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Part Four – Travel Tales – Climbing Kilimanjaro

  • Posted on September 6, 2011 at 4:11 pm

June 5 – day 4 on the mountain Another night with little sleep. Day dons bright and clear with high wispy cloud. Intensity of the sun at this altitude has to be experienced to be appreciated. Trail steepens and becomes a little more difficult to traverse. “Pole, pole” Once again the grassland thins as favourable conditions for plant life recede. Alpine desert conditions are the order of the day as we broach the lip of The Saddle – a long, sweeping depression that connect Mawenzi and Kilimangaro peaks. Down and across The Saddle we go. Temperature drops 1°C for every 200m increase in altitude and although its early afternoon and we are working hard, we are really starting to feel the cold. Arrive Kibo Hut (4750m/15520ft) approximately 15:30. “Man, is it cold!” The clouds part – we see the challenge ahead to Gilmans Point and glaciers near the summit. Supper served around 17:30. We just stare at it – no appetite. Then its into our sleeping bags in an attempt to keep warm and hopefully to sleep. Sleep alludes us and when rousted out around 23:00 we are depleted. Decline food. Getting dressed (layer upon layer) is a real chore and seems to take forever. A Slovakian couple, who we had seen several times over the past few days, are the first to leave at 23:45, followed by a pair of Dutch climbers at midnight. www.traveltales.ca

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Climbing Fansipan Mountain North Vietnam (Sept 2009) Part 5

  • Posted on September 3, 2011 at 7:31 am

msl = meter sea level Fansipan (phansipang) is a mountain in Vietnam, the highest in Indochina, at 3143 msl. It is located in the Lao Cai province in Northwest Vietnam. Fansipan is dubbed “the Roof of Indochina”; it is to be approved as one of the very few ecotourist spots of Vietnam, with about 2024 floral varieties and 327 faunal species. The summit of Fansipan is accessible all year round, but the best time to make the ascent is from mid-October to mid-November, and again in March. Foreigners like best to book Fansipan tours between October and December, as this period is more often than not free from the heavy rains that obstruct the jaunt. But the Vietnamese prefer their tours to the peak of the mountain from February to April, as it is not so cold then. However, the best time for the trek to the mountain is from the end of February to the start of March, when the flowers all flourish and the climbers may behold the carpets of brilliant blossoms, violets and orchids, rhododendrons and aglaias. We started hiking at 1900 msl on 9.30 am and stopped for lunch at 1.00pm at 2250 msl. After lunch we started hiking again at 1.30 pm heading to the night camp-site for day 1. After walking and climbing the whole day for around 9 km, we reached the camp-site around 6.30 pm. It is at about 2800 msl. During that evening the temperature falls between 14 degree or 15 degree celcius and by the time we finished our dinner it went down till as low as 8 degree celcius especially when …

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Climbing Fansipan Mountain North Vietnam (Sept 2009) Part 4

  • Posted on September 1, 2011 at 6:47 am

msl = meter sea level Fansipan (phansipang) is a mountain in Vietnam, the highest in Indochina, at 3143 msl. It is located in the Lao Cai province in Northwest Vietnam. Fansipan is dubbed “the Roof of Indochina”; it is to be approved as one of the very few ecotourist spots of Vietnam, with about 2024 floral varieties and 327 faunal species. The summit of Fansipan is accessible all year round, but the best time to make the ascent is from mid-October to mid-November, and again in March. Foreigners like best to book Fansipan tours between October and December, as this period is more often than not free from the heavy rains that obstruct the jaunt. But the Vietnamese prefer their tours to the peak of the mountain from February to April, as it is not so cold then. However, the best time for the trek to the mountain is from the end of February to the start of March, when the flowers all flourish and the climbers may behold the carpets of brilliant blossoms, violets and orchids, rhododendrons and aglaias. We started hiking at 1900 msl on 9.30 am and stopped for lunch at 1.00pm at 2250 msl. After lunch we started hiking again at 1.30 pm heading to the night camp-site for day 1. After walking and climbing the whole day for around 9 km, we reached the camp-site around 6.30 pm. It is at about 2800 msl. During that evening the temperature falls between 14 degree or 15 degree celcius and by the time we finished our dinner it went down till as low as 8 degree celcius especially when …

Continue reading Climbing Fansipan Mountain North Vietnam (Sept 2009) Part 4 »

Climbing Fansipan Mountain North Vietnam (Sept 2009) Part 3

  • Posted on August 31, 2011 at 7:49 am

msl = meter sea level Fansipan (phansipang) is a mountain in Vietnam, the highest in Indochina, at 3143 msl. It is located in the Lao Cai province in Northwest Vietnam. Fansipan is dubbed “the Roof of Indochina”; it is to be approved as one of the very few ecotourist spots of Vietnam, with about 2024 floral varieties and 327 faunal species. The summit of Fansipan is accessible all year round, but the best time to make the ascent is from mid-October to mid-November, and again in March. Foreigners like best to book Fansipan tours between October and December, as this period is more often than not free from the heavy rains that obstruct the jaunt. But the Vietnamese prefer their tours to the peak of the mountain from February to April, as it is not so cold then. However, the best time for the trek to the mountain is from the end of February to the start of March, when the flowers all flourish and the climbers may behold the carpets of brilliant blossoms, violets and orchids, rhododendrons and aglaias. We started hiking at 1900 msl on 9.30 am and stopped for lunch at 1.00pm at 2250 msl. After lunch we started hiking again at 1.30 pm heading to the night camp-site for day 1. After walking and climbing the whole day for around 9 km, we reached the camp-site around 6.30 pm. It is at about 2800 msl. During that evening the temperature falls between 14 degree or 15 degree celcius and by the time we finished our dinner it went down till as low as 8 degree celcius especially when …

Continue reading Climbing Fansipan Mountain North Vietnam (Sept 2009) Part 3 »

Climbing Fansipan Mountain North Vietnam (Sept 2009) Part 1

  • Posted on August 30, 2011 at 7:24 pm

msl = meter sea level Fansipan (phansipang) is a mountain in Vietnam, the highest in Indochina, at 3143 msl. It is located in the Lao Cai province in Northwest Vietnam. Fansipan is dubbed “the Roof of Indochina”; it is to be approved as one of the very few ecotourist spots of Vietnam, with about 2024 floral varieties and 327 faunal species. The summit of Fansipan is accessible all year round, but the best time to make the ascent is from mid-October to mid-November, and again in March. Foreigners like best to book Fansipan tours between October and December, as this period is more often than not free from the heavy rains that obstruct the jaunt. But the Vietnamese prefer their tours to the peak of the mountain from February to April, as it is not so cold then. However, the best time for the trek to the mountain is from the end of February to the start of March, when the flowers all flourish and the climbers may behold the carpets of brilliant blossoms, violets and orchids, rhododendrons and aglaias. We started hiking at 1900 msl on 9.30 am and stopped for lunch at 1.00pm at 2250 msl. After lunch we started hiking again at 1.30 pm heading to the night camp-site for day 1. After walking and climbing the whole day for around 9 km, we reached the camp-site around 6.30 pm. It is at about 2800 msl. During that evening the temperature falls between 14 degree or 15 degree celcius and by the time we finished our dinner it went down till as low as 8 degree celcius especially when …

Continue reading Climbing Fansipan Mountain North Vietnam (Sept 2009) Part 1 »

Part One – Travel Tales – Climbing Kilimanjaro

  • Posted on February 22, 2011 at 6:43 am

Terry and Michael had arrived in Africa on May 28, five days before commencement of their Kilimanjaro climb, to allow sufficient time to get over jet lag and to become acclimatized. The time was spent on safari in the area of Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara National Park, finally ending up on June 1 at the Hotel in Moshi where gear was sorted out and they readied themselves for the challenge ahead. Before sunset, Felix, the gentleman who would be their guide and protector for the next six days, arrived. Felix is fifty-three years old and has plenty of mountain experience … a great comfort. Felix asked if they had this-and-that kind of equipment and seemed to be pleased Terry and Michael were well equipped. They would meet again in the morning. Michael and Terry toasted the mountain with their last beer (until their return) … suitably the beers name was “Kilimanjaro”. June 2 It was a morning of nervous excitement. Felix arrived shortly after breakfast. Terry and Michael would meet the rest of the crew at the park gate. Joining Terry and Michael on their climb would be a seven person support team … Felix, their guide, an assistant guide (needed, should Terry or Michael have to come down while the other continued), a cook and four porters (one which would also serve as a waiter). This was Day 1 of the climb and as Michael had done each morning on the West Coast Trail, he took a picture of the two of them … father and son. Final equipment check. Felix insisted that …

Continue reading Part One – Travel Tales – Climbing Kilimanjaro »

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