Yes to Life

Ode to Kilimanjaro

Today we have something a little different for you on the blog.  John Piears, one of our volunteers and fundraisers, has recently returned from climbing Kilimanjaro to raise money for Yes to Life. He chose to write about his experience in the form of the following poem.

Fundraising is the life-blood of a charity like Yes to Life and enables us to keep supporting the growing numbers of people coming to us for help with Integrative Medicine. If you would like to do some fundraising for us, however big or small, your help will mean a great deal and can make a real difference to lives of people facing the most desperate of situations. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like to discuss any ideas.

ODE TO KILIMANJARO

An uphill struggle to a barren summit...

Shall I book it? Too late, I've done it!

I'm going to climb a mountain, the almighty Kili 

Not sure if I'm brave or just being silly!

We head to the airport with a bag full of kit 

Waterproofs, sun hats and fleecy mits 

We're prepared for all weathers as we take to the air 

With nine hours of flying before we get there

An overnight flight with hardly any sleep 

Does little to prepare us for our impending feat 

But we check into a lodge and enjoy a few beers 

As we settle our nerves and share our fears

There's 15 in the group, with Phil the trek leader 

And a doctor too, I hope I don't need her!

All lovely people with their own personal story 

All hoping to get that moment of glory

A good night's sleep and we're off to the start 

Already I can feel the beat of my heart 

It's a drizzly beginning as we head into the woods 

But the rain soon leaves, no need for a hood

We trek up through the forest at a pace like a snail 

Too quick and the guides "Pole pole" would hail 

It's better to acclimatise if we all go slow 

Frustrating at first but worth it we know

We reach our first camp a thousand metres up 

That's a mountain at home but here no such luck 

Our tents are all ready and we're greeted with songs 

From the porters who carry our camp all along

A hearty meal then it's off to bed

An early start, "Don't be late!" Phil said!

Already the air is harder to breathe

As the oxygen levels start to recede

We tuck into breakfast after a restless sleep 

Downing coffee and porridge then we're up on our feet 

As we head to camp Shira, it's a steep climb today 

We're all exhausted by the end of the day

Now nearly 4000 metres and the views are amazing 

With beautiful dark skies that are great for star gazing 

The forests are gone, replaced with bushes and rocks 

And the dust gets everywhere, not just in our socks!

We measure our oxygen and heart rates as well 

As the toll from the climb begins to tell 

Headaches and nausea have started for some 

And nosebleeds as well are about to come

Day three arrives, we know the routine

Breakfast, fill the water, apply the sun cream 

A stretching session gets our muscles all powered 

Then we head off for lunch at Lava Tower

We're really high now, nearly level with Mt Blanc 

And the terrain's far more open, the bushes all gone 

Replaced with black rocks all made of lava 

From volcanic explosions erupting like cava

We descend to camp three for much needed rest 

'Climb high, sleep low' is the plan that works best 

A baby wipe bath and wash of the feet 

Then off to the mess tent for something to eat

Day four arrives, it's a big one today

An eleven hour trek before our next stay 

Our first challenge of the day, the Barranco wall 

One foot wrong and it's a long way to fall

An exhausting climb with lots of false summits 

But we make it to the top, thank God we've done it!

A group jump photo then we march off again 

Not so steep now much flatter terrain

Then the climb picks up as we head to camp four 

The high camp, after which there are no more 

We sort out our thermals, night torches and gloves 

As we get ready for the part we'll hate or love

It's 1am, very cold and dark

This certainly won't be a walk in the park!

Five hours of climbing before the sun rises 

Head down, small steps, just think of the prizes!

We're struggling to breathe as the air gets thinner 

And some people are stopping to bring up their dinner!

Headaches and heartaches bring tears for some 

As batteries run low and emotions overrun

Then finally the sun appears in the East 

And we bathe in its warmth, what a feast! 

It's a beautiful sight as we reach the crater rim 

The sense of relief finally begins

We're at Stella Point now, not far from the summit 

A gentle climb and then we've done it 

We solider on, weary and tired 

As we continue on up, higher and higher

Then the end is in sight, the infamous sign 

At the top of the mountain a sight so fine 

The last hundred yards and we touch the top 

To answer the question, would we make it or not?

We all take photos and savour the views

Ready to share our fantastic news

But we don't hang around, the air's cold and thin 

And we've another six hours trek to fit in

It's all downhill as we slide down the scree 

Making very fast progress, only stopping for a pee!

We quickly descend and the air gets thicker 

As we breathe in more oxygen we'll no longer get sicker

Just one more camp then the end is our goal 

As we stride on downhill making use of our poles 

We're all in good spirits but weathered and worn 

Some of our kit battered and torn

Then we reach the finish, our mission complete 

To conquer the mountain we all came to meet 

A mountain so tall you won't find another 

Standing proudly alone, she has no big brother

A mountain that became our friend and our foe

Testing our resolve with its beauty on show 

A huge personal challenge that each of us set 

And an experience I'm sure we'll never forget