The Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb 2010 (post 7 of 12)

This is the seventh of twelve posts on the December 2010 Mt. Kilimanjaro climb.

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Wednesday 8 December 2010
The second day on the Lemosho route includes a prolonged climb, particularly at a section called the Seven Hills. Before the descent to Shira 1 Camp, I began to worry that, perhaps, this will be the day that I would regret not having adequately prepared myself for this year's climb.



Jaffar Amin, left, takes a break with Yahoo our mountain guide during the Seven Hills climb

Last year Yahoo, our mountain guide, had suggested that I buy a mountain bike to ride prior to climbs for strengthening my leg and thigh muscles. I bought the bike promptly, but I rode it only for several days then resorted to my normal ill-exercised self and this is how I am facing Mt. Kilimanjaro this year.

Jaffar, always adept at engaging any stranger in conversation, kept talking to three climbers, one of whom was a Canadian and another, an American. They were climbing with a Tusker team. At a certain point, one of them asked:

"So you are climbing for a charity?"
"Yes," Jaffar responded.
"Which charity?"

I explained that it was not for a particular charity, that we were raising money for a school, and a group of disabled persons.

Jaffar added: "We are also doing a reconciliation of the past, our fathers were the former leaders of Uganda..."
"Who is your father?"
"Mine, Idi Amin; his, Julius Nyerere."

To which the American replied, "That's a good one." And they walked past us as we continued with our short rest.

I had the impression that the other climber did not believe Jaffar's last response. I found out later that I was right.

Next: Snowfall on Kilimanjaro.

Posts related to this one:
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2011/01/mwalimu-nyereremt-kilimanjaro-charity_31.html
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2011/05/mwalimu-nyereremt-kilimanjaro-charity.html