Day 3 Shira 1 to shira 2
Today, we had two choices: 1) Move on immediately to the next camp, or 2) Visit Cathedral Point to acclimatize. The motto is “Climb High and Sleep Low.” We stand at the fork and think because walking an additional few miles after yesterday leaves us dizzy. Left or right? Right leads directly to the camp, which is a short hand-wave trek. Left leads to Cathedral Point, which requires a climb, also an easy hand wave trek – and we believe Charles at this point!
We choose this route because of the friendly Aussie guy (who we keep running into) who was pleading with his guide to take the Cathedral fork and then asks if he can join us. We were contemplating this opportunity that Charles and Simon were giving us. Enock had already left with Sophie and Maya. Let’s go, Trish says at this point, “no regrets later”! Imagine later regretting seeing their photos. It was only an additional 5 or so miles. This is something we can accomplish.
I see numerous antelope droppings and path is quite flat as we move through the moorland. The landscape changes as we approach that Point! We run into the girls at the mountain’s base, and they are raving about the view. We leave our bags with Charles by the rocks, and Simon was going to come along. The ascent required a lot of scrambling and was rocky.
I’m excellent at and very at ease with this kind of rock climbing. Sometimes being a little light and small can be helpful, but you can’t miss a step! The panoramic view is simply breathtaking. Below, the stunning and expansive Shira plateau is visible as the clouds pass by. We peer perilously down and, at one point, Sid needed assistance to look below. The drop can be quite dangerous. Doesn’t really assist those who have a fear of heights!
The timing of this crucial to its success. Due to the clouds, everything can change in a matter of seconds, causing you to miss the view. The mountain gods were on our side because just as we started to descend, the clouds began to gather. Regrettably, the climbers after us might not have been as fortunate. We met climbers from New Zealand and the Netherlands who were making their way up. It’s always nice to chat with other climbers in Kili. I am hoping they got to see something from Cathedral Point.
Charles can be seen talking on his phone while perched on a rock. Sid’s gains this new vigor and rushes up to check for signal; shortly after, he was also on his phone! We finally make contact with the outside world and our families to let them know everything is fine. Sid was always looking for ways to find a signal to connect to the outside world. Trish and I just depend on his connections and wait for some news. I munch on a protein bar as a well-deserved treat while on the rock! I’m prepared to move right now! Now that we are traversing the somewhat level Shira plateau, I found the path to be a little monotonous. The path continued on and on, occasionally appearing to be so straight. The dirt road where the helipad is located, is the last stop for vehicles. Day trippers in jeeps who want to have a day out in National Park can only get upto this point.
Simon said it would take 10 minutes to get there, and we could see the tents in the distance. We are eager to reach our camp in time for lunch. Even though we keep walking, the camp is not getting any closer to us. Ten minutes equated to about an hour. We realized today that you should never ask “how long to reach” because you will never get the correct answer. Perhaps he missed a zero, assumed we were birds, or thought we were extremely fast walkers. Alternately, simply add an hour to the response. At this point, I was crying and feeling so worn out, frustrated, and helpless. Sometimes, altitude and fatigue can mess with your head!
Yuma comes to take my day bag just 5 minutes away from the tent, I refuse to give it to him. I don’t want to cheat! We eventually arrive at our tents for lunch, tea, and snacks while still grinning! Shira 2 camp is 3,850 meters above sea level, which makes it chilly and windy. The Shira 2 camp is located on a plateau that provides a broad view of the mountain and the area. The rocky Shira slopes, the snow-capped peak of Kibo, and the verdant valleys below are all visible. The sky turns into a riot of colors during the sunset and sunrise, which are both magnificent. A great location for taking lots of pictures and simply admiring Kilimanjaro National Park’s vast beauty. Nights are a different story!
Enock record: 8/10, only because of exhaustion!
When night falls in Shira 2, we huddle up together as we did before, keeping all of our necessities close at hand, but we still fight over who is taking up more space. We begin to misplace our possessions and our minds at this point. We had trouble finding the things we needed 50% of the time! Either we were sitting on it or it was in a bag belonging to another person. I instruct Sid to wake me at midnight or whenever if he needs to pee, as I might need one as well.
He taps my sleeping bag at 2:00 a.m. and claims he can’t open the tent because the zips are frozen. I tell him that I don’t want to pee because I know it will be too cold to go out and I have nicely warmed my sleeping bag. Pee can wait! This isn’t teamwork, I let him down. Sid never gives up, and I estimate that he struggled with that zip for about 45 minutes. I can hear the stupid up and down sound of the zip, but I shut my eyes and try to sleep. There is also an outer zip to deal with; this is just the inner zip. He manages to escape, and I overhear him saying, “Everything is frozen”! Knowing he has gone out, I now needed to pee. I reach for my torch, then I’m outside.
Grabbing my torch, I step outside to notice the frozen tent, the magnificent display of stars and galaxies, and the shivering Sid. After the pee in the wilderness under the stary sky in the dark, I’m heading toward someone else’s tent. Blame my sleepy, worn-out, and disorganized head. Thank God for Sid, who points out, ‘This is our tent’, and leads me to our own gleaming, frost covered orange tent!
Although Shira 2 camp is lovely and wild, it can be difficult to fall asleep due to the cold and thin air. Here is where one may begin to experience some altitude sickness symptoms, such as headache, nausea, or dizziness. Just remember to stay hydrated, eat well now (because you might not later) and start layering.
The following morning, we all discuss three topics. Feelings, freezing tents, and the cold! We did not have the energy to brush our teeth . (Day 2, 3 – hair not combed; teeth not brushed).
Just look presentable and keep walking POLE POLE!
Today’s route is straightforward and easy and simple (hand wave style ).We proceed to Barranco Camp!
