They released me from the hospital on Thursday, just a handful of hours before I was supposed to board a plane for Africa. The simple task of going into Walmart in Frisco to pick up my medications and grab some food that conforms to my mandated restricted diet, wiped me out. I found myself leaning…
Category: Tanzania
My Trip to Tanzania Summer 2023
Killing Kili…a Dream Deferred
I am currently admitted to the hospital in Frisco, Colorado. When I got to the ER yesterday, the wait was short and things moved quickly. CAT scans of my abdomen happened and the surgeon came in to talk to me. It was clear there was a serious problem in my gut, right at the juncture…
The Beginning of the End
On Sunday night I got a tummy ache, my belly ballooned up and I thought, “Damn, I must have eaten something bad.” I woke up several times with my stomach distended and pain down my right side. By morning, it seemed a little better, but still there. I had some diarrhea and thought, “Yep, I…
Yes! Maybe I CAN do this?
If you read the first post for this trip, then you know how deeply I doubt my ability to do this (hike Kilimanjaro). But I came to New Mexico and Colorado to acclimate to high altitude and do some training hikes…hoping that maybe it would give me a better shot. On my last full day…
Some Exciting days…hiking, relaxing, and calling 911?
Yesterday: I woke up ridiculously early and caught the sunrise while enjoying coffee. Then I hit the trail early and did a 6 mile hike with 1600+ ft. of elevation gain/loss. I felt pretty good and managed the elevation well, despite my total lack of time to acclimate. The hike was beautiful… I was done…
Ending my first post with, “What will I forget to pack?” totally jinxed it!!!
I spent three days packing and re-packing for what felt like four different trips. First, the twelve days in New Mexico and Colorado to camp and do some training hikes while acclimating to altitude (increasing my chances of summiting Kili without the dreaded altitude sickness). Then, it’s off to Tanzania! Trip #2 is hiking Kilimanjaro,…
So…you think you want to climb Kili, eh?
At this point I’m not even sure I do. Wracked with self doubt, I don’t know if I can. But I intend to try. I spent two weeks back in January trying to muster up the courage to register for this trip. I’ve been dreaming about climbing Kilimanjaro “someday” and that someday became NOW. Once…