Sunday, June 27, 2010
Done
Just a quick update, with more to follow later, but I summited. :)
We went up a day early - June 25 - since Crater Camp was absolutely frigid and AMS was starting to kick in. I was suffering at Arrow Glacier (16000ft) and Crater would've done me in.
I went from Arrow Glacier up the Western Breach to the Crater, then the summit, then down to Kosovo Camp (up a bit from Barafu) in 12 hours 15 minutes. It damn near killed me, but somehow I made it.
We went up a day early - June 25 - since Crater Camp was absolutely frigid and AMS was starting to kick in. I was suffering at Arrow Glacier (16000ft) and Crater would've done me in.
I went from Arrow Glacier up the Western Breach to the Crater, then the summit, then down to Kosovo Camp (up a bit from Barafu) in 12 hours 15 minutes. It damn near killed me, but somehow I made it.
Friday, June 18, 2010
East African Hotel
Kiliwarriors put me up at the East African for two nights. It's an extended-stay suite hotel geared mainly for business travelers. One of my guidebooks made a passing mention of this place, but said a tour operator isn't likely to put Kili trekkers there. And here I am.
It's actually a pretty decent place. The staff is friendly and helpful. Rooms are spacious, if oddly furnished. I have a burgundy leather chair next to what I'll call an orange-creamsicle leather loveseat. The beds are really firm - more like a boxspring with an inch of foam on top - but I like that. The pool is small. The Wifi is free, but a little pokey since it's via satellite.
The TV gets 15 channels, including:
Food is reasonably good, provided your expectations aren't too high. They make an effort to prepare Western food, but it's not quite what you'd get in the States. The eggs at breakfast were good. The croissants were bleh.
I had spaghetti bolognese for dinner, which was well prepared but heavy on the cilantro. I asked for Parmesan cheese to put on my pasta. The befuddled waiter said he would ask in the kitchen, then came back with a small bowl of grated swiss. Tasted fine though.
I called room service at 2am to get a chocolate milkshake. The first gal understood the chocolate part, but not milkshake. She got someone else on the line who understood, and it was on its way. A little thin to be a proper shake, but this is East Africa.
Prices are pretty fair too. A 300g grilled steak goes for roughly 14,500 Tsh ($10). A shot of Jameson's was only 2,500 Tsh, a bit less than a milkshake (3,000 Tsh).
It's been a pleasant stay. I don't know if I'd come back to Arusha anytime soon, but if I did I'd certainly consider the East African.
It's actually a pretty decent place. The staff is friendly and helpful. Rooms are spacious, if oddly furnished. I have a burgundy leather chair next to what I'll call an orange-creamsicle leather loveseat. The beds are really firm - more like a boxspring with an inch of foam on top - but I like that. The pool is small. The Wifi is free, but a little pokey since it's via satellite.
The TV gets 15 channels, including:
- CNN
- Express 24/7 (the Indian equivalent of CNN)
- Al Jazeera (the Arab equivalent of CNN)
- something called ITV that shows a mix of public affairs and other networks' feeds.. including CNN and Al Jazeera
- a South African version of ESPN
- a South African version of the Starz movie channels
- an African channel with acting as wooden as the figurines I bought in town
- one channel that's all sound and no picture (still not sure what it's supposed to be),
- and one I call the Screen Saver Channel, because all it shows is "Screen Saver" jumping around the picture.
Food is reasonably good, provided your expectations aren't too high. They make an effort to prepare Western food, but it's not quite what you'd get in the States. The eggs at breakfast were good. The croissants were bleh.
I had spaghetti bolognese for dinner, which was well prepared but heavy on the cilantro. I asked for Parmesan cheese to put on my pasta. The befuddled waiter said he would ask in the kitchen, then came back with a small bowl of grated swiss. Tasted fine though.
I called room service at 2am to get a chocolate milkshake. The first gal understood the chocolate part, but not milkshake. She got someone else on the line who understood, and it was on its way. A little thin to be a proper shake, but this is East Africa.
Prices are pretty fair too. A 300g grilled steak goes for roughly 14,500 Tsh ($10). A shot of Jameson's was only 2,500 Tsh, a bit less than a milkshake (3,000 Tsh).
It's been a pleasant stay. I don't know if I'd come back to Arusha anytime soon, but if I did I'd certainly consider the East African.
Haggling in Arusha
I should be asleep now (just after 2am) but I'm not, and it's way too late to pop an ambien. So why not write about my little excursion to downtown Arusha?
The East African is just a few hundred meters east of the Clocktower, which is considered the tourist heart of town. Old Moshi Road is two lanes of blacktop with a wide shoulder and something that passes for a sidewalk. It's kinda dusty but not a bad stroll.
Any mzungi that gets within a stone's throw of the Clocktower will certainly get a pitch from a local. The first one offered me a German newspaper. I'm not that Teutonic, am I?
The next one offered something, can't remember what. Then another one greeted me. I got the usual litany of questions one would expect from a tout trying to sell something, and I lied all the way.
Been on safari? yes
Climbed Kili? yes
What route? Lemosho (Ok that part is true.)
I politely tried to ignore him, but he was persistently friendly. So I'll call him Friendly. I ducked into the tourist board's office to pick up a free map (which some other guy tried to sell me), then slipped into the Africafe just a few feet away.
I'll say quickly that this is a nice place. Clearly run by Westerners, and it was the first (and only) place in town I saw any white people. I had a nice double latte for 5,500 Tsh or thereabouts.
After I finished I went into a small curio shop next door. By small I mean it looks like someone put a roof over an alleyway. And whaddya know, Friendly reappears.
I look at some stuff then check out some bracelets. I'd seen bracelets like that before, so why not. I ask the shopkeeper for a price. He tells me 10,000 Tsh (roughly $6.50) and he swears that's the "african price," not the higher "mzungi price." Uh-huh.
So I counter with 6,000. That of course is too low. Friendly gets involved somehow... I can't remember exactly, but it becomes a two-fer. Shopkeeper says 2 for 17,000. I counter with 15,000 (about $10.50). Deal.
Odds are I got ripped off a bit, but it was cheaper than in the States. (Update: Same bracelets at ZAN for $5 each, so not bad.)
I leave, with Friendly in tow. He's like a kid or a damned puppy. He wants to know more about me (I'm a financial reporter from Missouri). I said he must be really bored if he's following me around. He can't earn a fat commission on a safari or trek, so he must want me to buy trinkets.
He mentions tanzanite, and I act indifferent. We get closer to the Clocktowner when he says his sister's shop is nearby and asks me to check it out. The skeptic in me thinks she's no more his sister than mine, but what the hell.
He leads me to a souvenir shop on India Road. There's an old guy standing outside keeping guard with a side-by-side shotgun. 12- or 14ga. I don't know if the coot is strong enough to control that piece, but I digress.
The shop has plenty of wood carvings, some postcards, items made out of bottlecaps, Masai spears, fabrics, woven handbags and so on. Three ladies sat towards the back. (I never did find out which one is his sister.)
I picked up some postcards ($1 or 1000 Tsh each... and that's why you should deal in local currency when you can. The exchange near the tourist office will at least give you 1,100 to change a single dollar bill.)
I looked at some woodcarvings of various safari animals - lion, hippo, etc. I picked up one that looked like ebony and asked if it was real, commenting that some try to pass off stained wood as ebony. He says it's real, and proves it by making a small cut on one piece. Well, either it's ebony or stained really well.
I pick out four small ones that are roughly 3" long. He picks up a calculator and says lets deal. He asks shillings or dollars. I blew the few TSH I had at the coffee bar, so I said dollars. He says $60, and he'll throw in the postcards for free. I counter with $20, knowing damn well he wouldn't bite.
We're back and forth for a bit - 55, 25, 49, 30. I'm making progress, but I'm getting resistance. Then I realize I'm not sure exactly how many dollars I have. I think for a bit then tell him I need to count my money. I really did, and it gave me an advantage.
I come back and we start again. I say I'm not that interested in one carving, so I ask how much for three. He offers $35. I counter with $30. Deal.
They wrap up the carvings, even making a point to show me that yes they're wrapping them all up and not trying to pull a switch.
I probably got ripped off a bit at $10 a piece - hell, I expect to overpay - but better than the $15 each he first offered. And it was kinda fun. (Update: The carvings were colored with polish which is rubbing off already, so definitely a rip-off. The shops at ZAN and DAR had larger carvings for quite a bit less. So avoid this place or don't pay more than $3-5 each.)
I had to wave off a few more peddlers and taxi drivers on the way back, but once I was past the roundabout at the Clocktower they gave up.
The East African is just a few hundred meters east of the Clocktower, which is considered the tourist heart of town. Old Moshi Road is two lanes of blacktop with a wide shoulder and something that passes for a sidewalk. It's kinda dusty but not a bad stroll.
Any mzungi that gets within a stone's throw of the Clocktower will certainly get a pitch from a local. The first one offered me a German newspaper. I'm not that Teutonic, am I?
The next one offered something, can't remember what. Then another one greeted me. I got the usual litany of questions one would expect from a tout trying to sell something, and I lied all the way.
Been on safari? yes
Climbed Kili? yes
What route? Lemosho (Ok that part is true.)
I politely tried to ignore him, but he was persistently friendly. So I'll call him Friendly. I ducked into the tourist board's office to pick up a free map (which some other guy tried to sell me), then slipped into the Africafe just a few feet away.
I'll say quickly that this is a nice place. Clearly run by Westerners, and it was the first (and only) place in town I saw any white people. I had a nice double latte for 5,500 Tsh or thereabouts.
After I finished I went into a small curio shop next door. By small I mean it looks like someone put a roof over an alleyway. And whaddya know, Friendly reappears.
I look at some stuff then check out some bracelets. I'd seen bracelets like that before, so why not. I ask the shopkeeper for a price. He tells me 10,000 Tsh (roughly $6.50) and he swears that's the "african price," not the higher "mzungi price." Uh-huh.
So I counter with 6,000. That of course is too low. Friendly gets involved somehow... I can't remember exactly, but it becomes a two-fer. Shopkeeper says 2 for 17,000. I counter with 15,000 (about $10.50). Deal.
Odds are I got ripped off a bit, but it was cheaper than in the States. (Update: Same bracelets at ZAN for $5 each, so not bad.)
I leave, with Friendly in tow. He's like a kid or a damned puppy. He wants to know more about me (I'm a financial reporter from Missouri). I said he must be really bored if he's following me around. He can't earn a fat commission on a safari or trek, so he must want me to buy trinkets.
He mentions tanzanite, and I act indifferent. We get closer to the Clocktowner when he says his sister's shop is nearby and asks me to check it out. The skeptic in me thinks she's no more his sister than mine, but what the hell.
He leads me to a souvenir shop on India Road. There's an old guy standing outside keeping guard with a side-by-side shotgun. 12- or 14ga. I don't know if the coot is strong enough to control that piece, but I digress.
The shop has plenty of wood carvings, some postcards, items made out of bottlecaps, Masai spears, fabrics, woven handbags and so on. Three ladies sat towards the back. (I never did find out which one is his sister.)
I picked up some postcards ($1 or 1000 Tsh each... and that's why you should deal in local currency when you can. The exchange near the tourist office will at least give you 1,100 to change a single dollar bill.)
I looked at some woodcarvings of various safari animals - lion, hippo, etc. I picked up one that looked like ebony and asked if it was real, commenting that some try to pass off stained wood as ebony. He says it's real, and proves it by making a small cut on one piece. Well, either it's ebony or stained really well.
I pick out four small ones that are roughly 3" long. He picks up a calculator and says lets deal. He asks shillings or dollars. I blew the few TSH I had at the coffee bar, so I said dollars. He says $60, and he'll throw in the postcards for free. I counter with $20, knowing damn well he wouldn't bite.
We're back and forth for a bit - 55, 25, 49, 30. I'm making progress, but I'm getting resistance. Then I realize I'm not sure exactly how many dollars I have. I think for a bit then tell him I need to count my money. I really did, and it gave me an advantage.
I come back and we start again. I say I'm not that interested in one carving, so I ask how much for three. He offers $35. I counter with $30. Deal.
They wrap up the carvings, even making a point to show me that yes they're wrapping them all up and not trying to pull a switch.
I probably got ripped off a bit at $10 a piece - hell, I expect to overpay - but better than the $15 each he first offered. And it was kinda fun. (Update: The carvings were colored with polish which is rubbing off already, so definitely a rip-off. The shops at ZAN and DAR had larger carvings for quite a bit less. So avoid this place or don't pay more than $3-5 each.)
I had to wave off a few more peddlers and taxi drivers on the way back, but once I was past the roundabout at the Clocktower they gave up.
First Impressions of Arusha
If you don't feel like reading a long post, here's a quick summary:
Arusha reminds me a lot of Jamaica, minus the beach and reggae.
And now the longer version...
Even at night, you can get a feel for a place. Quite literally.
I hadn't even left JRO property when I got my first "African massage." For those of you with dirty minds, please retrieve them from the gutter. This massage comes from riding down a rough and bumpy road. A bit like a vibrating massage chair, except it's diesel-powered and doing 80kph.
Believe it or not, it actually felt good... for a few miles anyway.
A few things I noticed:
1. It's dark. I know... duh. But JRO is practically the middle of nowhere and Arusha isn't exactly awash in light either.
2. TZ is a poor country. I knew that beforehand, but even if I didn't it is obvious enough in many ways.
I saw almost as many pedestrians as vehicles on the road from JRO to Arusha... at 9pm. you do that when gas is nearly $5/gal.
Most of the stores I saw along the road were small, dimly lit and brightly painted. Windows were heavily barred, if they weren't bricked up. This is what reminded me of Jamaica.
Speaking of dimly lit, the outdoor lighting of choice is the 48" fluorescent tube. Sometimes it's two on a pole forming a Y shape, but it's just as likely to be attached to a tree. The more well-off shopkeepers had colored tubes (purple, red, green, etc). The ones with mercury vapor are really in high cotton.
3. The British influence is apparent, particularly in road signs.
4. The highway department REALLY loves speed bumps. In some places they lay them down narrow in groups of three that'll rattle your fillings.
5. The drivers here are crazy. Really.
Arusha reminds me a lot of Jamaica, minus the beach and reggae.
And now the longer version...
Even at night, you can get a feel for a place. Quite literally.
I hadn't even left JRO property when I got my first "African massage." For those of you with dirty minds, please retrieve them from the gutter. This massage comes from riding down a rough and bumpy road. A bit like a vibrating massage chair, except it's diesel-powered and doing 80kph.
Believe it or not, it actually felt good... for a few miles anyway.
A few things I noticed:
1. It's dark. I know... duh. But JRO is practically the middle of nowhere and Arusha isn't exactly awash in light either.
2. TZ is a poor country. I knew that beforehand, but even if I didn't it is obvious enough in many ways.
I saw almost as many pedestrians as vehicles on the road from JRO to Arusha... at 9pm. you do that when gas is nearly $5/gal.
Most of the stores I saw along the road were small, dimly lit and brightly painted. Windows were heavily barred, if they weren't bricked up. This is what reminded me of Jamaica.
Speaking of dimly lit, the outdoor lighting of choice is the 48" fluorescent tube. Sometimes it's two on a pole forming a Y shape, but it's just as likely to be attached to a tree. The more well-off shopkeepers had colored tubes (purple, red, green, etc). The ones with mercury vapor are really in high cotton.
3. The British influence is apparent, particularly in road signs.
4. The highway department REALLY loves speed bumps. In some places they lay them down narrow in groups of three that'll rattle your fillings.
5. The drivers here are crazy. Really.
JRO
We landed on time at JRO, which for some reason was shown on the in-flight tracker a good 100mi SE of where it actually is.
Anyway, now that I was in the back I thought it wold take some time to deplane. But one of the FAs said we could go out the back door. Sweet!
I was on the tarmac in a blink and was the third person into the termina. More importantly, I was the first person to the visa window, which is straight ahead and a bit to the left. (There are three booths for immigration, or those already with visas, to the left.) A quick stamp and $100 later I was officially in TZ.
It was also a short wait for my bags - both arrived intact and otherwise unmolested - and I was the first passenger out of the terminal. Wasn't even stopped for a bag check by customs. Waaay faster than I thought. So fast I'm sorry I didn't time it.
My thoughts/observations:
For KLM 571 at least - the very back is as good as the very front.
I imagine the yellow fever rules are still in force (must show proof of innoculation if coming from a "yellow fever endemic country"). My flight came straight from Europe, so I didn't need one. I had my yellow book in my shirt pocket - for all my other pokes - but they didn't even ask. Henry Stedman in his 3rd edtition of Kilimanjaro said it was almost compsory, noting that immigration sometimes asks, whether a passenger requires it or not. I thought his warning was a tad alarmist.
From my vantage point in baggage claim, I'd say the majority of the people deplaning at JRO got their visas in advance. I chatted with a Canadian who sat right behind me and he said he wished he hadn't gotten his in advance. (Getting it ahead of time means mailing your passport, two pictures and some documentation to a TZ embassy or consulate. For the added expense of the pictures and express postage both ways, you get a slick full-color visa printed in your passport.) So a lot of those folks paid more for a convenience that never really materialized.
He was surprised I got through so quickly since I had to buy my visa. Well, it's always fast when you're first in line. :)
Anyway, now that I was in the back I thought it wold take some time to deplane. But one of the FAs said we could go out the back door. Sweet!
I was on the tarmac in a blink and was the third person into the termina. More importantly, I was the first person to the visa window, which is straight ahead and a bit to the left. (There are three booths for immigration, or those already with visas, to the left.) A quick stamp and $100 later I was officially in TZ.
It was also a short wait for my bags - both arrived intact and otherwise unmolested - and I was the first passenger out of the terminal. Wasn't even stopped for a bag check by customs. Waaay faster than I thought. So fast I'm sorry I didn't time it.
My thoughts/observations:
For KLM 571 at least - the very back is as good as the very front.
I imagine the yellow fever rules are still in force (must show proof of innoculation if coming from a "yellow fever endemic country"). My flight came straight from Europe, so I didn't need one. I had my yellow book in my shirt pocket - for all my other pokes - but they didn't even ask. Henry Stedman in his 3rd edtition of Kilimanjaro said it was almost compsory, noting that immigration sometimes asks, whether a passenger requires it or not. I thought his warning was a tad alarmist.
From my vantage point in baggage claim, I'd say the majority of the people deplaning at JRO got their visas in advance. I chatted with a Canadian who sat right behind me and he said he wished he hadn't gotten his in advance. (Getting it ahead of time means mailing your passport, two pictures and some documentation to a TZ embassy or consulate. For the added expense of the pictures and express postage both ways, you get a slick full-color visa printed in your passport.) So a lot of those folks paid more for a convenience that never really materialized.
He was surprised I got through so quickly since I had to buy my visa. Well, it's always fast when you're first in line. :)
Well, I'm here!
Lots to catch up on, but I finally have as comfy chair and decent internet service.
Flying over
Generally uneventful. Flight to DTW was a half-hour late but more than enough for my connections. The headDL flight attendant - who was told by another pax that some of us (not me!) might be a bit surly - kept the jokes coming. After asking us to turn off "anything battery-powered that's not keeping you alive," she told us the pilot was a former Blue Angel and that "he'll fly it like he stole it."
Upon landing she said if we liked the flight, they are a Delta crew out of Orlando. If we didn't, then they are an Eastern crew out of Seattle. On the way out, I grinned at the attendant and said "Eastern out of Seattle, right?"
That got me a "Hey now!" and a playful slap on the arm.
DTW-AMS was likewise uneventful. No one was sitting next to me so I had some space. Ambien was much appreciated on this leg.
AMS-JRO was also nice, but not sleeping (intentionally) made this flight seem quite a bit longer than it was. I paid extra for a Premium Economy seat, which is still cattle class but with a bit more seat pitch and recline. I was wedged between a nun and a teenage British girl. It wasn't terribly comfy for any of us. 3-4-3 layouts seldom are. The gal said there were plenty of open seats in the back. I took a look and sure enough, there were probably 30-40 empty seats in the back section, enough room for several to actually lie down. I plunked myself down in 61D (next to last row). While it lacked the recline of the PE seat, I had a lot more room. I was right by the galley so easy access to mid-meal snacks and - surprisingly enough - got served first.
There was aside from what I'd call moderate turbulence as we approached the Swiss Alps. You know it's not good when the captain tells the cabin crew to sit down and buckle up.
Sidebar: We flew over the Sahara and it's as tan and desolate as you think it is.
I thought it would take forever to get off the plane from the back, but they wheeled up a second set of stairs to the rear. More in the next post...
Delta Sky Club
If you're going to do a fair amount of flying in a short amount of time - and happen to be on DL or one of the SkyTeam airlines - it's well worth your while to spring for a 30-day club membership. It's $90 and well worth it. The DCA and DTW clubs are nice, comfortable and quiet. Only one club at DCA so it can get crowded. DTW has four of them. I went to the one at the center of Terminal A. Very spacious with plenty of seats, showers, and a self-service bar.
Membership also gets you into some partner airline lounges, which for me includes KLM's Royal Crown Lounge 52 at AMS. It was a wee bit of a rush, but I managed to get a shower, a shave and a reasonable breakfast in a 1.5hr layover. It was a little busy when I got there, but was pretty quiet by 10am.
KLM Premium Economy seats
Long story short: If you're thinking about this upgrade, check to see how booked the flight is first. If I had known this flight had so many empty seats, I would've saved myself the $150 and sat in the back.
Flying over
Generally uneventful. Flight to DTW was a half-hour late but more than enough for my connections. The headDL flight attendant - who was told by another pax that some of us (not me!) might be a bit surly - kept the jokes coming. After asking us to turn off "anything battery-powered that's not keeping you alive," she told us the pilot was a former Blue Angel and that "he'll fly it like he stole it."
Upon landing she said if we liked the flight, they are a Delta crew out of Orlando. If we didn't, then they are an Eastern crew out of Seattle. On the way out, I grinned at the attendant and said "Eastern out of Seattle, right?"
That got me a "Hey now!" and a playful slap on the arm.
DTW-AMS was likewise uneventful. No one was sitting next to me so I had some space. Ambien was much appreciated on this leg.
AMS-JRO was also nice, but not sleeping (intentionally) made this flight seem quite a bit longer than it was. I paid extra for a Premium Economy seat, which is still cattle class but with a bit more seat pitch and recline. I was wedged between a nun and a teenage British girl. It wasn't terribly comfy for any of us. 3-4-3 layouts seldom are. The gal said there were plenty of open seats in the back. I took a look and sure enough, there were probably 30-40 empty seats in the back section, enough room for several to actually lie down. I plunked myself down in 61D (next to last row). While it lacked the recline of the PE seat, I had a lot more room. I was right by the galley so easy access to mid-meal snacks and - surprisingly enough - got served first.
There was aside from what I'd call moderate turbulence as we approached the Swiss Alps. You know it's not good when the captain tells the cabin crew to sit down and buckle up.
Sidebar: We flew over the Sahara and it's as tan and desolate as you think it is.
I thought it would take forever to get off the plane from the back, but they wheeled up a second set of stairs to the rear. More in the next post...
Delta Sky Club
If you're going to do a fair amount of flying in a short amount of time - and happen to be on DL or one of the SkyTeam airlines - it's well worth your while to spring for a 30-day club membership. It's $90 and well worth it. The DCA and DTW clubs are nice, comfortable and quiet. Only one club at DCA so it can get crowded. DTW has four of them. I went to the one at the center of Terminal A. Very spacious with plenty of seats, showers, and a self-service bar.
Membership also gets you into some partner airline lounges, which for me includes KLM's Royal Crown Lounge 52 at AMS. It was a wee bit of a rush, but I managed to get a shower, a shave and a reasonable breakfast in a 1.5hr layover. It was a little busy when I got there, but was pretty quiet by 10am.
KLM Premium Economy seats
Long story short: If you're thinking about this upgrade, check to see how booked the flight is first. If I had known this flight had so many empty seats, I would've saved myself the $150 and sat in the back.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Weighty Concerns
I finished packing and weighed everything. I prefer to travel light, but it's hard to do "light" on Kili. Even harder when you have to drag your Kili gear for a week after the climb.
I was up til 1:00am weighing and figuring things. What will stay at the hotel and what will go up the mountain. What will be given away or consumed. What has to stay with me at all times. What I can really leave out.
My two duffels weigh 27lbs and 24lbs. Yeah that's a lot. But that includes 6-7lbs of stuff I'm taking over to donate to a school: markers, chalk, pens and - since it's World Cup season - a youth-size soccer ball with an air pump. I took out a fleece, a vest and an extra t-shirt. Only 2lbs or so, but that's progress!
My daypack, which I'm carrying on, is around 18lbs. This includes most of my camera gear and my netbook.
My mountain weight is probably OK. The guide will shake out my gear the day before, so if I need to shed stuff he will definitely let me know. I have a personal porter who can carry my daypack for me, but I'll probably have him carry my tripod (9lbs, with a not-very-light panoramic head) most of the time. If the pack gets to be too much, he gets the pack and I'll get the tripod.
Oh yeah, there's also a 33lb baggage limit on internal flights. I will have shed some weight by then (the donated stuff, snacks, gifts) but I'm going to be over that limit by a weighs. (ha!)
Carol from Kiliwarriors says there's no scale at the bush airstrip and it's pretty much an honor system. It's also ultimately up to the pilot whether to take excess baggage in the first place. She said previous clients have been over the limit by a little bit and it hasn't been a problem. I will find out firsthand just how strict that rule is.
I was up til 1:00am weighing and figuring things. What will stay at the hotel and what will go up the mountain. What will be given away or consumed. What has to stay with me at all times. What I can really leave out.
My two duffels weigh 27lbs and 24lbs. Yeah that's a lot. But that includes 6-7lbs of stuff I'm taking over to donate to a school: markers, chalk, pens and - since it's World Cup season - a youth-size soccer ball with an air pump. I took out a fleece, a vest and an extra t-shirt. Only 2lbs or so, but that's progress!
My daypack, which I'm carrying on, is around 18lbs. This includes most of my camera gear and my netbook.
My mountain weight is probably OK. The guide will shake out my gear the day before, so if I need to shed stuff he will definitely let me know. I have a personal porter who can carry my daypack for me, but I'll probably have him carry my tripod (9lbs, with a not-very-light panoramic head) most of the time. If the pack gets to be too much, he gets the pack and I'll get the tripod.
Oh yeah, there's also a 33lb baggage limit on internal flights. I will have shed some weight by then (the donated stuff, snacks, gifts) but I'm going to be over that limit by a weighs. (ha!)
Carol from Kiliwarriors says there's no scale at the bush airstrip and it's pretty much an honor system. It's also ultimately up to the pilot whether to take excess baggage in the first place. She said previous clients have been over the limit by a little bit and it hasn't been a problem. I will find out firsthand just how strict that rule is.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The Little Things
As departure gets closer, the things I have to deal with get smaller. Airfare, clothing, insurance and luggage were taken care of months ago. Doctor visits and shots were not too long ago. But the last two weeks have been chasing down the little things, like small bottles to keep pills in, a moneybelt, SD cards, permethrin to treat my safari clothes. And there are chores, like eating up the food that won't keep while I'm gone, paying bills and holding the mail.
For instance, this afternoon was spent cashing in my change jar ($93!), buying some brightly colored cable ties (for securing bag zippers), dropping off a tote for my CSA sharesitter (and getting some intel on Delta's Sky Club locations - thanks Jodi!), buy some of the aforementioned pill bottles, and waterproofing my boots.
The boots (a solid pair of old-school all-leather wafflestompers made by Alico) feel pretty well broken in. I filled the large seam around the sole with a thin liquid wax. It seemed like the best way to fill the stitch holes. Then a generous helping of Sno-Seal, which I think is the end-all be-all of waterproofing products. It's a lot easier to apply if you have a hairdryer to melt the beeswax. And I bought a hairdryer expressly for this reason. Not enough hair to need it for its intended purpose.
I still have to permethrin-ize my safari clothes, find some Gatorade powder, count my vitamins, charge and recharge all my toys, buy a circular polarizer for my new lens, get a haircut, put Picasa on my netbook... I'll need a vacation just to recover from preparing for this vacation.
For instance, this afternoon was spent cashing in my change jar ($93!), buying some brightly colored cable ties (for securing bag zippers), dropping off a tote for my CSA sharesitter (and getting some intel on Delta's Sky Club locations - thanks Jodi!), buy some of the aforementioned pill bottles, and waterproofing my boots.
The boots (a solid pair of old-school all-leather wafflestompers made by Alico) feel pretty well broken in. I filled the large seam around the sole with a thin liquid wax. It seemed like the best way to fill the stitch holes. Then a generous helping of Sno-Seal, which I think is the end-all be-all of waterproofing products. It's a lot easier to apply if you have a hairdryer to melt the beeswax. And I bought a hairdryer expressly for this reason. Not enough hair to need it for its intended purpose.
I still have to permethrin-ize my safari clothes, find some Gatorade powder, count my vitamins, charge and recharge all my toys, buy a circular polarizer for my new lens, get a haircut, put Picasa on my netbook... I'll need a vacation just to recover from preparing for this vacation.
The "Hidden" Medical Costs of Kili
It didn't dawn on me until fairly recently that the medical costs of getting ready for Kili are substantial. It pales compared to the trek cost, the safari and even the cheapo coach airfare, nevertheless it was more than I expected. Especially when you have a high-deductible health plan.
The shots aren't necessarily cheap. Twinrix will probably run $300-400 by the time I'm done with it. Meningitis was $130. (And I still have a bruise from that one.) Oral typhoid was $90 (or $22.50/dose). If I had gotten it, yellow fever would've been $180. H1N1 flu was a bargain at $15.
The pills can be pricey too - and on my insurance I'm paying for these out of pocket. Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Diamox (acetazolamide) and Ambien (zolpidem) are available as generics (yaay!) and the most expensive of those was just over $30. Target practically gives away Cipro (just $4 for 18 pills). As for Malarone (atovaquone/proguanil) ... no generics there. $193.07 - and that's the one that doesn't make you crazy. At that price I'd take it even if I didn't really need to. Funny how the one I really hope I don't use is the cheapest.
So my travel-related preventative medical care will cost around $1000. Insurance is picking up a lot of it, since the shots are much cheaper than the disease. Nevertheless, international travel can cost more than you think.
The shots aren't necessarily cheap. Twinrix will probably run $300-400 by the time I'm done with it. Meningitis was $130. (And I still have a bruise from that one.) Oral typhoid was $90 (or $22.50/dose). If I had gotten it, yellow fever would've been $180. H1N1 flu was a bargain at $15.
The pills can be pricey too - and on my insurance I'm paying for these out of pocket. Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Diamox (acetazolamide) and Ambien (zolpidem) are available as generics (yaay!) and the most expensive of those was just over $30. Target practically gives away Cipro (just $4 for 18 pills). As for Malarone (atovaquone/proguanil) ... no generics there. $193.07 - and that's the one that doesn't make you crazy. At that price I'd take it even if I didn't really need to. Funny how the one I really hope I don't use is the cheapest.
So my travel-related preventative medical care will cost around $1000. Insurance is picking up a lot of it, since the shots are much cheaper than the disease. Nevertheless, international travel can cost more than you think.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Home Stretch
Just a few days left and I'm getting all the little things taken care of. Wash and waterproof the boots. Hold the mail. Accumulate relatively new US$ bills. Get someone to "babysit" my CSA share.
Oh, and update this blog. :)
Amazon.com finally let me down. I tried to order a few more camera bits for the trip. They'd gladly sell me a SD card, a thumb drive and a new lens, but it wouldn't ship for nearly two weeks, and wouldn't arrive until after I leave. Boo hiss!
But I'll tell you who came through on the camera gear... Staples.
Yeah, the office supply place sells camera lenses! Cost about the same and I got it shipped to my door the next day! OMFG!
I got a Nikon 55-200 zoom with vibration reduction. It's basically a kit lens and it's kinda slow, but it's great for travel and will give me a bit more reach than my 18-135 zoom. I took it on a local photo safari today (through Washington Photo Safaris - David Luria is a great instructor) and it seemed to work pretty well. He thought I should rent a larger lens - I could probably get a 300mm or longer glass for $150 shipped. Not a bad idea, but I'd have to hump it up Kili first and it won't be of much use there. I'll save it for next time.
Oh, and update this blog. :)
Amazon.com finally let me down. I tried to order a few more camera bits for the trip. They'd gladly sell me a SD card, a thumb drive and a new lens, but it wouldn't ship for nearly two weeks, and wouldn't arrive until after I leave. Boo hiss!
But I'll tell you who came through on the camera gear... Staples.
Yeah, the office supply place sells camera lenses! Cost about the same and I got it shipped to my door the next day! OMFG!
I got a Nikon 55-200 zoom with vibration reduction. It's basically a kit lens and it's kinda slow, but it's great for travel and will give me a bit more reach than my 18-135 zoom. I took it on a local photo safari today (through Washington Photo Safaris - David Luria is a great instructor) and it seemed to work pretty well. He thought I should rent a larger lens - I could probably get a 300mm or longer glass for $150 shipped. Not a bad idea, but I'd have to hump it up Kili first and it won't be of much use there. I'll save it for next time.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Oh the Pain...
Went to travel clinic for some more shots. It was painful... and that was just the @#$%! hour-long wait.
- Yellow fever - nah! you don't really need it.
- Meningitis - ow
- H1N1 flu - ow
- Polio - mmm, ow?
- Typhoid - gulp
- Written cipro scrip - $12? oy! wtf?
- Malarone pills - $197.20 (@#$%*&@%^!! ... but better than malaria!)
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