The actual trip to get to Moshi took about three days. One day’s drive to New Jersey (Friday), Saturday from New York to Istanbul, Sunday toured Istanbul, and Monday get to Moshi. By the time we get to our hotel, we are pretty tired and jet lagged. We have the day to recover, which we spend mostly around the hotel talking to many excited or tired climbers. At dinner, we sit with a family who just finished and gave us some really good tips for the climb. My favorite being “you will get nauseous and eating helps.” (We did.) We learn that the table next to us is full of NC people, all making the climb the day after us. The leader of their group (from Charlotte) talked to us and found out we would be taking a camping safari after we return. Since he works for the company we went with and he knew how we would feel when returning, he promised us an upgrade to hotels. What a nice treat to look forward to! He also reminded us that it wasn’t seven days we would be without a shower, it was only five (one the day we leave and one the day we get back.) It did make it sound a little better. Thanks again, Macon!
Tuesday morning we wake up from a restless night and try to eat something. We still have not seen the mountain yet because it has been too cloudy. There are two groups leaving from our hotel. One is a group of 13 and the other is the two of us. The porters for both groups fill a military vehicle (picture below.) Machame gate is busy with groups getting ready to begin the climb. The porters are getting all their equipment ready and we are filling out the books and waiting. While we wait, it starts raining and Andy doesn’t have a backpack cover. He braves the hawkers in front of the gate who start to fight over who is going to sell him the cover. A guard with a gun has to come out to make sure it doesn’t get ugly. It’s time to go and a Zara representative tells us your guide has to take care of something and he will meet you on the trail. This did not help my anxiety! We follow our assistant guide who doesn’t speak much English and hope that our guide really does meet us on the trail. The trail started in a rainforest and it did rain most of the day. Luckily, Karen Whittier bought us nice raincoats before we left so it was no problem! Pole, pole we walked with a stop to have our packed lunch boxes. While sitting, our guide caught up to us. We were getting closer to the campsite and I was telling our guide that it was probably a good thing I haven’t seen the mountain yet. I wouldn’t want to get too intimidated. As soon as I said that, he said excitedly, “Look there it is.” It literally took my breath away. It was so big and so far away and so beautiful. The clouds stayed away long enough for us to get to camp and set up and stare at the mountain for a few more minutes. Then my nausea and headache came. I don’t know if it was the altitude (we were already above 10,000 ft) or the mountain in the background. Whatever it was, it was a rough and sleepless night for me. Andy seemed to be doing fine. We also got to experience the dining tent for the first time. A table, chairs, tablecloth, snacks, coffee, tea, all set up just for us. It seemed like luxury camping! For dinner, it was bread, pasta, vegetable sauce, and fried fish. We didn’t realize that soon we would be up to our eyeballs in vegetable sauce.