Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro had been a challenge I wanted to attempt
for years; the desire to stand at the roof of Africa on the highest
freestanding mountain in the world sold it for me.

Having minimal hiking experience, preparing for this mighty
feat mostly involved incline walking on the treadmill; wearing my hiking boots and backpack made training slightly more realistic!

With little outdoor training I was nervous about how I would
fare with the high altitude and cold weather.

At the end of January this year, I joined my friend in Kenya
and we crossed the border to Tanzania and began our 7 day trek up the mountain.

The first five days ascending were a bit of a blur and involved long, slow hikes, averaging around 6-7 hours per day in rainy weather.
We had an incredible team of porters and guides that maintained motivation and enthusiasm throughout, I needed it most when I fell neck deep in a fast flowing stream and had to continue walking for 6 hours in heavy, wet clothes! That was a particular low point!

Summiting Kilimanjaro was the hardest thing I have ever experienced.
The climb was both physically and emotionally challenging. With barely any sleep we set off for summit at midnight and after a grueling 7 hour hike in freezing weather conditions and strong winds we made it to the peak.

Both willpower and endurance helped me to reach the top. It was so easy to give up- especially when we were extremely oxygen and energy
deprived, however knowing that I was raising money for a fantastic charity certainly kept me going.  

The views at the top of Kilimanjaro were stunning; I remember an overpowering sense of accomplishment surge through me and it is a
moment I will never forget.

A definite highlight of the trip was the climb back down; the
first shower after 7 days of camping on the mountain was pure bliss!

Kilimanjaro was hard...but manageable. Was it worth the grief?
Absolutely! Next on my list is Everest Base Camp- might as well maximise use of all the gear I had to buy for Kili!

Raising money for Calibre has been something I have always wanted to do. My mother is a member of the service and it has been an absolute life line for her. She particularly enjoys reading family and detective books.

In total I raised £800 for Calibre, just under my target of £1000. Conquering Kilimanjaro has been my greatest achievement, and I am
delighted to have collected money for an incredible charity as part of it!