God Bless the USA---and Leprechauns are real!

Well, our incredible international adventure is now coming to an end.  We return home profoundly grateful for so many things:  friends, family, our wonderful country, our amazing world, and most of all, our kind and great God.

Thank you for viewing our blog as we experienced so many rich things.  A very special thanks to Pat Gilmore, Margaret's boss, who helped make this whole experience possible.

We can't wait to tell you all about our adventures in person.  And although we never saw a Leprechaun, clearly the hotels were expecting them.

Love, Margaret and Paul

 

Notre Dame vs. Navy in Dublin--Dueling Sisters

 

Everywhere we went in Ireland (except for Cape Clear) we ran into Americans here for the game; but as we got closer to Dublin, the concentration increased. The Navy–Notre Dame series has been played annually since 1914, making it the longest uninterrupted inter sectional series in college football.  The schools and student bodies hold each other in great respect.  The last Emerald Isle Classic, as the game has been dubbed, was played in 1996.  This time the game would be broadcast live in the US on CBS, and on other networks reaching 65 countries.  More Americans would be here in Dublin for this game than went to London for the 2012 Olympics.  It was estimated that the boost to Ireland's economy was over 100 million Euros.  

 

Technically, this was a "home" game for Navy, but the stands were dominated by Irish fans, as Notre Dame had billed and sold this event as "The Irish are coming home".  The stadium had been sold out for a year, and tickets were nearly impossible to obtain.  We had only gotten tickets because of our dear friend Jim Holmes and his colleague Jeff. Jim  has deep connections to ND.  Jeff is a Notre Dame graduate who was in the Navy after taking his degree.  It was Jeff who graciously arranged to get the tickets to Jim and then to us. 

 

Our group attending the game was of mixed loyalty.  2 were rooting for ND, 4 for Navy, and 2 were not rooting for anything except a good time.  Tricia wore a WW1 hat with "US Navy" script on the front.  Margaret wore her ND Irish hat, and dueling sisters was on!

 

Lisa, rooting for Navy, said to Tricia:  "We have to out-play them because we certainly cannot  out-cheer them".   In short, ND lived up to their number 24 ranking and dominated the game from the outset.  The final score was 50 to 10.  Nevertheless, a good time was had by all.  At the end of the game, the Irish team walked down the field to the Navy end and stood silently out of respect as the Navy band played their Alma mater.  We learned that Navy is the only team where ND stands with them as their Alma Mater is played at the end of a game.  Then Navy reciprocated, and as "love thee Notre Dame" filled the stadium, a large cheer erupted, and the field and stadium slowly emptied out.

 

On our cab ride home, we asked the cabbie if it was weird for him that an American football team would call themselves "the Irish", and in his charming accent he said "Not a'tall, everyone wants to be Irish!".

 

Michael Collins: Hero of the Republic

On leaving Cape Clear and making our way towards Dublin, we stopped at the place where Michael Collins was killed.   This year marked the 90th anniversary of his death.  We were lucky to be able to spend the night at the Imperial Hotel in Cork, where Collins stayed the night before his fateful drive and assassination. For those of you who don't know much about Michael Collins, he was the military commander of the IRA and was extremely important in the ultimate liberation of Ireland from Great Britain.  He was killed by his own people after he negotiated a strategic settlement with Britain that only included about 80 percent of Ireland.  Collins knew that Britain would never sign over 100% of Ireland, so he felt that it was better to obtain 80% and work on the remaining 20% over time, rather than have nothing.  Absolutists in his organization had a different view, one more of "all or nothing", and as a result felt that Collins had betrayed them.  As he lay dying, his final words were "Forgive them!". 

Cape Clear: History and wedding bells

 

Leaving Kilarney, we wound our way down south, passing more castles and the ruins of castles.  Our goal was Cape Clear, a small island (3 miles by 1 &1/2 miles) off the far southern coast of Ireland, where Margaret's ancestors came from and where the O' Driscolls still live.  To get there, we first had to go to a small-port fishing village, Baltimore.  Baltimore held a small harbor, from which several ferries plied their way to islands close in to the coast.  This was clearly an operation for commerce and not tourism--you could drive your vehicle right onto the jetty and right next to the ferry boats, which were in the mid-fifty foot range.   To get to Cape Clear, we would need to ride the ferry for about 45 minutes.  

 

Once our ferry docked, Colleen, who had been to the island before to visit the relatives, recognized one of the owners of the boat as Patrick O'Driscoll.  Patrick said he knew we were coming, as word had gotten around the island (population 120).  He also already knew that several couples would be renewing their vows at the small church--he even knew the time of the celebration at the church.  We boarded the ferry with a considerable amount of luggage.  The sea was heaving slightly as we rounded the point beyond the natural harbor, and the swells increased as we got under way past the point.  Cape Clear lay dead ahead.  The wind was brisk, but the rain, which threatened, held off.   Once in the open sea, the ferry moved head-on into the swells, and soon began to pitch.  Several of us stood at the side of the quarterdeck, facing the oncoming waves.  The bow rose and fell,  and a few times we took a small amount of water through the anchor ports.  Spray crested above the bow, dousing George and Lisa as they stood on the port side of the quarterdeck.  As we bore into the island, the swells began to ease.  As we came in close to the cliffs leading into North Harbor, we saw a small creek pouring off the cliff, directly into the sea.  This was the island that Margaret's dad had talked so much about. 

 

We docked at the small harbor and were met by Sheila Cadogan, married to Michael John, a distant relation to Margaret. Mary, the driver of the only taxi on the island, was waiting to take us to the two cottages where we were staying---Joe O' Driscoll's, who lives in Monterrey and graciously offered his cottage to us, and Sheila's house, just across the road. The roads are very narrow and only one car can pass at a time. If another car comes, one must back up and find a way for the other to pass. 

 

After we dropped our luggage, Mary drove us back to North Harbor to eat dinner at the restaurant next to the jetty.  This is restaurant, general store, bakery, and we speculate also a bait shop--all in one.  We had a great time afterwards drinking wine and visiting in Joe Driscoll's wonderful living room.  The next day, we were picked up at noon and went back down the road to the little church.  A priest was coming over from the mainland to say the mass and renewal of vows.   As you know from reading earlier, this is 25 years of marriage for us.  We joined Paul and Colleen, along with George and Lisa, in this renewal---in the church where Margaret's ancestors worshipped in past centuries. We had about 12 folks from the Island who came to the wedding vow renewal. They did not know us, but were happy for us to return home and celebrate this event on their Island. We were so touched that they would come even though they did not actually know us.  The priest was challenged, as he usually celebrated mass in "the Irish"--he kept having to refer to his English liturgy book. 

 

After the mass, we invited all present, which included a few of the islanders, back to Joe Driscoll's house and had a meal.  Sheila had prepared some delicious homemade items for us to share.  It was so fun to visit with our guests. They are very difficult to understand, but the charm makes up for challenges in the communication. The warmth, the smiles, the love was so apparent in the Cape people. We wondered if the song "when Irish eyes are smiling they are sure to steal your heart away" was inspired here on this tiny island. 

 

The next day we boarded the ferry and said goodbye to Cape Clear, but we knew that we were forever changed and will always have Cape Clear and her people in our hearts.

"Why have a dog and bark yourself?": the Irish charm begins.

We met our family at the Shannon airport and boarded a luxury bus. Our driver is Kevin and he a charming Irishman and an excellent driver.

The members of the group are ----

-Lisa, our beautiful sister in love, married to Margaret's brother George----we got so lucky that she said yes to George. Lisa planned almost all of the trip with the help of Tricia (Margaret's other sister)

-George, Margaret's brother, an adventurous guy who has the best laugh--- hearty, joyful, and so engaging that all of us work to tell jokes just to hear him laugh.

-Sam, our wonderful niece, who is well travelled, and quite committed to documenting the journey and the fun. She is giving all of us a gift by posting pictures and keeping family and friends updated via Facebook.

-Tricia, Margaret's sister.  Not only did Tricia help to plan the trip, but she also brought cocktails and hors d' ouvres for the bus.....we love that girl!! Although Lisa and Tricia kept us updated as the trip was being planned, most of us filed the e-mails and opted for more of a surprise trip in Ireland. The element of surprise in terms of the events of the day make it extra fun. 

-Colleen, Margaret's other sister---very fun, and a blast to have as a traveling partner.

-Paul, Colleen's husband, a musician, and simply a great guy.

We couldn't think of a better way to start the trip than to head to a small village where "The Quiet Man" was filmed. We went into Cohan pub and had a pint, while we quoted lines from the movie.

It was fun to sit on the famous bridge where John Wayne sat in the movie. The countryside is green and so picturesque.  It is very obvious why they call it The Emerald Isle.  We checked into our hotel in Galway, went to an "off license" store, made a few strategic purchases, and had happy hour in Colleen's room.  We had dinner in a pub across the street.  The pub is just how you imagine, with Irish music, fish and chips, and Guinness.  Lisa's dream was to ride the famous Conemara horses on the Irish sea shore.  We had great weather for our ride, which included a brisk trot and canter through the green fields right next to the beach, where the cows just gave us a quick look.  We also rode right into the sea to about a foot deep.  The views were spectacular out to sea and back inland towards the mountains. 

Ireland is known for its castles, and they are spectacular.  We saw the Killarney castle, the Blarney castle, and the Kilkenny castle, to name a few.   All along the way, there were other castles, some in significant disrepair or perhaps not as grand, but certainly ones that gave evidence that at one time these landmark buildings stood out and were shelter to important people. 

 Thanks to Kevin our driver, he recommended that we substitute the Dingle peninsula for the Ring of Kerry.  Kevin said that in the 20 years he's been driving, he never tires of this place and feels that it is one of the most beautiful areas of Ireland.  He was right.  One fun thing about the town of Dingle is a pub called Dick Mack's.  It is both a small pub and a leather repair shop, so Kevin joked that you could have a pint and get your shoes fixed at the same time.  It turns out that the room is so small that you actually can sit on a bench opposite the bar and simply raise your foot onto the workbench.  It is a must see in Dingle. 

What would a trip to Ireland be without visiting the Jameson distillery?  Sammy became an official Jameson whiskey taster.  This is extra funny because she doesn't drink.

The country is beautiful, no doubt, but the true treasure of Ireland are its people.  They were charming and welcoming wherever we went, and we loved the expressions they used when they spoke.  A few examples (you have to imagine with an Irish accent) :  "I'm grand"  ,  "of course you can", "it was meltin' hot",

"why have a dog and bark yourself?". 

Next stop: Cape Clear---the small island (population 120) off the southern tip of Ireland where Margaret's ancestors were born.

The Lake District got even better!

We thought we were done in the Lake District as we left Keswick  heading to Manchester.  Our route would take us out of the Lake District heading south.  We decided to stop in Windemere to have lunch as a book Margaret bought on great restaurants in Cumbria had many listings for Windemere. We picked the restaurant The Samling.  We picked it for two reasons:  one, because the book led us to believe  it was traditional English cuisine with elegance and flair, and secondly, because we always have fun when we have a specific destination...it makes for a fun adventure. 
We gave Gwendolyn the postal code to calculate our route.   The main route through the Lake District is curvy, winds along the lakeshore, and is vary narrow in spots.  When we got to where Gwendolyn said we should turn, we didn't even see a street to turn on.   We later realized that you had to know exactly where you were going or you would miss it.  We went to the lakeside  information center to ask where The Samling could be found.  We got directions leading back, and found a discreet stone marking sign and a narrow gate to a drive  leading up the hill. 
Little did we know where we were heading.  We climbed up the hill onto an estate overlooking the lake.  We pulled into the roundabout in front of the grand house and parked behind a beautiful black Range Rover.   Its occupants were being greeted by the quintessential English host.  Margaret got out of the car and asked  the gentleman if this was where we could have lunch.  He assured us it was.  We were led into a drawing room where we were invited to wait and have a beverage.  We then entered a charming dining room, where we were seated at a lakeview table next to a beautiful fireplace. 
Thomas was our waiter.  He was a young, handsome Englishman and obviously very proud to be in service at this restaurant which, we discovered, was connected to a boutique hotel.   He attended to our table with precision, much as we would expect from watching Downton Abbey.  The service and the meal were world-class.  It seems that we had stumbled upon a gem.  In fact, we overhead that William and Kate might be coming to stay.  
Our Samling experience was a fitting end to our charming time in the Lake District.

"For nature then to me was all in all"---Wordsworth, Lake District, England

"Come forth into the light of things, let Nature be your teacher". ---Wordsworth.   

There are two main reasons people come to the Lake District in England:  one, to walk where the Romantic poets (Wordsworth, Coleridge, Southey) walked, and experience the land that inspired them; and the second reason is to just plain walk!  

Most people that we have met in the |Lake District are here to do the latter.  There is a famous Lakes writer named Albert Wainwright who wrote a series of books about walking in the different areas of the Lakes.  The walking trails are charming, but somewhat mysterious to navigate.  One excerpt reads:  "No Keswick holiday is consummated without a visit to Catbells.  This favorite walk is delightful.  The path leaves the Newlands Road out of Portinscale 25 yards beyond the lane to Nickal End, where a gap in the bush hedge on the left admits to a wood.  The route is not quite clear until the private road to Lingholm is reached, but thereafter is signposted".  Good luck with that one!  Now that you are lost in the wood somewhere beyond Nickal End, may you find your way back without incident.  We did do the walk up to Catbells, and it is lovely indeed.    To the west of Catbells is the valley where Beatrix Potter lived.  It is pastoral and idyllic.  

We are staying on a working farm (Sandhill Farm) in Bassenthwaite, on the Mirehouse estate.  It is charming, and our host Helen has been great.  We have been learning the protocol of how to walk across the land on the public footpaths, which are marked somewhat haphazardly.    One of the small peaks near the farm is named Dodd Summit---we've included a picture here to give you an idea of the landscape.  It was great to just leave the farm and climb up this peak, which has a striking view of the town of Keswick, Derwentwater (a lake) and the surrounding peaks.  Unfortunately, pictures can only convey the obvious---not the sensation of being in this landscape.  It is absolutely charming, almost like something out of a fairytale. 

Yesterday we went to Dove Cottage in Grasmere--Wordsworth home for about 8 years, during which he wrote much of his best poetry.  The museum was fantastic.  For us, part of this trip has been experiencing the different foods.   We have had some excellent meals here, including one last night (for my 50th birthday) at Purdey's, on the Langdale Estate in Great Langdale.  Getting there via a recommended shortcut from Grasmere was a driving adventure, over an extremely narrow mountain road called Red Banks, on which we met a bus and were coached though the meeting between the rock walls by the bus driver, who was patient with us.  Also coaching us was Gwendolyn, our navigation system embodiment, fondly named by Paul, whose voice is soothingly similar to an English nanny.    Today we climbed up Carl's End, a fell (mountain) near the farm.  Up we went, almost into the low clouds,  until we elected to retreat just below the summit as the wind picked up and a white out threatened.  It is easy to see, after being here, why Wordsworth, Coleridge, and DeQuincy, among others, were so moved and inspired by the landscape.   As you walk, each freshening rain brings forth a new Eden.  It is a very special place, one deserving of its association with The Romantics. 

Tomorrow we  begin our journey to the Emerald Isle for the next chapter in this incredible adventure.  We will surely have a spot in our hearts for the Lake District and be grateful for the inspiration it has given to so many, ourselves included.

" I listened, motionless and still; And, as I mounted up the hill, The music in my heart I bore, Long after it was heard no more" ---Wordsworth

We have fallen in love with South Africa!!! (especially Franschhoek)

If you love great food, excellent wine, and gorgeous scenery.........South Africa, and Franschhoek in particular, is the place for you. 

Simply incredible!!

We suppose we should have known that we would fall in love with South Africa when we met our guardian angel on the flight from Ethiopia en route to Johannesburg. 

We left the Arusha Hotel in the late afternoon with the rest of our group, even though we had a later flight, scheduled to take off at 4:20 AM.  When we arrived at the airport, we found out we couldn't check our bags until 1:00 am.  We slept in shifts until then.  The only reasonable way to get to Capetown was on Ehiopian Air---first to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, then to Johannesburg, SA.  From Johannesburg we would fly to Capetown on South African Airways.  The transfer in Addis Ababa was quite confusing; and the conditions quite subpar compared to Western standards, both in terms of organization and cleanliness.  We were happy to leave and head out to Johannesburg.   |n short, our odyssey from the Arusha Hotel to Franschhoek, South Africa took 28 hours of travel.  In Addis Ababa we had a deeper understanding of how our guardian angels work.  We met a woman at the gate, Merriam, who lives in South Africa.  She was charming and helped us decipher the Ethiopian system.  We also met a man named Mark, a South African who lives and works in Saudi Arabia.  On the plane, Mark happened to notice a man named Stefan, another South African who was seated a row behind him.   It turns out Mark had met Stefan at a barbeque years ago in Saudi Arabia.  Stefan took us under his wing even before we left Johannesburg.  Once we landed in Capetown he met his sister and introduced us, explaining to his sister that he would like to help us get on the road to Franschhoek.  It was dark, raining very hard and the wind was quite strong.  That, coupled with the need to drive on the left side of the road, would make it challenging for us to navigate---in the dark in a land we had never seen before.  He went with us to the rental car counter and made arrangements with his sister to have his sister lead us up the highway to the turnoff to Franschhoek. He was a simply a great ambassador for South Africa.  In short, he was our guardian angel.

Now we are happy to be safely ensconced at the Cape Vue Guest House in Franschhoek, SA---what we consider to be the St. Helena of South Africa.  It is a charming town, with some of the world's best restaurants and phenomenal wine.  The setting is spectacular, tucked beneath the mountains.  We have had a great time so far, and are looking forward to simply staying in one place and not having to pack up a suitcase each night. 

We showered (awesome!!) and then were picked up by the local Italian restaurant chauffeur and had a wonderful meal with an excellent South African wine.

The next day we slept in and had a great breakfast. We were picked up by Elmer, the driver for the wine hopper. This is a great service that they have here.  You buy a ticket and then the bus takes you to the wineries and you hop on and off.

We went to Grand Provence, Le Petite Ferme, and Le Petite Dauphine.

The tastings were excellent, but the settings even more spectacular.

We then went to Le Quartier Francais, said to be the best restaurant in South Africa and said to be one of the top 50 restaurants in the world. The Chef is Margot Janse. She is regarded as one of the top female Chefs in the world.......after experiencing her dinner we understand why.......simply extraordinary!!  Check out one of the blog pictures for the menu that we had.

Everyday was a culinary extravaganza.  The restaurants here are off the charts.  We decided we needed a little bit of exercise, so we drove up to Franschhoek Pass and did a hike, which had great views over the valley.  As our five days was coming to an end, we regretted having to leave so soon.  There is so much to see, eat, and drink here.  Our last meal was at La Motte, which is a gorgeous winery and restaurant owned by the Rupert family.  The meal was exquisite.  It actually reminded us of the chef's wine pairing meal at Meadowood Country Club in St. Helena (of course we thought of you, Joanne!).

After this meal we were sure that we will be back...hopefully with some of our friends.  

And now we leave enchanting South Africa for the Lake District of England, to walk in the footsteps of Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Keats.  When we post for the Lake District, be looking for us to be telling of the connection between Man and the landscape.  

Love to everybody.

On Safari!

On Safari!
Greetings!  We are completing our survey of African animal populations...and we have concluded that seeing these animals in their natural habitat is extraordinary.  Our Safari began in Arusha, where we boarded specially modified Land Cruisers and headed out for Tarangire National Park.  This park has huge populations of animals.  Here we saw elephants, hippos, cheetahs, gazelle, did diks, warhogs, a million birds, and a lioness sleeping near its kill---a cape buffalo.  Our guide is Bakari, whose English is tempered with unique phrases such as "don't make loud", "he rolls in the muddy", "endangered speesh", and "hire arc". Our lodge at Tarangiri is the Sopa Lodge, which is a chain of lodges nestled in the landscape.  Bushbuck Safaris is the operator; their slogan is "It's rough, it's dusty, but it's an adventure".  After Tarangiri we go to the Serengeti, driving hours on bumpy dirt roads through a landscape that looks like the West Texas plains, puncuated by the occasional Masai village.  As we sail across the Serengeti, kopi, which are rock outcroppings, shimmer in the distance.  We leave the main road and drive up to one.  On the top is a lioness, surveying her domain---just like in The Lion King.  At the Serengeti Sopa Lodge, we enter our room and right outside our balcony is a Cape Buffalo and 3 gazelles.  After dinner we are escorted back to our room by an armed guard to prevent any dangerous animal encounters.  In both the Tarangire and Serengeti lodges there are mosquito nets around the beds----we feel it is something out of "out of Africa".  By the time we arrive at the NgoroNgoro crater Sopa Lodge, we have seen every major animal except for the rhino.  The best odds of seeing a rhino is in the crater.  There are approx 35 rhinos in the crater.  This sounds like a lot but because the land inside the crater is so  huge, it is difficult to see a rhino.  Although we did not end up seeing a rhino, our timing was perfect to see the courtship and mating ritual of the lions---up close, no more than 15 feet away,  and very personal.   It was so interesting to see the affection between the male and female.  As the male lion concludes his enthusiastic activities, and collapses next to her, she puts her paw up on his flank, and Bakari comments:  "She say, 'Oh baby, I love you baby'..."  Everyone laughs, but Bakari insists:  "No laugh, because she piiiick him---she loooove him.  Humans do for thrill, but the lion he do to make beby".  And another day ends on the savanah...
A Safari is a must on the vacation bucket list!

Reflections on climbing and summitting Mt. Kilimanjaro

Greetings! 
This post is to give you an idea about the climb and how it went.  We realize we are backtracking a little bit, but it is necessary because we had no internet connections during the actual climb.    Before we tell you about the specifics, we thought it would be good to give you some background on the guiding company we chose.

Why did we pick Alpine Ascents as our guide company?
The details and logistics of an expedition of this sort demand experienced experts.  Alpine Ascents handles everything:   setting up all the tents, including the mess tent and toilet tents.   They pay attention to all the details that make such an expedition enjoyable for the climbers, such as  clean water, waking you up in the morning at your tent door with coffee, ensuring that you are well prepared for the day, have good fresh food, etc.  Their attention to safety and their safety record sets the standard for the industry.   They are the leaders in climbing the Seven Summits (and Kili is one!).  In short, Alpine Ascents is the premiere guiding company if you are interested in proven safety and also want the highest level of luxury on an expedition that is tent camping.  They also have one of the highest percentages of climbers that successfully summit.

Day 1 of climb:
We left the Arusha hotel in extended-cab Land Cruisers bound for the Machame trailhead.  Along the way, we viewed the pastoral landscape of the lower slope of the mountain--the goats in the grass fields and the dry-farmed corn fields.  Our guides, Don and Sara Carpenter, have already started to take care of us---for example, Sara's taping of Paul's blistered right heel before we even left for the trailhead.  Once we get to the gate, we prepare our gear.  The monkeys are all over the metal roof at the prep area.  The foliage is lush here at 6,000 ft, and the weather is good today---no rain.  We meet our Chagga guides here.  There are six---one lead guide, Matthew, and five guides that report to him.  Their names are Frank, Clements, Nicholas, Abraham, and Paul.   We start by winding up a fire-road style trail into the jungle, climbing steadily.  We break every hour for water and a snack if we want it.  The protocol for the break is to drop your pack, put another layer on to stay warm, even if you are not cold, drink water, eat some food, and go the bathroom if you need to do so.   The significance of the break protocol would be clearer to us as we got closer to summit day.  After about 3 hours  we arrive at the lunch stop, at which we get our first taste of the food and Alpine Ascents' hospitality.   There is a mess tent that was carried by the porters and assembled before we arrived at that spot in the trail. The mess tent has an Igloo water jug full of warm water for hand-washing with soap.  The table is set with flowers--an oasis in an oasis.   The toilet tent is also set up.  After lunch we climbed another 3 hours up to Machame camp at 9,900 ft.  We are welcomed into camp by the Chagga-tribe porters and guides.  There we find the tents already set up.  We have a little time before dinner to set up our tent for sleeping.  Since darkness falls around 6:30 pm, we set up early this first night to make sure we get everything right.  This is Margaret's maiden voyage overnight in a tent ---quite educational for her.  In about 40 minutes, we have to get the tent totally prepared to sleep.  This entails laying out the waffle sleeping pads, blowing up the Thermarest mattresses, and arranging and securing all our gear.  For Paul it also means removing his contacts and setting them up for the night.  It also means setting up the pee bottle in a convenient place.  Dinner is served in the mess tent around 6:30 pm.  This tent is the same tent that was assembled at lunch lower on the mountain, then disassembled and carried by porters higher on the mountain to our evening camp.  A typical dinner begins with soup and then follows with rice or pasta, vegetables, meat, and ends with dessert.  Hot drinks are available throughout the meal.  After dinner we turn on our headlamps and go back to our tent.  The sleeping bag becomes a respite from the rigors of the day---it is warm and welcome.  This first night we sleep pretty well because we are only at 10,000 ft.

Day 2 of climb:
This day begins at 6:15 am by waking up to hot drinks delivered to our tent, followed by a full breakfast.  The care and concern of Don and Sara to make sure that we are taken care of is evident.   Our Chagga guides are helpful and joyful---they help Margaret put on her gaiters before we leave camp.  We hike up a very steep grade for 3 hours to the top of the Shira plateau.  This grade is full of big boulders that require good effort to  get around. Here we get our first view of the top of Kili.  There is cloud cover until we get to 11,000 ft,  when we drop down off a ridge into the lunch spot.  Sara and Don teach along the way---showing us how to be more efficient with our steps and footwork, saving energy and making sure we stay safe.  The pace slows as we climb higher.  Matthew, our lead Chagga guide,  is great to deal with.  An adorable member of the guide crew, Frank, is nicknamed nungu nungu (porcupine).  He is joyful and an excellent singer.  He is the leader for the daily reception as we come into camp, which begins this afternoon.  As we come into camp, all the guides and porters are singing the "Kilimanjaro song", a catchy tune.   All the girls on the trip want to take nungu nungu home.  Margaret has a pretty good headache from the altitude as we get into Shira camp at 12,500 ft.  We've now climbed 6,500 ft in two days.  The routine is the same---we have to get our tent ready before dinner.  While we are getting our tent ready, we find out that Elin, a beautiful and quintessential Swedish girl, is sick.  She is vomiting and cannot hold food down.  Don and Sara are quick to assess her and offer her help, along with the help of the 3 doctors we have as members of our group:  Tripp and Mara, a  married couple, and Jim, a cardiac surgeon.  We go to bed not knowing what will happen to Elin.

Day 3 of climb:
Over hot coffee in the tent, Paul explains to Margaret that this Kili climb is a hybrid between a hut-trekking trip and full mountaineering expedition because of altitude, weather, and the fact of having no resources other than what you bring with you or is carried by the porters.  The significance of this will be  borne out later in the day.  Today we climb to 14,800 on a ridge before heading to our campsite at Barranco at 12,800.  This is an acclimatization day of climbing high and sleeping low---the first of three such days.  Along the way, Nungu Nungu sang the Jumbo song to us on the trail when he knew we were getting tired.  His singing lifts our spirits and gives us more energy to keep climbing. "Pole pole" is said constantly by our guides. Pole means slow. It is critical to have a slow pace so you conserve energy and have the maximum chance of summitting. The guides remind us to go Pole Pole. By lunch we learn that Elin, who had been struggling in the rear, has agreed to be taken down the mountain.  Resources are committed by the guides to ensure her safe descent and return to Arusha.   We are saddened but glad to hear, later in the day, that she is on her way to Arusha.   We climb up to the high point of our day,  a spot known as Lava Tower.  Paul scrambles partway up, while Margaret continues with part of the group down to the campsite.  She is rained-on along the way.  The descent to the campsite winds past large groundsel trees shrouded in the wetting mist.  We arrive at the campsite at the base of the Barranco Wall, an imposing barrier to further progress. We can't see the wall that night, but will get a full view the next morning. We eat together and then head to bed.  One of the real great aspects of going on a trip like this is meeting special people that become part of your team.   We had the pleasure of getting to know a couple from Annapolis, MD, Tripp and Mara Holton, both doctors.  Much as numgu nungu knew when to sing to us to inspire us on,  Tripp knew just when to crack a joke to lighten the load and raise our spirits.  Both of them were a joy to be around.  We look forward to seeing them again.  We have so many "Trippisms" from this trip.  He is  the funniest guy!

Day 4 of climb:
This day begins with a view of climbers stacking up at critical pitches as they scramble up the Great Barranco Wall.  We have this view because Don and Sara have decided to leave camp a little later, concluding that the other climbers will only impede us, which is obvious now to us from our vantage point.  Soon enough, though, we begin our ascent.   Our scramble up the Barranco wall made Margaret think of P.J. and Jon, as well as Stef's Andrew---all climbers who would consider this somewhat easy if not for the elevation.   For some on the trip, this is most scrambling they have ever done.  The guides take great care of us---they know who needs the help with foot and hand placement and they are right there to help.  Nungu Nungu is also there to get us singing when our energy lags.  It is here that Jian, a lovely girl from London,  had trouble breathing due to her asthma.  A guide took her pack,.  Sara waited with her while she caught her breath, letting her take her time.  Sara coached Margaret up the first part of the rock scramble, showing her where to place her feet, how to think about the movements and her center of gravity.  Matthew said "put your hand here Madame".  Paul, one of the Chagga guides, led her up and down along the most dangerous sections, standing below to block her from any dangerous drops and telling Margaret right where to place her feet on the short descents, saying " no slippery Mama".   All the guides and porters sang to us on as we climbed up the steep final pitch to Karanga camp at 13,300.  There is a huge singing celebration when we crest the ridge and enter camp at around 2:30 pm.  There is a chill in the air now, but the weather is great.  Here we start the initial prepping of our gear for the summit attempt.  We see the top of the mountain for about 5 minutes before clouds covered it---it is spectacular, crowned in snow and ice and looming directly above us as evening falls. 

Day 5 of climb:
The day dawns clear and starts with the morning routine of packing up gear and getting ready to make way.  We steadily climb a gradual trail  2,300 feet up to Kosovo camp at 15,600---this is our High Camp.  We  are here early with time to prep our gear for our summit attempt.   It is snowing lightly---grauppel snow---pellet snow---as we enter camp.  Here the challenge of the cold begins, along with the wind.  We prep our gear and have an early breakfast/dinner.  At dinner Don gives us an overview of Summit day and the protocol we will  follow  for breaks before we head to bed at around 6 pm .  The critical element of the breaks is efficiency---getting it all done fast before we start to get dangerously cold.

Day 6 of climb:
Summit Day!   We awake at 11:00 pm, have breakfast ( along with Diamox for altitude) and leave at midnight with headlamps on.  It is cold, in the high teens F, with a light wind, and clear.  We will leave at midnight and climb about  6.5  hours in the dark, stopping every hour to drink and eat a snack.  The mantra is "pole pole"---slowly, slowly.  As we ascend, it gets colder and windier, but still good conditions generally prevail.  Nungu Nungu sings to us when we need it to keep our spirits up.   The climb is brutally steep and switchbacks back and forth.  Maddy made Margaret a playlist on the Ipod for summit day---Pete Huttlinger "On Eagle's Wings" pushes her on.  Margaret also wears a scarf Karen Driscoll made to keep her neck warm.  She is reminded about how blessed she is to have wonderful family and friends.  The climb up Kili is much more mental than physical. We are reminded of the virtues of perserverance and patience.  The steepness is unrelenting, the air so thin that it seems you can hardly get a good breath. The guides tell us the brutal steep will end at Stella Point, and then it will be more gradual for the final 1,000 feet to reach UHURU PEAK. We finally reach Stella Point, near 18,000 ft.  As we reach the flank of the crater rim we get a hot drink the porters have packed up in Thermos bottles.  It was so cold and the hot tea seemed such a wonderful gift at that moment. The tea helped to warm us.  The break is short.  Soon the climb up Uhuru peak, the high point on the crater rim, begins.  It becomes the summit ridge that never seems to end, with false summit after false summit.   We are ascending the ridge as dawn begins to break to the east.  Finally the summit is in view and Margaret is the first client to stand there, with Paul right behind her.  We are moved to recommit our love for each other here at the summit.  We spend about 1/2 hour at the summit watching the sunrise. It is so cold you cannot stay much longer.  With goggles and sunglasses,  we descend back down the trail towards camp.  It is a long way down through the loose earth on the trail. We slide so far with each step that we marvel how we made it uphill.  Once back in high camp, we pack up our gear, have lunch, and begin the trek downhill to Millenium camp at around 12,000 ft.  Everyone is exhausted on the descent.  We have been hiking for 17 hours with only a few breaks to rest.  At Millenium we head to our tents for a nap.  We are  awakened for dinner and all report to the mess tent.  After dinner we have a special cake made by the chef.  We all go to bed early and have a great night's sleep!  Margaret and I lie in bed and marvel at this incredible accomplishment. It hadly seems real that we were standing on the roof of Africa.  We fall fast asleep.

Day 7 of climb:
After sleeping 10 hours without waking up, we pack up the tent for the last time.  While packing up we give many of our trekking and campling items to a collection being taken up for the guides and porters (70 people total) that provided all the support for the expedition. These people are very poor, and our gear contributions will be valuable to them.   We descend 6,000 ft, starting in the dirt, and  ending in the mud of the jungle (very slippery!).  When we get to Mweka gate, the final point, the crew had an incredible reception for us, with special necklaces and dancing and a beautiful lunch.   The items we donated were laid out on the grass and raffled off---when their number was picked a porter or guide would come up and pick an item they liked.  We said goodbye and got in the Land Cruisers to head back to Arusha for  the first shower in 7 days-----heaven! We then went out to a great celebration dinner.  We had done it! 

Summit update

Greetings!
We are very happy to report that we successfully summitted Africa's highest peak, Uhuru peak, on Mt. Kilimanjaro at 6:41AM on August 8, 2012. We stood on the roof of Africa!

The climb to the summit was very challenging and difficult. We will post later with more details about summit day and the climbing days leading up to summit day. For now, it is off for a hot shower, the first in 7 days, sleep in a normal bed, and then on to our Safari.

Hope everyone is doing great and we will post again soon.

*Here's a bonus photo from before the trek that we forgot to post: