Kilimanjaro the Day After

I may not have made it to the top of Africa this time, but I still reached an altitude of about 5 kilometers, which was a first for me. It was an amazing journey that I’ll always remember. The nature on Kilimanjaro is truly magnificent and breathtaking. Life is all about taking chances, but not when it comes to life or death. The reason I didn’t make it to the “Roof of Africa” was simply that my body doesn’t handle high altitudes very well. Some people can be completely symptom-free at 5,000 meters, while others, like me, experience serious symptoms and have to descend immediately. You don’t need to be in the best shape of your life to climb Kilimanjaro, as the pace is slow enough for everyone to join in. However, being in decent shape, like I was, is definitely an advantage—you just have to be careful not to ascend too quickly because of the extra energy that good fitness provides. Your chances of reaching the summit largely depend on how well your body adapts to the altitude. If it can’t adjust quickly enough, that’s just unfortunate. But one thing is certain: you’ll have a unique experience for life, which, for me, I wouldn’t trade for anything. I woke up early, had breakfast, and relaxed with a card game with two Americans in the garden. They were a bit lost since their luggage hadn’t arrived, forcing them to postpone their Kilimanjaro trek for a few days. At 11 AM, the bus arrived at the hotel to take me from Moshi to Arusha in Tanzania, and from there on to Nairobi in Kenya. At the border crossing in Namanga, I spent some of my last small change on some incredibly eager vendors who were practically fighting to sell me a little souvenir for 500 Tanzanian shillings, which is about 3 kroner! Around 7:30 PM, I arrived at Nairobi Backpackers. I just made it in time for the communal dinner and enjoyed a couple of beers with folks from the hostel before heading to bed around 11 PM.