19,334 feet.
That's almost 4 miles.
That's nearly 2,000 stories.
That's 3,649 times taller than I am.
That's 15.5 Empire State Buildings stacked one on top of the other.
That's over 7 times the height of highest building in the world: Burj Khalifa, a skyscraper in Dubai.
That's how high the highest point in Africa is.
That's how high the world's highest free-standing mountain is.
That's how high Mount Kilimanjaro is.
Have you noticed the photo at the top of this blog?
Do you know what that is a photo of?
Do you see the title of this post?
Are you putting it all together?
19,334 feet. That is a long way.
And yes, my dear friends. That is how high I, Lizzie Jones, will be come September.
At the base lies a great African rain forest. And look, there are also giraffes. At the top are huge icy glaciers and me. Or at least there will be me. Towards the end of August, my adventurous dad and I are flying to Tanzania and going to the base of this mountain. Then we're going to begin a 7 day trek that will wind around the mountain. We'll take our time as our bodies adjust to the extremely high altitude and eventually get up to the top of Uhuru peak. 19,334 feet.
So there you go. That is my current and possibly most physically and mentally challenging goal to date.
19,334 feet.
WOOHOOOO!
5 comments:
Africa Africa! Bring me an african bushman pleaz.
Oh no.. Joe is going to be so jealous.
Are you serious! How cool Lizzie!
People who wish to climb Mt Kilimanjaro are advised to undertake appropriate research and ensure that they are physically capable. The altitude, low temperature, and occasional high winds make this a difficult and dangerous trek. Acclimatisation is essential, and even then most people suffer some degree of altitude sickness. About 10 climbers die from this each year, together with an unknown number of local porters - figures for these are guessed at between 10-20. All climbers will suffer considerable discomfort, typically shortage of breath, hypothermia and headaches, and though most young, fit people can make the Uhuru summit, a substantial number of trekkers will abandon the attempt at a lower altitude.
WE'RE GOING TO THE TOP OF "SHINING MOUNTAIN" ZARD! ABANDON IS NOT IN THE VOCABULARY. DADDIO
This is from Wikipedia:
"Tanzanian Medical Services around the mountain have expressed concern recently over the current influx of tourists that apparently perceive Kilimanjaro as an easy climb. Many individuals require significant attention during their attempts, and many are forced to abandon the climb. An investigation into the matter concluded that tourists visiting Tanzania were often encouraged to join groups heading up the mountain without being made aware of the significant physical demands the climb makes. Although, many outfitter and tour operator flaunt high success rates for reaching the summit. The Kilimanjaro national park shows that only 40% of climbers actually reach the Uhuru summit with the majority of climbers turning around at Gilman’s Point, 300 meters short of Uhuru."
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I’d heard the attempt success rate was in the high ninety percentile. Maybe that’s just marketing. Wonder which is right?
What a shame to quit within 300 meters of the goal! But I know the feeling. That last push is always the hardest at altitude. It’s when your will must take over from your brain and your body, which are both screaming “stop.” I’ve been on many hikes when fellow hikers – sometimes very tough individuals - talk themselves out of finishing when the summit is 20 or 30 minutes away. We think we can’t go on, but the fact is we can. And when we experience the moment of accomplishment it is overwhelming. I think it’s why I climb mountains. Mountaineering isn’t about getting to the top, it’s about overcoming our fears, our pain, our sense of inadequacy, and pressing forward to the top. It’s one of the finest metaphors for life I know.
We’ll be ready little daughter.
Dad
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