Kilimanjaro diary - SUMMIT NEWS!!!
Deshun called about around 1415 SA time to say they're all fine and about an hour hike from the lodge! Apparently the bGan switched itself off in the extreme cold on Friday night and they couldn't get it going again. Once they're at the lodge they'll charge the laptop and the bGan and call again with full details as well as send a couple of pics but, in the meantime, here's a little "hors d'oeuvre" to whet your appetite for the main blog later today:
Summit news:
Seems the weather was even worse than that forecast we saw yesterday - snow, rain, sleet and the temperature was -20degC at Gilman's Point at 5681m Altitude on the rim of the crater.
Kili is a volcano and getting to the crater rim is actually
getting to the top surface of the mountain. Once you reach Gilman's Point you're allowed to say you've climbed Kili!
Uhuru Peak, higher than the crater, is the very highest point of Africa and officially the summit of Kili.
This is how our amazing team members did:
Allie: As we already know, she had to turn back from Kibo Hut due to dehydration
Andy: Climbed to approximately 5300 vertical metres!
Bonnita: Climbed to Gilman's Point (5681 vertical metres)!
Derek: Climbed to Hans Meyer cave - just under 5200 vertical metres!
Hannes: Summitted Uhuru Peak (5895 vertical metres)!
Jan: Climbed to Gilman's Point (5681 vertical metres)!
Kedi: Climbed to Gilman's Point (5681 vertical metres)!
Thami: Climbed to Gilman's Point (5681 vertical metres)!
Deshun: Summitted Uhuru Peak (5895 vertical metres)!
Deshun says the weather was so appalling and it was so cold that she was slightly hypothermic by the time she reached Gilmans Point at 0615 on Saturday morning and she decided that she would just not be able to do the further 2 or so hours to the top of Uhuru. She spent quite some time at Gilmans Point and eventually it was the realisation that if she didn't summit now she'd have do the entire climb all over again to get the 1st for Women flag to the top that spurred her on. Fortunately she was accompanied by Hannes (who had previously summitted Kili) and together they got to the top of Uhuru Peak at 0945. There they were able to take just one photo before they started to head back down with the weather still pelting them with sleet.
Watch out for more news of the 1st for Women Kilimanjaro team later today.
Well done Deshun. I'm proud
Well done Deshun. I'm proud of you - and of the team, who did very well in my view, not least under those circumstances. I hope the trip home is safe and fun - and relaxing!
Hi Desh, We knew you would
Hi Desh, We knew you would crack it! Well done. We are very proud of you. Well done to the rest of the team on achieving their personal bests as well. Kili is not for sissies. Love always, Lyn & Geoff Leader
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Hi Desh, We knew you would
Hi Desh, We knew you would crack it! Well done. We are very proud of you. Well done to the rest of the team on achieving their personal bests as well. Kili is not for sissies. Love always, Lyn & Geoff Leader
Hi Lynn, thanx for the pics,
Hi Lynn, thanx for the pics, looking forward to see more. I'm so exhausted now you'd think I was on that mountain, so I'm turning in. At least I know the team will be sleeping on soft beds and will also have a hot bath. To Sonja and other fellow members who were on the "mountain watch" well done, its been a long week for us too, I'm calling it a day, g'night all. Over and out! Thembi
P/S Lynn, Pls tell Andy we opened up a bottle of champagne on her behalf - i.e I did it here in Jo'burg, and her mother did same back in East London!
Thembi,I can only agree on
Thembi,I can only agree on being an exhausted "mountain watcher" - I'm also going to say "oor en uit" for the day! It was a very exciting week for us at home as well. Lynn, thanks ever so much for being 24h a day on duty in keeping us updated!
To the pink Kili team - LEKKER SLAAP!
Sonja
Hi Hannes, Kedi and the rest
Hi Hannes, Kedi and the rest of the FFW team!
Well done! We've been following on the website and are really proud of you! Cannot wait to hear all about it and see the pictures! Madelein Visagie
HAKUNA-UHURU!!! Hannes, ek's
HAKUNA-UHURU!!! Hannes, ek's soooo trots op jou! Erg dankbaar dat jy veilig is. Nou's jy in my oe 'n gesoute "mountaineer"! Jy was 24/7 in my gedagtes. Die Parsons, Hendrik, Catherina en albei ons ouers stuur baie groete & 'n stewige klop op die skouer - wel gedaan!!!! Jy verdien sommer 'n 6 pack Kilimanjaro Premium Lager, geniet dit! Kan nie meer wag om jou te sien nie - baie liefde, Sonja
Well done Deshun. I'm proud
Well done Deshun. I'm proud of you - and of the team, who did very well in my view, not least under those circumstances. I hope the trip home is safe and fun - adn relaxing! C-
Hi Thembi! I don't
Hi Thembi! I don't have your cell number otherwise I would have phoned you! Andy did so amazingly well and particularly as she was a complete novice. I think she deserves a Mexican Wave all to herself. They all do!
More news later, Lynn
CONGRATULATIONS ANDY AND THE
CONGRATULATIONS ANDY AND THE WHOLE TEAM!!!!!!! Wow, that's admirable, what an achievement! I'm calling your mom right now...Yay! Thanks Lynn, you're a real STARRR..I'm going to eat, my appetite is back, I was so worried, Thank God everybody is fine. I can't wait to see the pictures now. Tell the team everybody here is very proud of their feat...no pun intended!
.....feat! HA! HA!
.....feat! HA! HA! HA!
Our "Pink Pole Pole" team should finally be able to log on to the website this evening and read all the wonderful messages sent to them since Jan's laptop battery ran out a few days ago. They may even post a couple of messages themselves before they fall into bed and dream they're still slogging uphill! I'm guessing the 1st priority will be to get out of their climbing gear and have a long hot shower and then just sit and savour doing nothing for a while.
Will post pics on the website as soon as they come in from cyberspace.
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