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February 24

Kilimanjaro - To Camp Machame

I got up at 6:30, repacked a little, and went to breakfast at 7:30. I had my camera, and tried to unscrew the polarizing filter to take a picture of the patio, but it was stuck. I twisted harder, and the entire front end of the lens came off. Oh no! I thought this lens was finished, leaving me only with the big telephoto zoom lens and my small "backup" camera with my Kilimanjaro climb about to start. I wasn't very interested in breakfast now, but ate it quickly while attempting to reassemble my lens. Eventually, I found a way to screw the front back on. Adjusting the focus so that infinity was in the right place was harder, but I managed, and the front focusing ring was loose, so I would have to be careful with it.

I paid for the climb, $955 including the hotel bill, in the office, and checked my valuables and duffle bag. I met my guide, Tobias, and a van picked us up at 8:30. The driver was the man who had tried to meet me at the airport yesterday, and he said he had a sign with my name on it, but I never saw him in the confusion outside the customs area. He said he saw me going with "Zaza Tours", so he didn't think it was me.

Kilimanjaro was clearly visible in the distance as we drove to Machame Village, where we met the porters. Two porters, plus one for my guide, would go with us here. Another would bring up food for the last couple of days via the Marangu route. It was warm, in the 80's, as I walked with my guide to the park gate. He is 37 and married with children, so we are about the same age. I checked in, and started walking with the youngest porter, Richard, who was carrying a large white bag on his head. I think he had the biggest load.

Porter en route to Camp Machame

We walked slowly through the forest, taking a couple of breaks. The trail was not difficult, though it climbed steadily and was muddy in places. I ate the lunch they packed for me - a bacon sandwich, cheese sandwich, hard-boiled egg, tomato, and two bananas - at the first two stops. The second stop was half way to camp. The walking was rather easy, and eventually I went ahead of Richard and arrived at camp just before 3:00.

None of my staff was here yet. I didn't know I had passed all my porters until I arrived at camp and found it empty. I tried getting a good tent spot, and set some things there, but a porter for another group got the spot when I wandered away for a while to see if anyone was in some buildings down the hill. He warned me about leaving things unattended because "people come from the woods", but the things didn't stop him from setting up camp on my spot. He simply moved them aside. Two Germans arrived at the tents he set up at 4:00. I had passed them earlier.

My staff started to arrive around 4:30. Tobias helped me set up my tent in a level spot a little way up the hill from my original choice (which had had a better view through the forest into the distance), and my staff brough tea with biscuits. A group of Americans arrived. In all, it looked like about seven climbers and their staffs had started this route today. According to the sign-in book, more than 30 started yesterday. If there are only seven, the camps shouldn't get too crowded.

Dinner came soon after I finished the tea: first soup and bread, then pasta, greens and carrots, beef and potatoes cooked with tomatoes, and bananas with more tea. It was a big meal, well prepared and presented. I ate most of it. I talked to a German man in my original spot a bit. He actually lives in Egypt. The sunset was pretty, with the sky around Mt. Mera turning orange. Kilimanjaro showed its peak through the clouds at dusk. I went to bed early, and had a terrible dream that someone stole my CD collection, but otherwise I slept reasonably well my first night out.

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