Bruer Leka

I met Dierk after arriving at the hotel, he was awaiting friends that were motorcycling up from South Africa. They arrived only the day before our Machame climb (De Vos, Jacques and Renier). We all were like minded, strong willed and relaxed AND WE ALL SUMMITTED!!!!!!!

I summitted at 06:42 on Monday morning Tanzania time, so around 23:32 on Sunday in Ottawa. I would have summitted much earlier, as I did not experience a single altitude side effect, I was actually in a full walking pace from Stella point (about 5700m above sea level) and left my group, I was sobbing, I had mucus running down my face, it was FREEZING. My water was frozen, the wind was horrible....But then the sun rose.

I felt in my heart and my mind all the desires I left with and all the will I had to summit, so I TOOK OFF. The assistant porter twice tried to restrain me, pulling on my back pack, but I told him to keep pace or get out of my way. I was sobbing, he thought I was ill, I pushed on, he kept up....Then it hit me.

I came all the way up the mountain with these guys, I will summit with them. I waited in the cold about 10-15 minutes, and Renier came along at a slow shuffle. I willed him on, held his walking poles, paced him about 10 meters at a time. He was suffering altitude sickness and the cold (-15 was very cold at that level, even for a Canadian). Then came Jacques, and Dierk.....1/2 hour later, De Vos (who was quite ill).....a bear of a man though. So I chose the fellowship of completing with great new friends over the solitude and personal satisfaction of finishing my quest. Obviously, what I did was far more rewarding. I wouldn't change a thing. The guys have been commenting on how much of a horse I was, and they said I had this ferocity in my eyes. Probably something Wendy, Kassy and Coralee have seen in my "Spin modes" and I know that Valerie has witnessed more than often my stubborn will and determination.

I made it, I did my Atlas pose at the peak and a special photo for Wendy. Yes I did in fact!!!! sit atop Kilimanjaro, and have the picture to prove it!

God bless.