I get addicted to this internet thing.  After this moment I will be going 10 days without internet.

We had our trip meeting last night.  Our climb is 11 people and a pretty diverse group.  We were introduced to our lead guide and he was very nice.  He explained our itineraries for each day and gave us all of our rental gear.  The down jackets that we got are Mountain Wear brand.  These jackets are impressive!  They feel like soft pillows.  Now I’m wondering how cold it will be up there.

I am bringing my Netbook on the climb.  My plan is to type in daily reports.  One guy in the group has an Iphone with an international package.  The guide said that we might be able to get a signal up there.  Wouldn’t it be cool if I can post updates from the mountain?

Ok, a quick trip report before I go to sleep.  They actually have wifi here at the hotel!!  It’s 12am and I arrived in Tanzania about 10pm.  It took me 1 hour to get my visa.  Then I was met by a guy holding up a sign with my name from Africa Walking Company.  He drove me about 45 minutes to our hotel just outside Arusha.

It’s been a long 30 hours and I’m happy to have a bed. Good night.

Ok, this is why I brought my Netbook.  It’s because I have a 5 hour layover here in Amsterdam.  I’m sitting at a McDonalds where I just paid $12 for a 6 piece nuggets, fries and a Coke!  It’s 6am over here.  Flying this far is weird because your sense of time gets so screwed up.  Being 6am means nothing to me, I feel good but I know I slept only 3 hours on the plane.  I should be tired but I’m not.

BTW, internet is very expensive here.  I am paying $25 to use the internet for the day.  My other choice was $20 for 30 minutes, what a ripoff.  I’m IMing with my friend back in the States, she can’t sleep and it’s the middle of night there.

Also, I forgot to write that Jessica Biel made it to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro!  As I was leaving the states I saw reports of their group summiting.  It looks like they did the Shira route which is the same route that I am climbing!  If I only booked a week earlier.  From the reports it also sounds like they had bad weather and a snow storm on summit day.  Maybe I should be happy I didn’t book a week earlier.

Well the day has finally come and I’m about to head for the airport in 6 hours.  I just finished packing and I am carrying a small Camelbak day pack and a larger Osprey backpack.  Together they weigh in right at 29 lbs.  This is not including water.  I think this is considered pretty light, but given that there is no food or water, I think it’s sort of heavy.

To be honest, alot of the weight is my camera equipment.  I have a Nikon SLR, 2 lens, 2 camcorders and a small point and shoot.  I also am bringing a Netbook and a GPS and of course an Ipod and a shuffle.  It’s technological overkill but I would hate to have any equipment misfunction and lose any chances of taking great photos while I’m in Africa.  I’m also bringing two books and a notepad.  I plan to read the books on the plane and discard them when I’m done.

As for clothing, I am not bringing alot.  I have 3 sets of inner clothing and 1 set of outer wear.  In between I have a medium thickness fleece jacket.  I am renting my sleeping bag, sleeping pad and down jacket and trekking poles.

It feels weird that for two weeks I have everything I need in 2 backpacks.  Actually it’s just one because the other one has only techy gear.

My next post will be from another country!

Travel insurance was required by my outfitter Peak Planet.  Of course, this is another added cost on top of the trip that anyone doing this trip should plan for.  I should make a post about the total expenditure on climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro because booking the outfitter is only the first step.

Anyway, back to the travel insurance…  It cost me about $180 for travel insurance.  It was provided by Travel Guard and basically provides you insurance on everything on the trip.  It covers everything below:

Travel Guard Adventure Protection Plan

Because unforeseen circumstances may arise, we strongly recommend you purchase the Adventure Travel Protection Plan. Coverage may be purchased any time up to 24 hours before departure. The Adventure Travel Protection Plan includes the following coverages subject to the limitations, exclusions, terms and conditions of the policy.

I guess I am doing this ass backwards.  My friend who climbed Kilimanjaro a few years ago asked me what shots I got.  I was like ‘huh’?  I’m just bringing malaria pills and maybe diamox.  A quick google search of travel clinics and I had my appointment the next day to see one.

Sitting down with her she listed all the possible diseases I could get in Africa.  I began checking off all the shots I needed and being 2 weeks till departure, some of the shots were no good.  Anyway, the total came to be about $700 for all the shots!  I hate shots and there was no way I was going to pay $700 AND get 8 shots stuck into me.

I told her no thanks, just give me the malaria pills and diamox.

(Later I would find out that she only sold me enough diamox for 4 days!  I had to mooch some pills off a fellow climber)

Here is a link to the CDC Health Information for Tanzania.

Preparing for Your Trip to Tanzania

Before visiting Tanzania, you may need to get the following vaccinations and medications for vaccine-preventable diseases and other diseases you might be at risk for at your destination: (Note: Your doctor or health-care provider will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities.)

To have the most benefit, see a health-care provider at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for your vaccines to take effect and to start taking medicine to prevent malaria, if you need it.

Even if you have less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see a health-care provider for needed vaccines, anti-malaria drugs and other medications and information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.

CDC recommends that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine.  Find a travel medicine clinic near you. If you have a medical condition, you should also share your travel plans with any doctors you are currently seeing for other medical reasons.

If your travel plans will take you to more than one country during a single trip, be sure to let your health-care provider know so that you can receive the appropriate vaccinations and information for all of your destinations. Long-term travelers, such as those who plan to work or study abroad, may also need additional vaccinations as required by their employer or school.

Be sure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. Check the links below to see which vaccinations adults and children should get.

Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) are given at all stages of life; see the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule and routine adult immunization schedule.

Routine vaccines are recommended even if you do not travel. Although childhood diseases, such as measles, rarely occur in the United States, they are still common in many parts of the world. A traveler who is not vaccinated would be at risk for infection.

Now I am starting to get excited about my climb.  I leave in two weeks and the reality is finally dawning on me.  I am going to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro!! The tallest mountain in Africa.  The questions start to mount.

Did I train enough?

Are my clothes going to be warm enough?

How will the altitude affect me?

Will I make it to the top?

So I heard from a friend today that Jessica Biel will be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.

“LOS ANGELES — When Jessica Biel, Lupe Fiasco and Isabel Lucas get together in Africa, they’ll have nowhere to go but up.  The entertainers have signed on to climb the continent’s highest peak – Mt. Kilimanjaro, at more than 19,000 feet – to raise awareness about the need for clean water worldwide.”

The dates are sort of closely guarded.  I guess if people knew, everyone would try to climb on the same days and that would be way too crowded.  I hear that the trip is supposed to be in January, which is the same time I’m going.  Who knows, maybe I will see her.

I wonder what route she is taking?

I will be doing the Shira Route on Mt. Kilimanjaro.  You can find more information about the Shira Route on Kilimanjaro Routes.  This is a tough route and should take me 7 days.  I chose this because it’s suppose to be less popular meaning less traffic.  Should be fun!

In addition to my regular workout I started taking Pilates at the local gym.  I figure that my core needs to be strong in addition to my legs.  I will be carrying a 20 lb backpack.  My porters will be carrying the heavy stuff thankfully.  I can tell you that pilates is kicking my ass everyday.  I thought I had strong abs, but evidentally the muscles underneath them are soft like jelly.  I am doing pilates 3 days a week now.