Sunday 19 September 2010
Saturday 18 September 2010
18th sept 20:00
OK so let me take you through the last few hours.
This morning I awake at 06:30 I wash(!) and make my way to breakfast.....I cannot stomach anymore porridge so I stick to Watermelon. Next up is the Tipping ceremony $100 each split between the crew plus any clothing donations (my klm pillow get chosen before David's (something about being less dribbled on!) after the ceremony Charles asks if I want to take the 3 hour walk or have a stretcher I opt for the 3 hour walk.
We start the walk together, all is happy days & upbeat lots of photos although my iPhone is still dead so the regular camera has them after an hours walk the guides ask me to spilt from the group as I will be going a different route. Dave & Simon are reluctant but I send them on their merry way. I trail down and down and down......after 3 hours I ask how long and my guide says......3 hours!!!! Aaaarrrrrggghhh!!!!!
This is RUBBISH!! I keep focused & trek. This was supposed to be 3 hours & car to the mountain gate where I should wait for the group to finish for a couple of hours.
Anyway where was I.....6.5 hours later I arrive at mandara huts. We stop and have lunch, well I say we I opened my lunchbox had the juice gave 1 guy my passion fruit another my bread roll cake and Damasen my choc. I ask where the car is.....only an hour away!!!!
So I get up and walk 80 minutes later I turn a corner and there is the most pleasant sight, a landrover!!!!!
We get in and drive for 15 minutes!!!!
When I arrive Marangu Gate I see David I ask him for $10 so I can tip the driver (& his mate!) I am ushered to reception to sign out bit what is this? Someone hands me an ice cold beer.....it has NEVER tasted so good!!!!! Thanks David Simon & Anna!!!
We load our stuff on the minibus I crash on the front seat and drift in & out of sleep in the 3 & a bit hours it takes to travel to the hotel.
We arrive!!!! Hurrah checking in is grab a key....mine is 39 basically all that's left.....the furthest away from the hotel! However I have a bath!!! (dirty pictures later!) then a shower and wash my hair 4 times I am starting to feel human again!!! I blog (see previous) and David & Stephan knock for me. We go to dinner receive our t-shirts and order food.
Starter for me is mushroom in sauce actually 1 mushroom. I order chips with my lamb as does Simon, and then David orders chips with his fish.....my lamb comes, not great. David takes about an hour to take all the bones out of his fish whilst eating the odd boiled potato, I happened to remark how tasty the chips were to Simon.... I won't blog the remark I got from David!!
So here we are drinking overpriced beer in a not so swanky hotel but it does not matter.
I owe Anna everything for her oxygen and I thank David and Simon from 3tc software for the opportunity to accompany them to Africa.
There will be a few updates with pictures over the next few days but for now there are a few thank you's!
Anna thank you for the oxygen I did that already
Ed you really are a star, a proper bloke and Karen this is a testament to how you have brought him up.
David Simon, you know
To the rest of you it's been a pleasure!
Russell Kew
Burbage Airport Taxis
07803 963194
www.burbageairporttaxis.com
Sept 18th at some point
I have relied on the input of 3rd parties for this next update as I do not have recollection of my own until the oxygen arrived!!
As I packed away my messages I asked my guide 1 more time if I can make an attempt. To save face he said it was too late in the day. We started to descend stephan, Jonny walker and Toby Bitter had just finished summating so we followed, an hour into my descent I stopped dead still, the guide came over to find me asleep on my feet. For another 30 minutes or so he battled to get me as far down as possible when I passed out completely.
Shortly afterwards Anna Almundo and Carmen arrived and Anna hooked up her oxygen and gave me glucose tablets. At this point I did not recognise who these people were.
After 10-15 minutes I started to come round I recognised Anna & Almundo's voices but I did not know where the hell I was!! More glucose and more guides arrived, two of them took me arm over arm and literally dragged me off the mountain all the while I hear Anna shouting think of the Kids Russell!!!
After what seemed like an eternity I was shoved into my tent where I slept until I was awoken by Charles it's time to go he said bring your sleeping bag and mattress with that I was strapped to a unicycle stretched and off I went, pushed 9 kilometres by 5 men...very scary.....
I arrived at Horumbo to meet the rest of the gang but again a quick pee and it was back off to bed. I slept until 18:30 when awoken for dinner, could not face it, however I realised I had not spoken to Katy, I check my
iPhone but as in such a state I'd let it run down. It took over an hour but I found a safety pin and popped the sim, found the old nokia jonny blaze gave me (god luv ya!) powered up and it was bliss hearing that ringtone (thanks for the wind up torch dad!!)
Great to speak to Katy & Mum I realise just how many people may be reading this blog (hi!) I turn the phone off and go back to sleep.
Russell Kew
Burbage Airport Taxis
07803 963194
www.burbageairporttaxis.com
Friday 17 September 2010
Thursday 16 September 2010
17th sept 09:00
I'm almost (half bleedin hour) at Gilmores point. Now been walking up hill for 9 hours blisters on blisters a bloody nose and periodic vomiting.
I've met Simon, David and ed on they're way back down....boooo
I've met Simon, David and ed on they're way back down....boooo
Russell Kew
Burbage Airport Taxis
07803 963194
www.burbageairporttaxis.com
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