Mount Kilimanjaro

Trekking on Kilimanjaro was the most difficult thing both of us have ever done. It was mentally gruelling and physically challenging. We were in reasonable shape but the effect of altitude was so unpredictable that we just couldn't really train for it. Doug felt so miserable from Day 1 that it was a miracle that he made it as high as he did. Although I made it up to Uhuru, I couldn't help but think that I really had no business being there. Nonetheless, we were glad that we did it even though we might not be all that sure why.

The sun on the mountain was always so strong; we both got a deep tan even when we were slathered in SPF 60 sunscreen most of the time. But then whenever the wind blew, we were cold. It was next to impossible to dress for the right temperature. It was always swinging between scorching hot to freezing cold. Layers were the only way to do this but still we were constantly putting things on and taking them off.

Overall, we were pleased with all the tour operators we used in Tanzania. Everything was quite organized and we didn't really spend that much time waiting around. We would recommend them to people planning a similar trip. But one piece of advice is try talking to as many people as possible because everyone experiences Kili or the altitude differently. The more people you could talk to, the better you could expect how you might react.

In addition to the physical and mental challenge, the trek also gave us some sobering thoughts about developing countries. There were 12 of us being supported by 45 guides and porters; the proportion is simply mind boggling - almost 1 to 4. We don't know exactly how much the guides and porters make, but based on the recommended wage from the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Program (of which African Walking Company is a member), porters are supposed to make about $8US a day - which makes the entire week-long trek generate about $50US for each porter. If the porters could manage to get work at this rate every other week, they would make about $1300US a year. This is an amount still less than what each of us paid to climb the mountain. The US$6 we spent on 2 cokes at Mandara Huts during lunch would basically use up a porter's whole day's wage. According to the CIA World Factbook, the GDP per capita (with purchasing power parity taken into account) is $800US in Tanzania, which means that the porters are already a pretty well-off bunch based on these estimates. We left as much as possible our clothes and equipment for the guides and porters when we finished the trek. Hopefully, that would start helping a bit. But the poverty in this country is everywhere and people indeed live under very desolate conditions. The day-to-day basics that we take for granted like clean drinking water are such a luxury. Until we actually saw with our own eyes what life is like in Tanzania, it was very hard for us to truly appreciate what we have.

For more details and pictures on each of the trek days, check out the following posts:
- Itinerary
- Pre-Kili (Part 1, 2)
- Trek Day 1
- Trek Day 2
- Trek Day 3
- Trek Day 4
- Trek Day 5/Summit Day
- Trek Day 6

Safari in Tanzania

We had the greatest time on the safari seeing all kinds of animals and terrains in Northern Tanzania through different parks (including, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti). Our fantastic experience was largely thanks to our wonderful and knowledgeable guide, Gideon. He was full of information and could explain everything to us in perfect clarity. We couldn't say enough good things about him. To all those going for a safari in Tanzania, we'd recommend trying to get Gideon as their guide. We would love to go back to check out the parks in wet season to see how green the savannah is.

Life in the wild was fascinating when we got to see up close how the herbivores and carnivores and scavengers relate to each other on the food chain. Everyone has their strategies to enhance their odds of survival. Seeing it all live beats watching any TV program anytime.


Okay, the truth about safari is that there may be a lot of downtime in between spotting animals. I mean after a few hours of seeing zebras, gazelles and impalas (and they're everywhere), you're not going to get up from your seat to stare at them every single time. And unlike a TV program, this is real time so no editing out the boring bits and animals take their time (e.g., a lion could take a couple of hours stalking before making a move). So for me, there were a lot of naps in between. Doug was always excited and never had his eyes closed for a second but me, well, let's just say that the hot sun was very optimal for sleep. The trick is to try to stay asleep and fight off all the mosquitoes and tsetse flies.

For more details and pictures from our safari, check out the following:
- Tarangire National Park (Part 1, 2)
- Lake Manyara National Park
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- Serengeti National Park (Part 1, 2)
- Post safari

Amsterdam - Sept 30-Oct 3

After spending two weeks in Tanzania, we were headed to Amsterdam for a few days before flying back to Toronto. We weren't particularly keen to repeat the 24-hour travel we did on the way here. As soon as we landed in Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, we noticed that we were covered in more dirt and dust than the average traveller. Since we got time, we did some shopping to get some non-mountain/safari clothes.



The train to downtown was very convenient and fast. The tram took us literally just steps away from Palace B&B near Dam Square. It was a really nice place, perfect location and Rudy, the host, was very helpful. He gave us some tourist info and off we went. Not only is the B&B close to Dam Square, but also lots of shopping (including grocery at Albert Hejin), transit, canals, everything.



October 1 was my birthday (I turned 37) and we celebrated it with a fantastic lunch at the Dylan. It was somewhat strange - a bit of a culture shock - to get dressed up a bit (even just clean clothes) to go out for a 3-course meal. The restaurant was intimate and the food was amazing. We also received very good service - not like an article we read about the poor service in Amsterdam. We had great meals in Amsterdam from cafe to fries stand to takeout to restaurants (rijsttafel at Kantjil en de tijger; lunch at De Kas). Just great. We highly recommend all these places to people going to Amsterdam.


After a full day of trains, planes and automobiles, we finally got home. And as soon as our feet hit terra firma, it's business as usual. It's always nice to come home.