Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the world's highest free-standing mountain. It's a whopping 19,340ft (5,895m) above sea level and is the fourth highest of the Seven Summits. Kilimanjaro is actually a massive volcano which is classed as dormant. The thought of trekking up it is both exciting and scary!

By biggest fear is altitude sickness, which we are likely to start to feel on the second day of the trek when we reach an altitude of over 3,000m. I am training very hard to ensure I am as fit as possible as I know dealing with altitude is going to take a lot of mental strength and I want to know I can do the climb fitness wise.

I am limited to 15kg of luggage on the mountain. I am not known for travelling light so packing for this adventure will be a challenge in itself. Especially when you bear in mind I will be taking clothes and equipment for 7 days of changeable weather conditions. On the plains surrounding Kilimanjaro the average temperature is about 30ºC. At 3000m frosts can be encountered at night while day time temperatures range from 5ºC to 15ºC. Night time temperatures on the summit can be well below freezing e.g. -25ºC / -30ºC. I really cannot imagine what minus 30ºC will feel like . . . but come September I will find out!

We are trekking up the Marangu route, this means we get to sleep in huts. But before you think these are comfy, I will tell you about the wooden beds, long drop toilets and no running water. As my friends will not take me to Glastonbury because they don't think I can handle roughing it for 4 days this is not going to be easy for me. All I think is yuck and I hope I have enough space in my bag for plenty of wet wipes and a hat to cover my unwashed hair.

So you might be thinking why on earth is she going? One very good reason I want to reach the Roof of Africa and raise £5,000 in memory of my uncle, Barry Meek. http://www.justgiving.co.uk/my-kili-climb