Day 5: The summit is in sight

We woke up and scrambled out of our tents in to a bitterly cold morning and took our usual routine - but today is different we are heading to the summit. Spirits are high and we have each learnt a spacial Swahili nickname;

Tony: chui the 'Leopard'
Rob: mbogo the 'Buffalo'
Tanvir: duma the 'Cheetah'
Eva: punda the 'Donkey'
Neil: tembo the 'Elephant'
Sallie: fisi the 'Hyena'
Izzy: kuku the 'Mother Hen'
Andrew: simba the 'Lion'
Loretta: ngamia the 'Camel'
Harriet: kima the 'Monkey'

We are now at Barafu Hut 'Ice Camp', perched out on a rocky ledge with clouds and ravens swirling all around and the tents billowing in the wind.

There is a strong sense of anticipation as we ready our kit and head torches. Neil

We left camp at 9.00am with a relatively short day of 3 and half hours of hiking. The scenery is like something out of a science fiction novel, deselect, baron desert, lava rock and no vegetation, its like something out of a Star Wars movie!

Its been a very steep up-hill walk 'pol-y pol-y' and the legs are really starting to feel it. There is no water at this camp, the porters have had to carry the water up from the previous camp, about 500m below this martian landscape.

Everyone is in good spirits and queueing for the latrine before we head for the summit.

'Adrienne, Erica & Harrison - love you lots'

'Rachel the little one' 

See you on the other side!

The Kili Challenge Team