The family consensus is that I will no longer be given carte blanche for any future vacations. Our taste for adventure has been more than satisfied for the next decade. Adventure on vacations for the next several years will be limited to ordering new desserts. We try not to think about what alternative vacations we could have done with the two weeks, 960,000 Northwest miles and significant expense this adventure required. Hopefully as time passes we will forget the headaches, nausea and other health maladies, days without showers, sunburn and aching muscles and joints and only remember the phenomenal views, interesting personalities we met on the journey, physical accomplishments that we were not sure we were capable of completing and of course the time we spent together as a family.
Kevin, Michelle, Brian and Allison
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
On the Way Back
Our campers' plane is now "feet dry" over Newfoundland.
Kevin had sent a note from Amsterdam last night, saying how anxious he was to hear about Detroit City Council President Pro Tem Monica Conyers’ guilty plea to a felony bribery charge.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
June 28 - Tanzanite
Tanzanite is a rare purple-blue gem stone that is apparently only mined within a 6-10 km diameter area just south of Mt. Kilimanjaro. On Sunday morning we met with a man named ‘Innocent’ in our hotel. Innocent was referred to us by our Africa-based trip coordinator as an ‘honest’ dealer in Tanzanite (and who knows what else?). We had spent some time with an official Tanzanite dealer located in the hotel earlier, so we had a small amount of knowledge to work with in our deal with Innocent. As he only accepted cash I ended up traveling outside the hotel on a tour of nearby ATMs, loading up on wads of Tanzanian shillings (1,000 Tsh = 1 USD). We closed the deal and wondered how we should handle customs on our return.
Note to readers: Having been appointed his sponsor, I happen to know that young Brian also assumed this gem merchant's name, "Innocent", during his confirmation a few years back. Because of this coincidence, I am almost certain that the tanzanite he was peddling was probably not mined using child slave labor, nor were the proceeds from the sale used to support al Qaeda terrorists -McQ
Note to readers: Having been appointed his sponsor, I happen to know that young Brian also assumed this gem merchant's name, "Innocent", during his confirmation a few years back. Because of this coincidence, I am almost certain that the tanzanite he was peddling was probably not mined using child slave labor, nor were the proceeds from the sale used to support al Qaeda terrorists -McQ
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The Safari
June 26-27On Friday, June 26 we left the comfortable Arusha Hotel with our driver, Emmanuel, for Arusha National Park and the Momella Wildlife Lodge. The plan was to go on a two-day safari in the Park. Basically we drove around looking for wildlife in a specially equipped Toyota Land Cruiser, spending Friday night at the Momella Wildlife Lodge.
Within five minutes of entering
the Park we saw several giraffe which were almost too close for the telephoto lens. Seeing animals so soon was a pleasant surprise.We checked into our lodge. Our Africa-based coordinator had described the lodge as "luxurious". This was the most inaccurate description of this enitre exhibition. We were the only guests. We were outnumbered by the staff roughly 15-5 (four of us and our driver). The power was by generator and only on from 6:30 pm – 10 pm and for a few hours in the morning. The separate lodges were scary. This was the place where the Duke, John Wayne, stayed during filming of the movie ‘Hatari’. In fact, supposedly the entire ‘resort’ was built for the movie. To be generous, the sleeping accommodations were comical.
At dinner we asked the two waiters if the lodge was ever busy. They said the busy season started in June -- they paused and then said it started getting busy in 'late' June. It was June 26th. I am not sure when 'late' June starts in Africa.
We continued our Safari the following morning (Saturday) and them went directly back to the Arusha Hotel.
Friday, June 26, 2009
June 25 report from Arusha
10,500 feet
We awake at Milleneum camp around 6:30 am and leave the camp near 9 am. Everyone is feeling much better but very tired and in desperate need of a shower. The plan is to hike down for 1-1/2 to 2 hours to another camp, then 3 more hours to our pickup point.
The hike to the first camp is basically down a washout ravine – steep and over many loose rocks. As we near the camp Michelle, up to now the only one of us not to have gotten injured or sick, does something to her knee. She cannot bend her right knee. We hobble into the first camp.
The stretchers that are normally at this camp are already being used up the mountain for rescues and emergencies. Our guides have a soft stretcher with them in addition to the portable oxygen chamber that they have kept near us the entire trip. Michelle is loaded onto the soft stretcher and six porters and a guide start her down the mountain. Brian, Allison and I follow with the other guide. We can barely keep up – and these guys are not only carrying Michelle but also some of their regular gear. We are now in the damp, slippery rain forest, below 9,000 feet. Our pickup point is at 5,200 feet.
We finally meet up with a park ranger and a driver in a Toyota Land Cruiser. I think there were seat belts for five or six people in the Land Cruiser. We had AT LEAST 16 people piled in and on the vehicle, in addition to lots of luggage on the roof. The ride down was hairy to say the least. Michelle might have had thoughts about a rollover at this point.
We then go to our original hotel, pick up the luggage we had left there for the remainder of our trip and head to Arusha. We decided to stay in a nicer hotel that we had initially planned for the back-end of our trip.
The Arusha hotel is very nice. We check in, each take very long showers then have a nice dinner at the hotel. Our stomachs have all shrunk considerably. We ordered a typical amount of food for dinner, however not of us came close to finishing. We never got close to desert. All the food was great except for the steak – no where does steak like the US. Brian and Allison talk about finding a McDonald’s soon.
Tomorrow we go on a two day safari in Arusha National Forest. We have hired a private driver for two days, so if it’s not than great or we’re not quite up to it we can head back to the Arusha Hotel.
By the time we finally get to bed, around 11 pm, Michelle’s knee is much better but still pretty stiff.
Kevin, Michelle, Brian & Allison
We awake at Milleneum camp around 6:30 am and leave the camp near 9 am. Everyone is feeling much better but very tired and in desperate need of a shower. The plan is to hike down for 1-1/2 to 2 hours to another camp, then 3 more hours to our pickup point.
The hike to the first camp is basically down a washout ravine – steep and over many loose rocks. As we near the camp Michelle, up to now the only one of us not to have gotten injured or sick, does something to her knee. She cannot bend her right knee. We hobble into the first camp.
The stretchers that are normally at this camp are already being used up the mountain for rescues and emergencies. Our guides have a soft stretcher with them in addition to the portable oxygen chamber that they have kept near us the entire trip. Michelle is loaded onto the soft stretcher and six porters and a guide start her down the mountain. Brian, Allison and I follow with the other guide. We can barely keep up – and these guys are not only carrying Michelle but also some of their regular gear. We are now in the damp, slippery rain forest, below 9,000 feet. Our pickup point is at 5,200 feet.
We finally meet up with a park ranger and a driver in a Toyota Land Cruiser. I think there were seat belts for five or six people in the Land Cruiser. We had AT LEAST 16 people piled in and on the vehicle, in addition to lots of luggage on the roof. The ride down was hairy to say the least. Michelle might have had thoughts about a rollover at this point.
We then go to our original hotel, pick up the luggage we had left there for the remainder of our trip and head to Arusha. We decided to stay in a nicer hotel that we had initially planned for the back-end of our trip.
The Arusha hotel is very nice. We check in, each take very long showers then have a nice dinner at the hotel. Our stomachs have all shrunk considerably. We ordered a typical amount of food for dinner, however not of us came close to finishing. We never got close to desert. All the food was great except for the steak – no where does steak like the US. Brian and Allison talk about finding a McDonald’s soon.
Tomorrow we go on a two day safari in Arusha National Forest. We have hired a private driver for two days, so if it’s not than great or we’re not quite up to it we can head back to the Arusha Hotel.
By the time we finally get to bed, around 11 pm, Michelle’s knee is much better but still pretty stiff.
Kevin, Michelle, Brian & Allison
June 24 report from Millennium Camp (delayed)
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We started the day off very poorly. At 11:30 pm last night (Tuesday, June 23) Allison was hit very hard with Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). No doubt the healthiest and most fit of the four of us, she is now very sick. Allison woke up again at 12:30 am and we spent at least 30 minutes getting her oxygen and stable enough to get back to sleep.
At 4:30 am we all wake up, Allison is definitely in no shape to leave the tent let alone trying to climb 4,000 feet and descent another 7,000 today. Michelle decides to stay behind with her. Kevin and Brian are on their own and leave at 6 am for the summit.
At 17,000 ft or so AMS hits Brian first with a severe headache. He is given oxygen for relief but it does little good. At 18,000 feet he starts vomiting. We continue our ascent. He is pretty determined at this point.
We finally reach the peak (19,330 ft) at 1 pm after 7 hours of taking essentially one step for each breath. The smiles for the pictures are not very genuine. We leave the summit after 20 minutes or less and can’t wait to get down.
Within 30 yards of the summit Brian is vomiting again. It’s going to be a long way down.
We pass through Barafu at 15,200 ft on our way down to Millennium camp at 12,500 ft to meet up with Michelle and Allison . Brian still has a headache however the vomiting has stopped. Kevin is dizzy with fatigue. Brian and Kevin arrive at Millennium camp around 5 pm; 3-1/2 hours and 6,800 ft from the summit. Kevin is given some energy drink from the guides and within minutes is heaving for quite some time.
We have dinner and no one is eating. Brian vomits again. We crawl into our tents and can’t wait to get to real bed the following night.
So far Michelle is the only one to avoid some symptom of AMS.
Kevin, Michelle, Brian & Allison
June 23 report from Barafu Camp (delayed)
15,206 feet
We are sleeping well above the clouds at Barafu camp tonight. All climbs to the summit pass through Barafu.
We had another great meal, however had no appetite to appreciate it. We have spent several nights sleeping around 13,000 feet. Tonight is by far the highest altitude that we have slept at. Cross our fingers.
The plan is to get up at 4:30 am and leave by 5:30 am for the summit, which is nominally a 6-7 hour journey.
I don’t expect that we will sleep well tonight. It is much colder at this higher altitude and the anticipation and anxiety might make a good night’s sleep unachievable.
Kevin, Michelle, Brian & Allison
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