# A walk through the clouds



## Trithor (Mar 13, 2014)

This will be my third trip to one of my favourite places. I have been looking forward to it for weeks. 
A smiling welcome to Tanzania




The mountain is big enough to generate its own weather patterns. A very wet and long day through the rainforest. ......Just cant wait to get to a nice comfortable spot to rest and take my boots off.




Oh boy! The camp site for the first night. I guess it was too much to hope for a dry and level spot to pitch our tents! A very long and uncomfortable night ahead. I discovered I had not paid enough attention and had pitched my tent over a tree root. The whole night I kept slipping out of my tent and struggling to get comfortable on the infernal root. By morning my gear was all wet and covered in mud. Oh boy, what a way to start!




The next day could not arrive quick enough. After a couple of hours of reasonably steep ascent we moved into the cloud forest, a magical fairy wonderland...... only problem was the incessant drip, drip, drip. 
Everything was clad in silver lichen and moss.




Even the rocks were dressed in the same silver strands. Truly magical!




Then all of a sudden the clouds part for a brief moment and we are afforded a glimpse of our objective. A few days away still.




The end of a magical day. We set up camp with a fantastic view of the route we need to follow tomorrow. Another very wet night. It just did not stop raining. 




By mid morning the following day we had ascended the steep section and emerged on the Alpine Heath. Here the flora had changed dramatically. Still a lot of cloud around. Cloud, cloud and more cloud! By now I am tired of being wet and I can see that tonight is going to be very uncomfortable. 




At long last the day is over. We make camp with a stunning view over the clouds. At long last we seem to be emerging from the clouds. The prospect of a bit of sun tomorrow is heartening. The problem tonight is that there is nowhere to pitch the tents, tonight we will have to sleep in the open, at least it promises to be dry.




We wake up to lovely views of Mt Meru in the distance, its summit is the 5th highest in Africa.




By late morning we have ascended into the Alpine Desert. Rocky and desolate, but above all, DRY! At long last I can dry some gear, for the rest of the day I look like a mobile cloths-line.




The end just does not seem to get any closer. It looks stunning now and excitement is mounting just as the air is getting thinner. It is now that you realise how big this thing is.




A great view of tomorrows route. It will be the last day that we are on our own, by late afternoon we will be joining a more travelled route, as the summit nears (near being a relative term)




The following evening we join a large group from France. They have a city of tents, and even boast an ablution tent and a mess tent. Wow! a home from home, they are doing this in luxury, way better organised and probably more fun (we have to carry all our own gear)




As the sun sets the temperature drops sharply. Soon ice starts to cover everything and with a last glance at the sunset we escape into our sleeping bags wearing nearly every bit of clothing we have brought with us. Tonight is going to be very cold!




......... stay tuned for the second instalment. (I need a glass of wine)


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## Ruth (Mar 13, 2014)

Amazing and beautiful trip! Looking forward to views from the top. 
(Maybe the French will share some wine)


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## Denver (Mar 13, 2014)

I'm super, super jealous!


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## NYEric (Mar 13, 2014)

Quite the nature walk! Thanks for sharing.


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## likespaphs (Mar 13, 2014)

that was great!
thank you!
can't wait for part two


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## TyroneGenade (Mar 13, 2014)

No orchids?


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## fibre (Mar 13, 2014)

WOW, thank you for these wonderful photographs! What a wonderful tour!


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## Wendy (Mar 13, 2014)

Amazing! I look forward to installment #2. Thank you for sharing your trip.


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## Migrant13 (Mar 13, 2014)

Yes, thanks so much for the photo adventure. Looks like a super trip.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Mar 13, 2014)

Looks like a great hike. I've always wanted to see those forests of giant Dendrosenecio in person. It amazes me that snow occurs so close to the equator even at those relatively high altitudes. True islands of radically different climate and biology in a tropical sea.

Can't wait for installment 2!


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## Dido (Mar 13, 2014)

great pic and thanks for sharing them with us. 
Really no orchids there


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## abax (Mar 13, 2014)

Gary, if it had all the comforts of home, it'd be called "home". That's why
we seek adventure...so we can complain about the weather conditions. It
looks very exciting and strenuous to me. Have a wonderous time!


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## JeanLux (Mar 14, 2014)

Great pics so far, thanks a lot Gary!!!! Jean


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## Clark (Mar 14, 2014)

Great views!

Not so sure about sleeping on ground...




Trithor said:


> It just did not stop raining.



Keep your powder dry.


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## gnathaniel (Mar 14, 2014)

Awesome place! Thanks for sharing pictures.


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## couscous74 (Mar 14, 2014)

Very nice! Hope you stay dry.


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## lepetitmartien (Mar 14, 2014)

Woah great!

Uhuru!


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## SlipperFan (Mar 14, 2014)

Great photos, Gary! Thank you for sharing your trip with us. It was a nice reprieve from Winter.


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## Rick (Mar 14, 2014)

What a trip:drool:


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## gonewild (Mar 15, 2014)

Are you tripping for fun or going for a specific purpose?


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## Trithor (Mar 15, 2014)

gonewild said:


> Are you tripping for fun or going for a specific purpose?



Just for fun, although at the time it does not feel much like it. Previously I did a couple of trips with a company that arranged the whole thing. Then we only carried a day pack and the rest was carried by porters, I always felt that I was cheating, so this trip I went on my own, hired a guide (who I knew from previous trips) and carried all my own gear, food etc. We took a non tourist route, so for most of the way we were almost completely alone. Much more authentic, but not a very comfortable way of doing it. Carrying 6 days food, gear, tent and camera made it a much more difficult trip, I will tell you in a few days if it was worth it, at the moment I am just glad to have accomplished it and back home. (one irritation was to have to pay for two porters as part of my permit, even if I did not use them, I guess it is about job creation in what is a very poor country)


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## gonewild (Mar 15, 2014)

It looks like a great trek. 

I would have used the porter!


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## chrismende (Mar 15, 2014)

Wonderful view of a place I certainly will never see in person. I particularly loved the images of the strange plants in the mist in the second picture, and the glittering strands of mosses. I'm not envious of the uncomfortable nights and the rain, but I guess it all goes with the territory.


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## John M (Mar 15, 2014)

Awesome scenery. Thanks very much for sharing with us!


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## Trithor (Mar 16, 2014)

Thank you all, glad to have been able to share my trip with you.


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