Day 4 Hello Tanzania

The overnight flight from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport was a tough one leaving at 2.40am.  After a little sleep we roused ourselves to watch the sun rise. Kilimanjaro looked amazing, the  summit visible above the clouds.  It looked massive, and the upper slopes had a good covering of snow.  Microspikes are packed – a last minute addition.

It was refreshing to see the mountainous skyline after the futuristic man-made skyline of Dubai.

The small but modern airport was a surprise and, this time with all our bags, we were met by a very cheerful minibus driver Damien from Ultimate Kilimanjaro.

A sealed but rough road led us to Moshi.  The moderate temperatures were a relief, as was the sight of the peaceful secluded gardens of the Bristol Cottages where we are to spend the last night before the trek.

At the 3pm briefing we met Ewald, our head guide from the trekking company, Ultimate Kilimanjaro. We leave early tomorrow morning.  We will not have internet on the mountain so this will be the last blog till we are back in Moshi in nine days. No beer for nine days either...   Jambo!

Day 3 Goodbye Dubai

It was a good idea to walk along Dubai Creek in the early morning. Before the sun came up and reduced us to shriveled dried-out beings.  Traditional ornate wooden dhows were tied up in a long row.  They are mostly only used as floating dinner restaurants. The Creek itself is not a creek at all but rather an inlet from the sea.

Locals lined up their yoga mats on the footpath for a public yoga session.  Young men did press-ups on the grass.  Arabian cats rested on park benches.  The city woke up, and heated up.  We spent the morning getting sun-burnt by the pool.

Like real tourists we had booked an afternoon tour of the city. It was informative and fortunately the bus highly air-conditioned. It ended with a boat ride across the Creek to the spice and gold souks. Very glittery and touristy.

The day ended at the Chelsea Arms again. There's not much choice if you want a beer in a dry country.  But the soccer was exciting - Japan versus Senegal.

Dubai - striking modern architecture, sand and Lamborgini's.

A blood red sun rose over the huge wing of the Airbus 380-800. This Emirates aeroplane was ultra new and really really big. It was 29 degrees C when we taxied in to Dubai International airport at 5.30 am, soon to rise to nearly 40.

A hiccup with lost Kearney bags kept us waiting at the airport baggage counter for an hour.  It was quiet, efficient, clean, friendly and strangely soothing. Big cheers all round when the errant luggage finally rolled up.

When we arrived at the breakfast buffet at the Sheraton it was dinner time in NZ. This meant multiple courses, large and varied servings for all; it was excellent. Everyone scored a room upgrade but the winners were the Shearers.  We were installed in the massive eight- roomed penthouse suite with views of Dubai Creek on 2 sides.  Mmmm, a bit of luxury won’t go amiss before nine days in tents on the mountain.

As part of our acclimatisation training we had booked a tour of the highest building in the world.  Burg Khalifa is 160 stories and 850 metres high, but the lift only allowed us up to the 125^th floor.  The view was impressive, as was the brown smog that reduced visibility to a few kilometres.

 

Just as Kilimanjaro is one of the much sought-after Seven Summits, Dubai Mall is one of the much sought-after Seven Shopping Malls of the World.  Nicky was delighted to tick that one off.  The indoor aquarium was fun.

It was too hot for any other activity that day.  The pool provided relief from the fierce afternoon heat.  The Chelsea Arms Pub provided rehydration and familiar food.    Safe options with a trek starting in two days. We caught up with Mike and Michelle in Sri Lanka on a Messenger video call. They are enjoying green rolling hills and moderate temperatures, while we bake in this ultra wealthy oasis surrounded by sea and sand.

Day 1. Africa here we come!

There has always been something romantic and exciting about going to Africa.  In our younger days novels by Wilber Smith, and films, such Daktari, White Mischief and Out of Africa painted a glossy picture of this beautiful, mysterious and dangerous continent. But we decided we would have to go and see what it was really like.

The idea was spawned at a Wine Club meeting.  Originally it was to be a wine tour of South African Vineyards, with a luxury safari in Botswana to top it off.  The seasoned intrepid explorers in our wine group suggested a climb of Kilimanjaro while we were there. Build up a thirst. It is just a high altitude walk after-all.  Somewhere along the way South Africa and Botswana were dropped and a complete holiday in Tanzania set in concrete.

Mike and Michelle opted out of the “walk”, substituting a more sedate prequel to the safari, visiting Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Snorkelling and sunbathing. Nicky, Andrew, Clare, Kevin, Dara and I started our Kili preparation by walking up and down Tyne Street. We took our training further afield to the lofty heights Mt Sebastapol Red Tarns, Mt Kohurau, the Benmore Peninsula, Mt Cargill, Mt Iron and Roys Peak.

Today, freshly attired in tsetse fly-proofed clothing, we said goodbye to our friends and family and jumped on the Emirates flight to Sydney and then Dubai. Hakuna matata!