Zebrafish

October 4

Kenya

mt elgon falls

cave at mt elgon falls

cheetah, masai

The safari bus broke down twice on the first day on our way and we missed the first game drive but got a refund for it afterwards. The Masai Mara is wonderfull. We saw several cheetah, a pride of 4 lions up as close as 4 metres and a leopard sleeping up a tree. One lionesses was rolling about on her back with her paws in the air looking like she wanted her tummy rubbing. I'm just glad we didn't have to push start the vehicle there.

tickle me

elephant, masai

lion, masai

giraffe, masai

hippo yawn, masai

wildebeest, masai

field of zebra, masai

We bought warm clothes for trekking Mt Kenya at the excellent second hand market in Nairobi full of sold on donated clothes from the west. Then that evening had a riotous evening at Carnivores resturant celebrating Michele's birthday with another girl Jo, both friends of Elaine & Lachlan. Eating zebra, osterich & crocodile, getting drunk and behaving more like the 'Happy Valley' set of the 1930's Kenya.

monkey crackers, masai

Then five days hiking to Point Lenana at 4895m, the highest peak accessable to hikers on Mt Kenya was the perfect way to end my trip in Africa. The hike starts off in rainforest and ascends to thick heather on the first day to Old Moses camp at 3300m on the Sirimon route. Even at this height we could feel the effects of low oxygen at altitude and I was glad of the essential mountain down-feather sleeping bag I'd hired for the cold.

flora on approach to mt kenya

me approaching mt kenya

The next day was tough for aclimitisation as we ascended round the outside of the mountain with open view of the Kenyan plain and Aberdare ranges, then up through a narrow valley into a high altitude desert of unique flower shaped green leaved succullents and others that looked like tall hairy cactus. Angus and I joined groups with Conner, Lieven and Jerome and on the way up we all took turns to suffer from the thin air. My concentration levels were faltering and I could only place one foot in front of the other as I walked slowly ahead with a frontal headache and fast beating heart.

sign in camp, mt kenya

We arrived at Shipton camp at 4200m for lunch. Changed out of sweaty clothes then crept into our sleeping bags to escape the afternoon shivering cold. We got up for a couple of hours to explore the dark misty area around the hut, sheltered at the top of the valley in what was probably the remains of a blown out volcanic crater under the sharp rocky peak of Mt Kenya and it's creeping glaciers.

summit team mt kenya, angus taking photo

Angus and I carried our own rucksacks but still had Anthony as our guide, Peter the food porter and Peter the cook. They prepared ideal altitude hiking food of carbohydrate, meat, veg and fresh fruit which fueled us along. We had an extra day for acclimatisation for an out and back semi-circuit of the peak. A tough 5 hours crossing two passes and back and visiting several cold clear mountain lakes. On the way back gasping for air while ascending a steep gravel slope up to 4600m we were hit by hail, but at least our clothes did not get wet in the freezing air.

summit, mt kenya

Bed again in the afternoon what an exciting life this! But then we left for the summit at 3.30am by torchlight under a freezing clear starry night, no moonlight. We hiked one behind each other ascending steeply up over snow and rocks for 3 hours towards a black ridge that I could only just make out against the night sky. My hiking shoes had almost worn out by this part of the trip and I found it easier to grip by following the footprints left by the person in front of me. We went very slowly but it was extremely hard work mentally and physically and so we had to stop every 30mins to catch our breathing and try to drink icy cold water to prevent dehydration which is one of the commonist risks at this height.

summit of point lenanna, looking at approach

We waited for more light by a sheltered bit of rock before ascending the final pinnacle. We winded our way up with breathtaking views of mist flowing over peaks and valleys below us to one of the most beautifull sites I've ever seen and certainly the most incredible sunrise ever. With 360 degree views on top of Africa and across to the monster sheer rock edges of the highest peak of Mount Kenya just to our West. We shook hands, smiled like idiots and took photographs then ascended quickly before the sun turned the snow into ice.

We came down the Chogoria route through a most surreally beautifull valley of high altitude desert to make breakfast at 8am. We all really struggled to eat anything and soon after I got a severe migraine from dehydration. But we descended on down and I drank about 4 litres of water. Things slowly improved and we picked up pace until we were almost running down through a tobaggon run of dry streambed through tall heather. We finished that day after 24km in a misty rainforest at 2700m, everyone pushed to their limits of exhaustion and amongst us were a 100km endurance runner and triathlete.

The others got a lift but Angus and I continued on the next day for 32km along the worst muddy road you've ever seen through thick rainforest. From the fresh dung and footprints about we were wary of running into elephant or buffalo. At one point we heard an elephant in the bush very nearby and our guide instructed us to undo our rucksacks and get ready to dump them and run as fast as possible. Luckily this didn't happen as I don't know how far we'd have had to dig for the energy to run. We emerged into bright sunshine through coffee and tea plantations in the town of Chogoria at 1.30pm dreaming of cold drinks and hot food.

Using Francis' friendly Upper Hill campsite in Nairobi
http://www.oja-services.nl/kenya

as a base we had a last taste of Africa mountain biking around Hell's Gate NP with zebra, giraffe, warthog and buffalo. Then last saturday waterskiing on Lake Naivasha. Which I struggled at but Angus managed to do really well but then he has done it before.

So I've now arrived back in London with muscle aching all over, recovering from blisters and my head in a blur from so many incredible experiences in just under 9 months of African travel. But I know I'll definately be back.