Kilimanjaro, Day 2: July 11, 2011

This morning we had an early wake-up call to head down to breakfast with the team. It was great to be able to sit down and visit with some of my fellow climbers. Everyone was excited and I think a little nervous to be there. For me the trip was continuing to sink in.. I was really here, in Africa, prepping to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Following breakfast, we all gathered in a meeting room where Ben, Eric, Lori, Monique, and Sierra led a meeting that consisted of logistics for the trip.. What to expect, self care to do on the mountain, what to do should you start to have symptoms of altitude sickness. I could sense the energy of the group rising as we were getting so much information. The meeting lasted quite a while in the morning and many of the group had additional questions. I thought many of the questions were warranted, but a part of me wanted to get going! I wanted to start the climb and see what climbing a mountain was all about!

Following the a.m. meeting, we grabbed some lunch at the hotel and met back that afternoon for what would be several hours of gear check. We had to unpack our boundary bags, lay all of our gear and food out while Eric and Ben went through the gear check list to make sure we each had everything we needed. If we didn't, somehow we were going to get it because once you are on the mountain, there was no getting something you needed there. I remember unpacking my boundary bag.. The 50# bag my friend and I spent an evening packing and unpacking to get everything to fit the night before I left and thinking "I have to pack and unpack this thing everyday, ugh!". I had visions of my laying across the bag to get it flat enough so my friend could latch the sides to close it. I thought "this is going to be an adventure in and of itself!". My climbing partner Patti and I helped each other go through gear as well and the bonding between the group continued late into the afternoon. The gear check was a process that for 30 people took a good portion of the day. I remember going through all of the food I brought (which was a lot since I like to eat) and asking Eric if I needed to bring it all. His response was yes.. The food part comes in to play a little later.

Also during the day we were being individually interviewed by a videographer and interviewer sent by a company named Sanofi. They were a company out of Europe who is focused on changing perceptions of those with neurological diseases. They knew Lori and when notified about the trip, wanted to send Jeff (our professional photographer) and a film crew to document the journey. The interviews were longer than expected and also ran late in to the afternoon. I remember in my interview they kept commenting on my blue eyes, which I thought was kind of them.. I now wonder if my eyes showed the pain and feelings of being ashamed to have the disease in my interview. I remember them asking me a lot of questions about when I was diagnosed, how I felt about it, what this trip meant to me. At one point I had to stop talking because I was so choked up. This was the moment, caught on camera, where I had to actually talk about all of the things that I had wanted to avoid at any cost for so long. Soni, the interviewer, was so kind during the process. She would give me moments to compose myself before continuing on. I don't remember exactly what I said to some of the questions, but I do remember saying that without the diagnosis I would not have the opportunity to climb Kili with this group of amazing people and for that I was grateful. I meant it. I had a whirlwind of emotions going on and little did I know at the time how cathartic this trip would be for me.

After a long afternoon of gear checks and interviews, we left the hotel for dinner as a group. I was exhausted from the long day and wanted to be rested for the next, as the climb was finally going to begin! I enjoyed dinner, sitting by Jeff, Sarah, Patti and Eric, and getting to know each other. The bonding of a group that would become my family continued and I was present in every moment of it. There was a performance that entertained us while we were waiting for our dinner (which took much longer than anticipated).. And during that time, I recorded a message for all of my friends and family at home. Lori and Jeff were having troubles getting the messages to upload with the equipment we had, but it was fun to think that everyone following along at home would hear the message.

Once we arrived back at the hotel, I organized all of my final gear between what and where it all went.. How much food and which clothing layers to pack in my day pack vs. boundary bag and then it was time to head to bed.. The Leap of Faith Kilimanjaro Climb was about to begin..