Day 1: Sept 19, 2010

Up at 6:30 for breakfast, very few other people awake yet. Bags packed and by the departure area, weighed in at under 15 kg (33 pounds), the limit per bag. Nobody bothered to weigh the bags before loading the vehicles, though. Apparently the guides turn a blind eye to the tourists' bags, and if the porters complain they lose their jobs. After making a stop to load up on junk food (go figure) and cigs for two of our group, we drove to the Londrossi Gate, the start of the Lemosho and Shira Routes. There was mass confusion as our 20 porters/cooks/guides plus several other groups sorted out their stuff and had it weighed (they still didn't weigh the tourists' bags). We had a box lunch under a tree where it was surprisingly chilly at 6500 feet. We got back in the vehicle and drove to the actual starting point, now more than 3 hours after we left the hotel. Finally, we start the hike. I had heard and read that the pace was slow (or in Swahili, pole pole) but I thought that meant at the top. No, we started at this pace. We strolled for two and a half hours through dry, very young-looking forest and saw two troops of colobus monkeys, and porters passed us constantly. The itinerary said we climbed 2500 feet, but it sure didn't feel like it. Camp was chaotic with about 10-12 groups and all their stuff. Somebody had arranged for our little band of 6 climbers and support staff to have a private toilet, which was very nice. Dinner began with tea and popcorn; later we had cucumber soup, fish with vegetables, fried little potatoes, cabbage salad, cucumbers and tomatoes, and tiny bananas for desert. It got quite cold, and Johnny our head guide kept us talking in the mess tent until 9:30. Took a long time to get feet warm after that. This is 3 degrees south of the equator! Colder than I would have thought.

(1) Packing up the vehicle at the hotel (2) Our group about to take to the trail. Guide Johnny in blue at left (3) Colobus monkeys