Day 2 To Barranco 3940m

<-- Camp 1 : I am standing on an edge, in front of my tent on the 2nd morning 

We got up at about 7.30a.m. (or earlier, depending on which tent you were in LOLL), being greeted by a basin of hot water each by our lovely porter. It's lovely here surrounded by woods. We have our first breakfast of hot porridge - i think it's called Uji (unfortunately i have forgotten grrr) It's made of flour of some sort - kinda oat colored & purple bits. It was yummy!!! Breakfast is huge! We get sausages, fried eggs, lots of toast & a big pot of this porridge, plus coffee and tea - oh yes, & LOTS of sugar!

<--- the forrest & mucking around with some moss

After breakfast, it was straight up this path. We soon come into what looks like an enchanted forrest! Trees are draped in this fine dry moss. It's a dramatic change of scenery and a surreal one. The walk starts quite light heartedly. There is a lot of chatter and we play around and take lots of photo's. We get to know our guide Daniel & Moses, as well as catch up with each other's gossip. It's not long before we catch a glimpse of Mt. Meru.
It is a beautiful sight of a quintessential mountain floating in the clouds. We also catch sight of the peak of Kilimanjaro! Everyone is in a good mood!! 

About 2 hours into the trek, we leave the "enchanted forrest" and the scenery changes yet again. The ground is rocky and covered in dry grass. Trees are replaced by this cactus like vegetation - i believe they are heathers - shoot me if i am wrong or just let me know what they are & i will correct this. Some of these are huge - 5m-10m?? If i'm not wrong, it is here that everyone is starting to get a little quieter ;-) The clouds are now properly below us. The sky is crisp blue and there is that visual clarity you see when you are above the clouds. I don't really remember this visual feast at Mt. Blanc (but this could be that i was too caught up with the sensation of being stabbed in my toes) but i do remember this visual sensation in Nepal. It also begins to feel hot & cold at the same time. 

<-----approaching camp 

<--- view from our tent 

We arrive at Barranco camp at about 2pm (or a little later?) It took a leisurely 5-6 hours and everyone was ready for some lunch! I run over to help the porters put up the tent because, being little miss "everything's-gotta-be-flat", i wasn't too convinced about the tent the night before. Today's camp site looks a little bit flatter. It was no fun trying to sleep on a piss. My friend's think that i have too much energy but actually, i am just a supreme fuss-pot! Steve will agree, I am sure! After the fussing around, we settle into our tents and wait for lunch to be served. Our table is making great progress up the mountain by the way! 

Although we are at Barranco camp, a camp shared by climbers from most of the other routes, we are alone at this site. Mayunga, our chief guide, calls this his HQ. We are a little higher from the the other camp site when we can see at least 20, if not more, other tents. Looks quite fun though! A lot of activity going on down there. But we see more porters than climbers / trekkers (what are we called anyway???) Lunch today consist of pasta. Moses kindly informed the chef that i prefer not to eat meat & they so kindly prepare a separate sauce for me. I would normally prefer not to cause a fuss but judging from what the rest got, i was quite relieved. 

After lunch, Steve & Anna decided to have a nap while Barney & I took a walk over to the other camp site with Moses to have a nose. We learn a bit more about our guides. Mayunga is some sort of local hero on the mountain. Everywhere he went, porters and guides seemed to hail him. Apparently, he discovered this route that opened up news ways to approach the peak - whereas before it was all about the Western Breach, which is far less assessable and far more dangerous. They don't use this route anymore as new routes have sprung from the first route he discovered. Moses himself was being greeted by all the porters and guides we passed. Later we are to learn that Moses' grandfather was the first African to ascent Kilimanjaro. How lucky we are to be with them?? All because no other company I approached would take us up this route. Mayunga is a jolly fella. He must be in his late 50's early 60's - possibly even in his mid 60's? He appears to be the strongest of them all though. He is also very con-si-en-cious (someone please help me spell this) of our safety. When we came down from our walk, there were 3 porters waiting for us, apparently to make sure we are ok.

<--- some posh looking tents


<--- mayunga's way

Dinner was fried shredded cabbage with onions and mixed veg stew (i think the others had mutton in theirs) As the sun fell, so did the temperature. Gloves out, fleece out, down jacket out, wooly hat out, ski socks out!! We didn't last very long sitting outside and went back into our tents as soon as we were done. So much for the cards and bananagrams that we hauled along for the trip. I couldn't even read my book. 

<---- sunset (see sunrise on day 3)

At night, on one of my many toilet trips (which was just outside the tent by the way) i was treated to the most spectacular sight of stars. It was also almost full moon & without a cloud in sight, the mountain & peak were in clear sight. It was not possible to capture this with the camera we brought along (not that we have a better one) Although it was freezing - it must've been below zero - i am sure of this as there was frost on the tent, i stood out there to take in this breathtaking sight. Best toilet in the world!