day 1

They made it look easy but the reality is that our first day was incredibly tough. We hiked about 18km along a path inclined at a steady 30-degree angle – it just kept going up. No downhill – not even some flat bits; just up. When we eventually reached Machame Camp (altitude 3000m) both Tim and I were absolutely worn out but boy, did we receive a hero’s welcome. Our cook, Nyada had prepared some decent broth along with a mountain of pasta and some hot tea. What more could a man want? Over tea Rayson chatted about our progress during the day and the challenges we’d face tomorrow. He stressed the importance of taking it slowly; respecting the mountain and taking our journey one day at a time. “Only 40% of people that challenge the mountain ever reach the summit,” he explained, “so take it slow and enjoy the experience – pole pole.”
Later that night Tim and I slipped into our sleeping bags and slept like the dead. Even though we only had a thin mattress between us and the stony ground we were both exhausted after the long hike and the ever-upward climb.