Posts Tagged ‘Amanda’

Posts Tagged ‘Amanda’


Malaria, Zanzibar, and Chris hates me…

7.15.2010 | 0 Comments

You know what’s great?   Not getting Malaria.

You know what’s not so great?   Spending $150 to not get Malaria.

I went and picked up my wee traveling pharmacy yesterday and it included my Malarone, which I was hesitant to pick up because I knew it was going to be expensive. But hey, I guess it’s worth it, right? Malaria doesn’t sound like it would be all that fun, so I’m content with skipping the experience altogether.

Oh hey! While we’re on the subject of things being great, Amanda was looking at us staying here while we’re in pre-climb Zanzibar.   Not too shabby, eh?  Hopefully we can book a room there and spend some time lolling about and being all drunk and fat.

…Ummm, I mean, spend some time swimming in the ocean, doing yoga on the beach every morning, and running in the sand for 4 hours a day to prepare for our climb.  Yes. That’s what’s I meant.

Not a whole lot new to report today, aside from the fact that I’ve doubled-up on my training with Cara. I do one group class a week and I’ve  suckered convinced Chris to do a private training class with Cara and I. Our first class with her was yesterday afternoon, and it was not easy. Cara was working Chris and I very hard in the sun, and we were both putting all we had into it.  Funny thing, I could have sworn that as Chris ran past me during sprints, he said something along the lines of wanting to leave me… but it could have been the dehydration effecting my hearing. I’m sure that was it.

Things are getting very exciting as the date of my departure approaches. Exciting/scary… same thing, right?

*gulp*

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It’s all Good.

7.13.2010 | 2 Comments

Slowly but surely the plans are coming together. Amanda and I sat down last night and started to plan our pre-climb itinerary. We’re going to head to Zanzibar for about 5 days or so, and then trek on off for our trek on up. That should be pretty cool, eh?

After the climb I have a couple of options for my remaining 5 days on African soil. My initial idea was to do a safari, and as much as that’s still on the table, another idea was brought to mind recently. Chris was speaking with me about my trip, and suggested that I look into some volunteer work while I’m there. This had been in the cards when Ali and I were first putting this adventure together, but it fell by the wayside for a variety of pathetic reasons that I no longer can recall.

Chris’ suggestion made me think of El Camino Voluntours, and how excited I am about the prospect of traveling somewhere to help do some good instead of just traveling somewhere and sitting pool-side on my expanding arse while some poorly paid waiter in an ill-fitting white coat serves me a fluffy drink with an umbrella in it.

So, why am I waiting for next year when I can afford to connect with El Camino? Do I need a special reason to make a special trip? I mean, I’m already going somewhere, so why not take advantage of an opportunity there? Makes sense, right?

So, I emailed a couple of people about volunteering over in Tanzania, and hopefully I’ll hear back soon. I’ll let you know.

xo

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It’s Official…

7.11.2010 | 2 Comments

We’ve got the dates booked, the hotel booked, and the actual climb route (Lemosho) planned out. Now you can follow along from the comfort of your own home, while Ali, Amanda, Christopher and I trudge our way up the World’s Tallest Free-Standing, Equatorial Mountain.

Day 1 will be August 23rd…

Day 1:  Drive to Lemosho Glades and hike to Mti Mkubwa forest camp.

Day 2:  Hike to Shira One camp.

Day 3:  Hike to Shira Two camp.

Day 4:  Hike to Barranco camp.

Day 5:  Hike to Karanga Valley camp.

Day 6:  Hike to Barafu camp.

Day 7:  Hike to the summit and descend to Mweka or Millennium camp.

Day 8:  Complete the descent to Mweka gate and drive back to Marangu.


Countdown to Day 1:   43 days…

*gulp*

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Donnermanjaro

6.29.2010 | 5 Comments

I had a horrible thought yesterday…

What if my climbing team and I get lost on the mountain, wander around aimlessly, go all snow crazy and wind up resorting to cannibalism?  What a horrible, horrible scenario! I couldn’t help thinking about how tragic this would be. I mean, I’m a vegetarian! What the hell would I do!?

And then I got to thinking about who to eat first. Obviously the first choice would be the guide. I mean, not like we’d need him anymore, right? Besides, he got us lost in the first place, so a fitting punishment may very well be to turn him into mountain tapas.

But then I wondered if maybe *I* should be the one to get nommed first. That would really solve my ‘I-don’t-eat-flesh’ dilemma. It would also save me from having to choose which one of my friends I’d have to bonk over the head with a frozen hiking boot. I’m also not very good at making fires, so by being the one to be eaten first, it would save me the potentially debilitating humiliation of failing in front of my friends as I cry my teeny flame out.

Then I started thinking about my teammates (who should all probably stop reading this now), and who I think would make the best meal. Seems easy enough, but if I ate Ali for example (she has very tasty looking calves), then I’d be deprived of her company. If I ate Amanda, then I’d lose out on her level-headed intelligence. But if I ate Christopher… well, he’s pretty thin, so I’d have to end up eating Amanda after him, anyway. And then I’d probably be too full to move, and would then be a prime target for Ali, who I wouldn’t be able to fight off given my logey friend-full belly. But then again, maybe Ali would be too weak to fight! I mean, if I didn’t share, then she would slowly weaken, right? It would take all her strength to strike me down with a ski pole, so if she didn’t get me on first try, she’d be done for.

Cannibalism is apparently quite scientific. It’s not like I can just off any random friend, you know! I have to really think about this. And to make matters worse, I have a fairly small team to choose from! It’s not like I have a whole South American rugby team that I’m climbing with (not that I would mind… hmmmm, now wouldn’t THAT make for interesting blog entries!

…what?

Oh, right. Blog. I forgot….

Kind of went somewhere for a minute there…)

Ok, so here it is: if the team gets lost, I am putting it out there now that I wish to be eaten first. Given the lack of vegetable matter on a human body, I’d be forced to eat meat and that would totally make my tummy feel all icky. I don’t want to have an icky-feeling tummy! That would be just SO uncomfortable. AND I don’t want to have to choose which friend I have to chow on, so by being the first cooked I’d deftly avoid that scenario. AND I am probably a terrible cook when it comes to meat, so I’d most likely give myself ptomaine poisoning after an incorrect buddy-bake. This too would lead to an icky tummy, so really, it’s lose-lose isn’t it?

*phew!*

All this thinking is making me hungry! Shame I don’t have time to eat – I’m late for my psyichatrist appointment…

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Team Kili 2010!

6.07.2010 | 3 Comments

ZOMG!ZOMG!ZOMG!

I’m so excited! Guess what, guess what?!  WE HAVE A NEW TEAM MEMBER!

So, there’s me, Ali, Christopher and now we have AMANDA to climb this mountain with us, too! She has been to Kili before (last year), but didn’t quite reach the summit, so this year… she’s doing it!  And I’m so proud of her for trying it one more time!

Amanda and I have known each other for about 14 years (holy crap! Really?!), and we’ve built up a really unique friendship along the way. She’s this mondo-smart woman who I greatly admire, and she and I have this great knack to be somewhat entirely opposite, but are able to sit around and talk for hours on end. Not bad, eh?

I’m truly thrilled that Amanda is on Team Kili 2010, and this addition just makes the trip that much better for me.

WELCOME AMANDA!!

xo

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