We will be ascending either around midnight this evening or 0400 tomorrow morning. Either way I’m not going to get any sleep. Everyone else is asleep in the tents i just want to make the most of this view.

I can no longer see the summit it is covered in cloud. It will be around 5.5 hours to the top of the outer crater and then around 1.5 hours to the summit. Coming back we can’t stop at Barafu camp as it’s for summiting only, so it means another 7 hour trek back down to the next camp. Wow a 14 hour hike.

Well we have just had dinner after coming back from taking a peak of Barafu camp (base camp). It was the most incredible feeling ever. This was our first proper view of the summit. I have never felt this excited my whole life, I just want to climb it now. All the fear and anxiousness has gone due to the sheer excitement. Above me is the 4th highest free standing peak in the world and I’m going to be there, below me the sky I normally look up to and dream of being in. Bliss.

We have a lay in tomorrow, we get up at 0700. We will be trekking to Barafu camp, from here is where we will summit. This is our last and final stop before summiting.

I am praying I am as fit on the summit as I am now. I really want to go down into the crater.

Yet again I’m scared for my head. It’s never come this close to exploding. My head is going to explode!
After climbing up to the Lava tower at 4600m my headache is the worst ever, I’m taking such small steps at times, where my boot only just passes the end of the other.

I feel like a goldfish in a bag struggling for air. Every 4 or 5 breaths I take up here feels the same as one back home. I’m struggling to stop myself from being sick. I’m worried I’m going to be the first to chuck up. Luckily for my pride Will owned up to feeling ill as well. On the way back down to a new camp for us to stay Tom K really struggled. To think we have to climb a 1500m straight up section tomorrow is scaring me. We climbed 800m today and we are all suffering with extreme headaches.
It still seems somewhat surreal living in the clouds, I’m now almost living at the heights I used to skydive from.

My writing is really bad, my hands have swollen up due to a lack of something called air pressure. Funny thought, as I swear there is no air up here.

Been dreaming weird stuff and having the most uncomfortable sleep ever.

After getting to the camp we went over the map to see what is in store for us tomorrow. I am for the first time in my life scared. We are now all quietly waiting the perpetual vomiting which is coming that we have heard so much about. I can’t wait to come back down.

The day before we summit we have a 7 hour trek, then a 4 hour break to hopefully get some sleep. Then we will probably be leaving at midnight for an 8 hour climb of the steepest part to spend 15 minutes on the summit marvelling the views before spending another 7 hours coming back down.
Lack of oxygen really is making it hard to do anything… I couldn’t pass a s primary school spelling test!

Ok I’m bored. I’m still in my tent waiting for the poor person to have to cook my dinner, after spending an hour resting to relieve my head. Wow I’ve just remembered to do something, I am so impressed. I’ve just put my camera batteries in the storage pouch in my sleeping bag (the cold makes them go flat rather quickly) and to take my head touch with me for dinner. It goes from light to dark so quickly on the equator.

Tom is looking for his notepad to get the guide to write down the words to this Swahili song which we are now unable to sing as we are struggling to walk.

This is reading so positive and to think the worst is still to come including delusion, paranoia and confusion. Cool, David Coats has just informed me about hallucinations, we are basically asphyxiating ourselves. Maybe this is my chance to follow Angelina Jolie or Penelope Cruz up the mountain.

Right I’m getting out of the tent, Tom has just registered us with the Park Warden as Pimp, Ho, Chigalo etc… We’ve now changed our job titles from Superheros as if they would know what SEOs are anyway. I really hope that none of us actually get lost!

It took about 30 minutes to register with the park authorities, followed by possibly the hottest poo on record, from the Indian meal yesterday… I’m now petrified I’m going to be digging holes every 30 minutes!

To be honest it’s already harder than I thought, it’s similar to climbing up the side of Devils Dyke, but through sub tropical rain forest. The fact that we haven’t stopped for 6 hours and we still have another 4 days of ascending to go has made me realise how big this Kilimanjaro is. It’s a really strange feeling as I keep expecting to find the top. I had never thought it possible that you could keep walking up hill for this long, my calves are going to be like Arnie’s!

I can’t believe the altitude is making me fart so much, it’s unbelievable. Thinking I should have now brought nappies for nearer the summit.

Machame Camp – 3000m
We arrived at the first camp reasonably early, after approximately a 7 hour trek. The air is slightly thinner but not too noticeable. We had dinner and a hot mug of Milo and wait straight to bed… after the pain in trying to get undressed efficiently. The Milo was so comforting it reminded me of being back in Australia.

I am off with a few friends, well 7 in fact to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. We will be attempting the climb by the Machame route which takes a day longer, but in theory this gives us an extra day to help acclimatise to extreme altitude. (I really don’t fancy the side effects!)

The reason we are doing this is for the Amani children’s home which is situated in Moshi at the foot of the mountain. The home started in 2002 and now looks after around 110 children, both boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 16. As well as providing a home for the children, the Amani children’s home financially support 64 children who used to be homeless whose Amani’s social workers were able to reunify with relatives. A home is great but if they can reunite the children that’s even better.

I am hoping to raise £2000 personally for the climb, with the eight of us hoping to raise at least £10,000 which we will be able to use to build the children a play ground, yes very expencice all the equipment and materials need to be imported from South Africa.

The trip is entirely self funded so all money raised will go directly to the home, if you would like to sponosre me you can sponsor me online here. Perhaps I could give you a free link for a reasonable donation?

If you are interested why not find out more information on our Kilimanjaro climb.