I MADE IT TO UHURU!!!!

With pride, joy and tears still swimming in my eyes as I write this blog, I can finally say "I did it!". It was the toughest challenge ever in my life but am glad to have done it. The 4 days to summit night were an adventure; mountain climbing, camping, making friends with the members of my team - who were a fantastic bunch, acclimatising to the high altitude, getting sunburnt, shivering at nights, eating lots of good cooked food (!), viewing and experiencing different landscapes from rain forest to desert to finally glacier, feeling scared and alone, laughing and crying. A unique experience which ultimately led to the summit night were we spend 6 grueling hours, starting at midnight, of mountain climbing first scree (loose rocks) then boulders until we got to Gillman's Point.

When I and 6 others of my team got there, I just wept at the sight of the glacier turning in orange colour from the first rays of the sun. After having taken some photos at the first summit I was eager to proceed to the next - the highest one. Little did I know (or perhaps forgot) that it was another 1.5 hours away. Exhausted and questioning myself at every step I pushed on through icy snowed slopes, increasing in altitude. I slipped a couple of times which I only recalled a day later. It was as if I was in oblivion as my legs and arms (as I used walking poles) worked mechanically.

I reached Uhuru peak, 5895m at 8.30 Thursday morning. At that point, I smiled and felt instant success as my guide, Frankie took photos of me. Proudly enough, I stuck my little Maltese flag on the wooden monument (as you can see in the photo). My hands trembled but not with cold. "If anything I got here to do this!", I thought. I wanted to stick that flag not only in my name but also in the name of all those Maltese who had done it before me and to those who will do in future. Last but not least to represent my country and my nationality :)

I hope to recount the whole 6-days along the Rongai route as per my 'mountain log-book' in my blog, so look out for more posts and stories. I also hope to add more photos although internet connection in Arusha is dial-up speed, that is, pole pole !! (slow slow!!)

Final word on this post... I thank everyone who spared me his or her thoughts. It was what I needed. This challenge wasn't a matter of speed - who gets first to the summit, or physical - who's the iron man or woman in sports. It rather is a matter of mind over body. I must say I was lucky not to get affected by altitude in any way. I didn't even need any pills, nothing. Even though given such a 'clear of AMS' state I was in, it was a hell of a challenge. I just wanted to reach my goal - physically, morally, mentally, spiritually - and I DID IT!!!!