And where on the way to the summit are we going to find one..
Stop laughing ...
This was a real concern..
That we never really thought of, before coming on this trip..

Well we were in full conversation...
When Vikram heard us and asked us, if something was wrong ..
Before he realised, it was the usual,laugh at the madness , and fall asleep ...
Cold feet and very warm hearts...

Day 3- all good ...




NOTE FROM SHYAMAL...
FOUNDER OUT_CAUSE....
 
The OutCause Kili Cancer Team is supporting the Karunshraya Cancer Hospice.
Karunsharya means 'a compassionate abode' and that is exactly what the hospice is. Its a sanctuary that's offers support when a patient loses the comfort and security of a hospital as no further treatment is possible. They serve to bring peace and dignity to the patients life when the inevitable is close at hand. This institution that operates solely off the generosity of patrons such as yourselves,  have managed to help more than 12000 patients since their inception.

I am writing to you to humbly request that you and your close circle of friends please join the cause and help in the fight against cancer. The OutCause Team has pledged to raise money for this hospice so that they can continue their unbelievable work. Please reach out to family and friends and request that they be generous. All monies raised will go directly to the Karunshraya Cancer Hospice.
 
Patrons can make cheques out to the:
Bangalore Hospice Trust. 

The address for Karunashraya is:

Karunashraya
Old Airport-Varthur Main Road
Marathahalli,
Kundalahalli Gate,
Bangalore
560 037

You can address it to Archana Ganesh from Karunshraya.
Would like to request you to please mark OutCause Kili Cancer on the back off the cheque along with your name, address & PAN number. 

Please remember to write down your name, address and PAN number behind each cheque or with each accompanying donation.
Please free free to contact me to arrange the collection of any cheques or donations.