Kilimanjaro Expedition - Day 5

1. Barafu Camp. An early breakfast.

I didn't get much sleep on the afternoon of day 4 as was Azizi's recommendation. I couldn't. Around 11pm (still day 4) I ate something categorized as an early breakfast. Azizi measured my blood oxygen saturation with an oxymeter. 69%! Very low. The normal value is 93%. But I was apparently feeling fine.

Time 0:00
We're at Barafu Camp at elevation 4673. The adventure begins. In fact adventure adventure. Tonight we plan to climb Uhuru - 5,895 meters, the highest peak in Africa and then descend to Mweka Camp at 3,100 meters. How far to Uhuru? 5 km in 7 hours. Considering the above, it is obvious that we are in for a challenging, sustained and very hard climb. On the route there is another important intermediate point: Stella Point, after 4,3 km and 6 hours, located at 5.600 m altitude on the crater rim, is also the point where the steep slope comes to an end. The descent would take another 9 hours. A very demanding day, to be sure. For the night ascent to the summit you should consider thick gloves or over-sleeves, warm hat, high UV sunglasses, tights, pants and overtrousers, 4 layers of clothing on top, warm and waterproof boots.
Why climb at night? The marketing explanation says that you catch a spectacular sunrise on the summit or crater rim. Yeah, okay. There are other reasons. You have to consider the length of the route including the descent to 3000m as the challenge to the body of spending so many hours at such a high altitude is serious. Weather stability is higher in the first part of the day. The sector Barafu - Uhuru and back will be icy, which will raise less dust in the nostrils as breathing is already more demanding due to the reduced amount of oxygen in the air at altitude. You'll cross an area of grounded groomers.
Most guides leave at midnight with their tourists, but there are also groups that leave at 3am for example. So starting at midnight there is a long, Indian line of people climbing pole pole pole with head torches lit towards Uhuru Peak.

2. Night ascent to Uhuru Peak. Arctic tundra.

Climb direction is northwest. I am very tired, but I really want to take the photo from the summit. I am even rehearsing in my mind the little live speech that I was planning to broadcast on Facebook from 5,895 meters altitude. We're going very slowly. Pretty much everyone keeps the same pace.
Don't forget about repeated moisturizing.
The trail first climbs up a rocky area to an upper threshold where another camp - Kosovo Camp. Elevation 4,835. To the left of the winding uphill trail is the steep ridge that we are climbing along. I need a rest stop. Several. I feel certain physiological needs, but I'm stuck. The temperature is negative, there are so many layers of clothing, plus gloves, it's not comfortable at all. Even buttoning the phone for pictures is more difficult, leaving aside the fact that there's not much to shoot in the dark. I want a break. I don't have the stamina.
Water. Another sip. Some dried fruit.
I don't recognize myself. I realize that instead of using my trekking poles to move forward more easily, I'm actually leaning my full weight on them.
I urge myself to mobilize as I'm so close to conquering the summit, but I feel like stopping every 5 meters. It's not pole pole anymore. It's slow and steady, our Moldavian saying. I'm obviously not well. There's a battle going on inside me. I can / I can't, it's so little / it's so much / if my condition worsens, who will get me out of here safely? / I saw an emergency heliport at Barafu / am I an emergency case? / look how many keep going / it's better to turn back now while I'm still lucid and conscious / or to push on for 2.5 kilometers and 3.5 hours / or / or / or / if ....

3. Decision and return to Barafu Camp

Time 3:30
Somewhere above 5.300 m altitude I decided to turn back considering that it is anyway a personal record far beyond any previous experience and home my family is waiting for me and it is more important to get home safely. If I had continued on, I would have actually labored for at least 5 hours more than the 6 hours I had to make it to tonight's camp - Mweka Camp.
Very important for me, both at the time of the decision and on the way back and now when I am gathering my impressions two months after the climb, I considered that I had achieved a personal victory. I drew a parallel with an athlete or a competitor who achieves by far the best performance of his life by placing 2nd and this cannot be a disappointment for not coming first but a great joy for a mega 2nd place. This mental setting has kept me positive and I still feel at peace that I made the decision to come back without conquering the top of Uhuru.
We start our descent next to dozens of tourists going up. On a couple of occasions we had to give them priority on the climb. I was walking more and more unguided, it wasn't me. I realized I didn't even look good at all because Azizi asked me questions like do you know my name, who are you, to realize if I was conscious and thank goodness I was in my right mind. To the left, as we descended, that is to the east, the landscape was dominated by Mawenzi Peak - 5,149 mdm.

4. Barafu Camp. Rest break.

5:00
We returned to Barafu Camp. It's not yet light in the morning, but the dawn is coming. The tent has ice crystals on it. I don't feel well. Azizi takes out the oxymeter and it's reading 62%. Extremely low, considering that at 70% - 80% they intubate you if you're hospitalized.
Azizi advises me to get some sleep and then eat.

9:00
That's it, it's time to go down as fast and as far as we can. I still feel sick, but I remain conscious. Ideally, I'd like to make it to Mweka Camp on my own, but there is also a second option to sleep at an intermediate camp, at High Camp, at 4,000 m instead of 3,000 m. To High Camp (aka Millenium Camp) is 4 km and 2 hours, to Mweka Camp 7.5 km and 4 hours. You'll see! And yes, we are still in the Alpine Zone.
Goodbye, Kilimanjaro!
Far to the left we see Mawenzi, to the right Meru. Wonderful!

5. Descent through alpine desert to Millenium (High) Camp

9:15
The heliport is close to the bifurcation point of the ascent and descent routes. South is our route, which we descend. We're going slowly, we've gained some strength.
Everywhere is stone and arid.
From time to time we look back towards Kilimanjaro. What a clear sky! And the patch of snow on the summit.... Magnificent!
There followed increasingly frequent breaks and a landscape of lava boulders.
It's getting harder and harder. I walk disjointed. Like a zombie. I feel like I can't go on. Azizi still can't decide if I'll be able to continue after Millennium (High) Camp, which confuses the porters a bit because they still don't know which camp to set up tents in.
An hour of torment followed. Even though the route was easy, I was barely moving and felt that we would have to overnight at Millenium instead of Mweka and have a longer route to the park exit the next day. We had to finish the expedition the next day anyway as I was due to take off for home the same evening.

6. Millenium (High) Camp. Refresh break.

10:45
High Camp or Millennium Camp. Altitude, 3,950 meters. I'm taking the picture of the marker by leaning against its frame. I can't! I realized I didn't look good because I saw how quickly some Tanzanians were clearing the place playing a game on a bench.
At the Millenium we had a longer break, I ate some nuts, peanuts, dried fruits. They were good for me. I reintroduced the white-collared raven and the first signs of slightly larger vegetation.

7. Down through Moorland to Mweka Camp

11:30
Surprise! I came to my senses. Yes, I'm really over it. We decide to go on to Mweka Camp. I don't understand how I suddenly recovered. I carried on at a normal pace, as if nothing was wrong. Unbelievable! The only explanation I have is that my body got the oxygen it wanted.
We cross the Moorland (Moorland), as this is the name of the climatic stage we have entered, even though it is dry and dry. We find the vegetation described on day 2: shrubs. Some flowers are particularly beautiful.
The direction of descent was almost steadily south. Suddenly seeing vegetation, even passing head height, gives me a different tone. A good one. I feel like new.
On the way we meet a one-wheeled vehicle, a kind of mobile metal basket. Azizi tells me that this is used to transport tourists who can no longer move on their own legs. Aha! Off we go. And down we go, and down we go.

8. Mweka Hut Camp

13:15
We reached Mweka Hut Camp at 3,100 meters. In the picture I still look exhausted, but in reality I feel fine. It's the difference between mental and physical for sure.
This evening, after dinner, it was time to pay the tips for the team that served me. There was a difference compared to the Tanzanians' expectations due to the fact that the organizer informed me that there would be 4 people accompanying me - guide, cook, 2 porters - and in reality there were 6. In addition, they expected more substantial tips invoking the practices of other foreign tourists, but I went on the amounts recommended by the organizer. So that no one is left with a bitter taste, although it is not obligatory to pay the tips, I think that the work of these people, who make some efforts to make a living, deserves to be rewarded. May they be healthy and appreciated!
What a day! A night and a day as long as a lifetime! Stay healthy! Until tomorrow!