So this week I have been corresponding with a few people who have done Kili before, and have received some fantastic advice. Thanks in particular to Melissa (who was there in January) who has been priceless in telling me things that I had not even considered. Little things like not spending too much time staring at the back of the boots of the person in front of you, but instead to take in your surroundings. And practical things like how sunburned and cracked your lips will get and so to reapply lip block stuff each time you take a drink.

I also discovered a really weird thing. Of all the people in all the world, and all the places to go, I discover that someone I work with is doing this at the same time as me, on the same route, on the same day! How weird is that? He is in a group of four I believe, and I am not sure how close our paths will be, but it looks like a fairly good bet that we will be bumping into each other a fair bit!

So meantime have been trying to get training in this week, with mixed success, but will be going tomorrow evening to the gym and at the weekend too – it is my last weekend after all. Need also to start packing, and to get my kit finalised. I am about to receive some berocca tablets and also hopefully get some zinc sun block.

I also must thank Henry Stedman this week , as he has featured this very blog on his website! If you therefore go to the following link you will see that fame, fortune and glory is all mine (haha)…

http://www.climbmountkilimanjaro.com/links-to-kilimanjaro-blogs.html

I even more importantly learned something about people who do trips like this, and something about me. Talking about this being an adventure of a lifetime, and something which will change my life, is just a true statement. But it is more than that. It is about putting something back. I have heard of many (and know a couple) of people who have gone to places like this and end up devoting the rest of their lives to a cause which is similar. I remain totally open minded for now. There is also someone who works at our company who did a trek recently in Africa who now wishes to go and spend time in a school/refuge in Nepal to ‘give something back’ – I love that, I really do. I think it is fantastic, and wonderful, and I am sort of proud to even know them. It lifts my spirits entirely.

I think I would love to be on a ‘reserve’ somewhere, being responsible for the livelihood/safety of animals. Wildebeeste, zebra and the like. Do people actually do that? Shows you just how ignorant I am I am afraid. I just want to be there. Want to hear the Kilimanjaro song. It is too close now.

Finally for tonight, I heard funnily enough the song “Africa” on the radio today – how old (and odd) is that? Anyway here is the second verse:

“The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what’s right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what’s deep inside, frightened of this thing that I’ve become…..”

I try not to be frightened of the thing that I have become, but to learn, profit educationally, and be enriched overall by the experience that lies before me.

I feel very lucky, and also a feeling of trepidation too. I hope that is healthy…….