(And do you like how I’m so not creative with my blog titles that I really just make them the first sentence of the post?)
Anyway. Back to my list.
I always have an ongoing list of travel-related adventures that I must accomplish. I usually have one or two sitting at the top, and when I finally get to enjoy those trips, I cross them off and find new explorations to make my primary focus. The pyramids in Egypt and Machu Picchu in Peru used to be tied for first place but I crossed those suckers off in 2010 and 2006 (respectively). Don’t worry; I’ve found a new goal!
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Boom. Guys, I want this mountain. Badly.
I have had Kili on my list for years, but it was always below other adventures. However, over the past 2-3 years it has continually crept to the forefront of my mind and quite honestly, it’s driving me nuts. How can a mountain I’ve never seen or touched preoccupy so many of my thoughts?!
Let’s face it: Mt. Kilimanjaro is badass. For those of you that aren’t as mountain-obsessed, let me tell you why this beast is awesome. First of all, at 19,341 feet it is the tallest mountain in Africa, thus making it one of the Seven Summits. Unlike some of the other peaks in this category (ahem, Denali and Everest, ahem), it isn’t dangerous to climb. Granted, I say that with a grain of salt because any mountain has its inherent dangers, especially when you are going up this high in elevation. However, Kili does not require the technical snow and glacier climbing that others require, and let’s face it: 19,000 feet is significantly less than Everest’s 29,000! I’ve been up as high as 16,000 feet and while I wasn’t exactly frolicking around and doing wind sprints, I was definitely fine. I think I can handle more elevation 🙂
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There are a couple different routes that go up Kilimanjaro, but the one that I have always wanted to take is the Machame route. From what I gather, the Marangu is less steep, but this means that it has more people. I like people, but not that much 🙂 Plus, I’ve heard the Machame route is more scenic, so I’d be willing to deal with the extra difficulty in steepness to enjoy the better views!
Know what else I think is cool? If you climb Kili, you go through five different vegetation zones! That’s a freaking lot of different vegetation for a singular climb and being the plant nerd that I am, I’d truly enjoy checking out the variety from zone to zone. How crazy is it that you can start in almost tropical jungle and finish in a barren and exposed scree field?
So, I’ve decided that I need to climb Kili before the glacier melts away. Anyone need their car washed? House cleaned? I am now taking on any and odd jobs in order to save my pennies 🙂
36 Comments
Wow! That’s awesome! My husband and I have a short list of places we want to visit, but most of them are in the “someday….” category right now. If only we were independently wealthy!
Independently wealthy…..I WISH!
That sounds awesome! I’m not a mountain climber, so I probably wouldn’t do it, but I want to travel and see cool stuff like you. Now I need to stop spending all my money on races so I can do it. I know two people who’ve climbed it!
Ugh, always comes back to money, doesn’t it?! I know a few peeps that have climbed it too and I’m so jealous!!
Sounds so cool! I love all of the adventuring you have done – inspires me to want to do some myself!!
Aww, thanks! DO IT! 🙂
love it! nothing like a huge amazing adventure to keep you motivated
I have always wanted to do this too! A fellow teacher had done it and I was totally jealous. It will probably have to wait until grad school is done though.
I think that’s why it’s becoming an itch… I grad in August FINALLY 🙂 Although, then I have to pay back grad school loans, so I’ll probably be living in a box!
This is on my list too!! I was actually in Kenya and Tanzania last year and I wish I had just done it then! But I guess it just gives me an excuse to go back!
I’ve never been to Africa– well, Egypt is technically Africa, but you know what I mean!– and I’m seriously dying to go. I’d love to go to Kenya, too!
That would be so neat! I’ve never done any sort of mountain climbing or anything. Sounds like a lot of fun!
My friend just got back from climbing Kilimanjaro. I don’t know the details but I do know that she had a great time.
I hope you get your adventure real soon!
I love your amazing adventure list! I’d do Kili in a heart beat…if I could puch pause on my children. Some day….
I want to go to every place that you have gone. I’d be happy with that. Or heck, just even Hawaii!
Must see places on my list include South Africa, New Zealand and at least one European country (don’t care which- I’m not picky!)
I’m sooooooo not well traveled, but really love the places that I’ve seen in the U.S.!!
I’d love to go to South Africa also! I always look at those films of people cage diving with sharks there, and it looks so exciting!
I definitely want to climb Kilimanjaro! I’m going to climb Mt. St. Helens this summer – it will be my first one! I took that quiz on facebook about the place to travel in the world and I am horribly behind. No bueno.
That quiz was weird! I’d be to so many of those countries but not the specific locations, so I had a fairly low score :)Good luck on St. Helens!
Damn, this IS badass. Very interesting about the vegetation zones, I never heard of that before!
Isn’t that neat? I think it would be so cool to see such a variety over the span of a few days!
Wow!! super ambitious. maybe not quite my type of adventure, but i totally love it. we’ve been working on a list lately as well!
Rock it!! I think it is awesome to have an ambitious goal like this.
I want to run the NYC marathon and Boston. Bucket list toppers right now– also I would like to run Imogene (Ouray to Telluride) competitively next time.
Ok, you are amazing! I am not sure if I am ready to tackle a mountain, but I would like to run NYC (like the previous commenter) and MAYBE Boston someday. I also want to get into biking more!
That sounds amazing! To be honest, most of my bucket list items are more leisurely (ie- ziplining lol), but I’ve always thought it would be so cool to climb Kili.
That’s on my list of things to do too! The only thing that gives me pause is that it’s Africa. I’m not sure how I feel about potentially tripping and ending up in an African hospital 🙂
See, this is where I don’t think things through the way I maybe should…. I just tell myself “You better not trip!” and that’s that 🙂
Heather, I heart you, big time, and this just confirms it. You have the guts to carry out all my wild pipe dreams.
If I could think of anyone that I know who is the most suited to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, you are it!
In the meantime, sign me up for for Mt. Kosciusko in Australia, that sounds more about my elevation haha.
And PS I just LOVE your new blog header, it’s so professional looking!
And PPS thanks for the FitFluential nomination, you are awesome, you’re one of my fitness/active heroes!
Um, you are like the sweetest gal EVER. Thank you!!
And I’ve got you down for Kosciusko– we can have an adventure!!
You are AMAZING!! I would love to do something like that, maybe someday I will!
That sounds super exciting. The more you work, the more you can eat!!! And I bet it would be super gorgeous.
So many places I want to go, I don’t even know how to start a list…….And I’m totally terrible at saving money to do big trips like that. I need someone to do it for me!
Ugh, and they are expensive 🙁 It was easier when i was younger and didn’t have responsibilities, life, dog, etc. It definitely gets trickier the older you get.
Oh I am right there with you! I really want to do that and Machi Picchu so badly! Do it, do it, do it! That way I can just live vicariously through you 🙂
I love that you’ve got such a cool “bucket” list! I’m not sure what I’d place at the top of my list…the romantic cities would be nice, but for now…I’m raising kiddos. Haha.
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I’ve been to all the adventures trip! Couldn’t make it last time around due to work. So, this year I’m planning to climb Kilimanjaro. I’m already looking forward to plan some stuff! Thought I’d share.
I’m excited for you. I look forward to the day when you’re able to climb kilimanjaro already. With your experience of climbing mountains I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to make to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro gracefully. 🙂