Start Climb: 5 July - Rainforest not a jungle

After a long drive to our starting point we are getting ready to start the first day of hiking. The bus ride drove through the countryside and small villages. All the gear was on top and the entire crew: 3 climbers (Jan-Mark, Pierre- O, me), 2 guides, our cook, and over 10 porters who would be carrying our 30 lb duffel bags as well as tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment and food (water is collected at each camp).

After a long drive to our starting point we are getting ready to start the first day of hiking. The bus ride drove through the countryside and small villages. 

All the gear was on top and the entire crew: 3 climbers (Jan-Mark, Pierre- O, me), 2 guides, our cook, and over 18 porters who would be carrying our 30 lb duffel bags as well as tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment and food (water is collected at each camp)

After a box lunch and our lead guide getting us registered we unceremoniously started up a smooth dirt trail. About 6 other groups were also starting that day. 

Pierre behind me


Jan-Mark riding shotgun in front. Tanzania drive like the British, on the left. 


Not a cool hat but will provide rain and sun shelter 





One of the many park gates


 



We walk through heavy vegetation for about 4 hours that reminds me of Florida.  Hard to see here but there is a big white fur monkey high in the trees.







We finally get to our first camp and get to meet the crew members.  They passed us almost immediately on the trail so they could setup camp and get dinner started.
We are at Mti Mkubwa Camp. 8,694 ft elevation. Tomorrow we'll hike out of the rainforest to Shira 1 Camp, just 4 miles away in the moorlands. 
The campsite is packed with about 50 tents. At night the monkeys would invade the site looking for scraps. How do I know? They scream and kinda bark-chatter. Not stealthy at all. This high season for climbing so the monkeys are taking advantage of it.



The light green is my home for the next week. 

This is dinner 

Our mess tent. Yes, that's popcorn before dinner Always a choice of hot tea, coffee or chocolate. 
















 

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