Charity starts at home!!

As you know, I leave for Tanzania on Saturday. Surprisingly I came home from my last trip (hopefully) to REI to find a box from Pennsylvania. As I opened it, my eyes just got bigger and bigger. There were two very beautiful cookbooks, one for us and one for Tloma, cards for the kids in Karatu and some quote of the kids along with the commercials they made to sell the books.

It nearly took all my energy and more to stop the tears from rolling out of my eyes. Here at 37 (in my mind 21) years of age, I figured out what true fundraising and charity is, but the kids at the DENVER Primary School, figured in out a few decades before I ever knew what charity is!

Some of the kids said the following (there are more and we will post them on the website)

• It made us work harder because we knew the money was going to a good cause and we wanted to help. Plus we were helping kids like us! (the whole basis for kid4kids360) We can relate to them. Alexa, age 9

• This project tool a lot of teamwork and effort. I enjoyed this project not only because it was fun, by because it is helping a school in need. I am also proud of myself and the other kids for their hard work and time. Adella, age 9

• This was meaningful to me because I knew it was going to help people just like us. Also it could make a difference in someone’s life. Summer, age 10

• It was just amazing to me as a kid, knowing that I could help kids across the world, just by selling cookbooks. Emily, age 11.

Okay, so I am sobbing for joy!! It is so nice to see kids getting the sheer concept of what we are trying to promote at Kids4Kids360 and A School Bell Rings. Kudos to the kids, Amy, student council and Pia for seeing this through and for letting me be the messenger to take this over.

As I climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, it will be this feeling that shall help me summit and conquer as these kids did. I will be leaving a flag for both of our programs ASBR and K4K360 at the top (if I make it). Children and their education shall be at the TOP!!

Final Preparations

You think that you have gotten everything and how will it all fit in 30 pounds?? Well I have one more run to REI. Thanks to their frequent flyer....I will be getting monies back to spend. Well I have trained all I can (two more days of working out) and now comes time for the test. I am glad there are friends going with me as we will all keep each other company. We are all taking playing cards and other things to keep us occupied. I hope my Ipod lasts too as i will need that to keep focused.

There are many times that I keep thinking I must really be "stupid" to consider doing this. With my family left behind, I have tried to communicate all that I can incase there is a situation in which they will need to know where things are. It is a nervous and anxious feeling.

Kili will be kind to us and will allow us all to climb it. ALl the good wishes and prayers will come in handy. Keep them coming!!

Final Itinerary.....

Day 1: June 28: Arrive: (five arriving p.m flight) You will be met at Kilimanjaro Airport and transferred to Moshi and your hotel for overnight (1hr journey time).

Day 2 : June 29: Kilimanjaro climb – Machame route: (5 climbers) After breakfast you will be transferred to the national park gate at Machame. Taking a picnic lunch, you will begin a gradual ascent through fascinating rain forest to reach the ranger hut at Machame in approximately 6 to 7 hours. Here you can rest in your tent or enjoy the scenery while your dinner is prepared. (Machame Hut – 3000m).

Day 3 : June 30: Beginning your climb after breakfast, the route takes you through steep rocks and open moor-land, with views of Shira Plateau and Mt Meru in the distance. After a picnic lunch you will reach Shira Hut in approximately 4 to 5 hours hiking. After a rest you have an option to hike to Shira Plateau and Caves to help with acclimatization. Dinner and overnight camping at Shira Hut. (Shira Hut - 3,840m)

Day 4: July 1: Leaving Shira after breakfast, you will cross the Baranco Valley to reach the Baranco Wall. You have the option to slightly extend the route (for acclimatization) to pass to the base of the Lava Tower before reaching the ranger hut at Baranco and your tent. The walk will take approximately 4 to 5 hours walking. (Lava Tower – 4,100m. Baranco Hut – 3,900m).

Day 5: July 2 :This is a short hiking day to help your body to acclimatize to the high altitude. In 2 to 3 hours hiking you will reach the shelter of Karanga Valley, where you will rest. Dinner and overnight camping.

Day 6 : July 3 : After breakfast, you begin hiking through alpine vegetation, stopping for lunch on the way. The steep climb out of the valley takes you high enough to see rock icicles. You will reach Barafu camp site after 4 to 5 hours hiking. After dinner you will be briefed on making the ascent to the summit before retiring to your tent for a rest. Barafu 4,600m.

Day 7: July 4: Beginning the ascent at midnight, it will take approximately 5 to 6 hours hiking to reach Stella Point. It will take another 1 to 2 hours to reach Uhuru Peak – the highest point in Africa. After a snack and a brief rest on the top, you descent to Barafu for breakfast and a rest before starting the hike down the mountain to Mweka Hut for dinner and overnight camping in the rainforest. (Stella Point - 5,700m. Uhuru Peak – 5,895m. Mweka Hut - 3,100m).

Day 8: July 5: This is a relatively easy days hiking down to the national park gate at Mweka (4 to 5 hours). Successful climbers pick up Kili summit certificates before joining the waiting vehicle for the transfer to your hotel in Moshi for refreshment break (showers at Impala hotel) before starting your onward journey.

Anisa: Join the waiting vehicle for the journey to Gibbs Farm, Karatu. Packed lunch provided

Day 9: July 6: Anisa: Return to Moshi and the Impala Hotel for refreshment (shower) before transfer to the airport for evening departure

Final Preparations....

Pole....Pole is slow slow in Swahili and that is how we will take the mountain. Slow and Steady wins the race! The final packing is under way. Tomorrow, my camera comes in and that will be the last piece of equipment needed to pack. I will sleep on my sleeping pad and bag today to get use to the idea. Four others and I will leave Atlanta on June 27th. Luckily, all four are good friends and we will all see to it that we all keep each other going. On the return, we all have different plans. I will go on to see the school that A School Bell Rings helped expand in 2008. It is in Karatu and I will spend the night there at the historical Gibbs Farms before boarding a plane to come back to the States

Another day closer to leaving!

Well, finally all the shopping is done!! From the smallest to the biggest, all is finally in. I now have to pack all of the stuff in small, large and XL bags. Why you ask!! Well we have been told that there is always a possibility of a heavy downpour and having wet clothes is not really fun. ZIPLOC!! here I come!

I had the last of my physicals today, and I have been cleared by my cardiologist to climb. Yeah!! At least the ticker will make it back! Onward and upward...Pole Pole..OR...Pole, pole kama kobe


(Wonder what this means? Next time!)

11 days to lift off!!

Well a few more days have gone by.....Bought an Olympus Stylus Tough 6000 10MP. It can with stand up -14F, 10 Ft below water and can fall from 5 ft height without any issues! I still bought the extended warranty! Just in case!

SO Mt. Kilimanjaro has a few things it is known for

1. it is the world's only mountain that stands ALONE (no mountain range)
2. it's ice cap is rapidly receding and will be gone soon!

SO hope you got those! I packed all my stuff in plastic bags so they won't get wet in case of a down pour. I have a few more things to get and I will be done. They are small items so I am not too worried, but tomorrow for sure. I want to be packed and ready by Monday!

I am tittering between anxiety and excitement. Emotions are running high these days! I think it is worse than PMS!!

I will blog every day from here on out. I hope to send photos before I get back! So keep logging in and do leave me messages as I need a lot of positive energy.

13 days and counting!

Well after a week in Chicago and spotty workouts, I am coming back with a vengeance. I will start my week on Monday with twice a week workouts and hitting the mountain close by at least once a day. I am getting very anxious as the days are short and the task is large. I finally worked my solar charger out and am glad to know that it will charge my ipod nano but i am almost willing to take my shuffle for fear of not being able to charge the nano often. I have ordered my camera from Best Buys and am awaiting my waterproof, weather proof upto -10 degrees C and tough case (can drop from 5 feet height without damage). I hope this 10 megapixel will take good pictures. Of course, as recommended an extra battery and memory SD card just in case.

Trivia for the day: What is Kilimanjaro known for (how does it stand out from the other seven summits)?

More later.....

24 days and counting!

I have been keeping up with my work out routine but it has been increasingly hard! With so few days left, I decided to go through all my gear, and I am still missing some. REI here I come. My nerves are getting tense with each day. I am not sure what to expect now and my only goal is to give it my best shot. I am headed to Chicago, where I will spend time with my parents. I will have to find a gym to workout in that can help get me ready. Other than that, I have no hope of any mountains as it is flat as can be there. Keep the positive energy flowing!