Shira Route and Zanzibar!

Hey there, me and my girlfriend have signed up and really looking forward to it although we've not done too much training.... yet!

Are you guys feeling prepared??

Hiya!! am now getting really excited- not feeling ready at all! have been walking around and about and a bit of running in the gym :)  Im 25 and my mate is 27-have never ever done anything like this before-will be my first time ive gone holiday outside of europe!just keep reading about how hard it is going to be ! !

Where abouts are you from? me and lee are from manchester!

its good to hear from somebody at last!:) i first posted all the way back in june :)

 

Hey there, we’re pretty excited too but not too sure that we’re ready just yet… I cant believe it’s less than a month away! We’ve been doing a fair bit of walking and the odd jog/cycle but nothing too crazy, guess we need to step up the pace a bit with only a few weeks to go!

We’re both based in London – flying from Heathrow (I think!) but surprised that there aren’t more people on here getting last minute tips etc.

 Are you guys doing the Zanzibar bit of the trip too?

We are also flying from heathrow-going to get the train down during the day! And are signed on for the Zanzibar extension too-quite like the idea of a few days on a nice white sandy beach-i think  we'll deserve it :)

As for training-I didnt have had a clue where to start-we sort of go out (when work allows) in the hills on weekends-other that that i pretty much just messing around in the gym! From most other threads I have read on this people have pretty much done the same!

I think our trip is nearly full-there seems to be only one free place-Havnt a clue who else is going!!and they dont seem to be on here :) just all adds to the excitement i suppose!!

Cant believe there is only a month to go! Has been nearly a year since me and my mate first started planning this! will still be running around last minute trying to get everything ready im sure!

Can I just ask.... have you got your tanzanian visa yet?or are you going to get it at the airport on arrival? Also, I think I have covered all the vaccinations so far-but am undecided about my rabies jabs?so just wondering if you had got that one too :)

cheers

Hi again, we have picked up our visa’s. We got them from the embassy down here in London although everything I’ve read so far seems to suggest that you wont have too much of a problem getting one when you arrive as long as you have at least six months left on your passport and a crisp $50 bill! There seems to be a few agencies that can arrange the visa for you before you go (I think Exodus suggested one) but they seem a bit expensive - although probably cheaper than a return trip to London! As for vaccinations – Yellow fever is recommended but not sure about rabies. I had rabies jabs a few years ago and I think most people have pretty bad side effects (including me!) and on top of that my understanding is that they doesn’t protect you 100% from contracting rabies. Yellow fever seems to be highly recommended as does some form of malaria prevention. A bit like you guys, we’ve had this planned for quite a while now but seem to be doing everything last minute! We’ve still got lots of bits to get and trying to decide what to buy and what to hire…. Are you guys hiring anything out there?  

Hi guys, not actually on your trip, I'm going on 6th September, just thought I'd have a nosey at your threads. You MUST have the yellow fever jab at least 10 days before entering Tanzania. They won't let you in without it! Should cost about £50 and you have to have your passport details handy for the certificate. Rabies jab, I had it 3 years ago for another trip, no side effects but not necessary if you don't want it. Visa,...download documents from Tanzanian Embassy website. Fill in and then run to nearest Barclays Bank to pay £38 into their account, get receipt from Barclays then send direct to embassy in London. Include 2 passport size photos, passport and return pre-paid envelope. Takes one week to get it all back. Take water sterilisation tablets for your climb up Kili. Or, if you've got a Camelbak or similar, buy an in line filter kit for it from "Pure Hydration" on tinternet. Hope this helps! Cheers. Kev :-) PS 20 minutes training on a stairmaster with 35 kilos in a rucksack every day should sort the men from the boys! Ha Ha

cheers-kilikev! im all jabbed up for yellow fever and have my certificates at the ready!! still havnt decided what to do about rabies yet-but seeing as im on night shifts for the week- it may be too later and my decision made for me :)

as for visa-will have a gander and see if it worth poppng down to london for the day:)always a good excuse for shopping:)nd at least i then dont have to worry bout gettin the visa there incase there is a problem-just dont like the idea of sending off my passport in the post so close to the trip:)

I wasnt planning on renting anything out there-mainly because i have most things and i like to shop:) also i plan on using most of my stuff again so have managed to get bits and bobs throughout the year.Am playing with the idea of a down jacket-or maybe a micro type jacket thingy - but i have loads of layers and fleeces and windproofs and waterproofs-so may just take these!?! what were you thinking of renting? im now waiting patiently for my next pay day so i cant go and get the rest of my things!:)

only thing im worried about-is a) how im going to fit all my stuff in one bag for the flight and b) how im going to get my day pack on as hand luggage-hummmmmmmmm work in progress :)

are you doing any fundraising for your climb??

 

 

 

Hiya Ruth! Just got back to the office having had my yellow fever jab....no side effects yet!!I've purchased all my stuff for the trip so won't be renting anything...unless it all gets lost on the way there of course! Regarding baggage, I'm loading up a 70 litre rucksack with 19.5 kilos of equipment and the rest is going in a 35 litre rucksack as hand luggage. This smaller rucksack will then become my daypack on the mountain. I'll be wearing my walking boots on the plane cos they are too bulky to pack and may also wear some of the extra clothing to save space and weight. As for fund raising...I am the worlds worst person at asking for sponsorship and collecting money! So, on this occasion, I have given that a miss and doing this just for fun. Cheers for now, keep on smiling! Kev :-)

hi to all, just bein nosey. i did this trip in june so can offer advice. dont waste money on rabies jabs. not needed. yellow fever is a must as is  anti malarial. be prepared for the cold- lava tower was about minus 20 overnight and every night was well below zero so a warm sleping bag is a must. once the sun goes down (about 6 30 pm) it gets cold very quickly so youl need to wrap up then. daytime its fairly warm tho sometimes a cool breeze drops the temperature.  all your clothes will get filthy due to dust so make sure you have some clean clothes back at the hotel to change into. training- just get as fit as you can, running , cardio etc - you will walk very slowly anyway and its not vast distances, just thin air due to the altitude.

most of all enjoy and take lots of pics, wish i was coming with you, its a fantasic trip! if you have joseph or sammy as the guides give em my regards!

Just received a holdall from Exodus. This is what the porters carry up the mountain for us. So my 70 litre will remain at home. The 35 litre will be stuffed into the holdall with most of my gear for use as a daypack cos I think it will be too big as hand luggage. For hand luggage I've now got one of those little cases with wheels and a telescopic handle. That should do it. Crikey! Just over a week to go and I don't feel ready! Cheers. Kev. :-)

Cheers adann-not nosey at all-really appreciate the advice!!

Kilikeb-am well jealous-we have three weeks exactly til we leave!am soooo excited now feels like its eventually all coming together! Got paid today so went on a bit of a spree getting the last few odds and ends-soon adds up though!

I think i will do the same-the exodus holdall is fairly big! will probably put my 35l  day pack (as is a toploader and think il struggle getting it in as hand lugagge) in the hold all-with sleeping bag, mat and whatever else i can fit in-then take the rest on plane with me! think im going to try travel as light as possible!and take loads of layers!  have you got a down jacket>?? am still contemplating this one :)

oh yeah-! what are you taking for water purification ?!?!

I'm taking a fairly thin Down Jacket that fits nicely under my waterproof coat. Together with thermals that should keep me well and truly warm and dry. Plenty of layers is the secret! As for water purification...I've got a 3 litre camelbak and attached a water filter to the tube. Even though they boil the water for you this filter will sort out any baddies that remain. Hope this helps. Cheers. Kev :-)

Cheers!! i managed to get a brand new down jacket for just £22 on ebay!! bargain of the weeh i think!!! well two weeks to go-roughly packed my kit bag and weighed it in at 15kg at the moment!:S havnt even put in half the things i want  to yet!

Hi

Have just returned from Shira route & Zanzibar......its cold when the sun has gone down, very cold, down jacket was very welcome, as were gloves, hat, base layers. Frost every morning. They boil all the water so didn't bother with water purifying, wet wipes are a must (!), be prepared to be the dirtiest you have ever been, volcanic dust is a nightmare, chocolate is a must!, lip salve/vaseline (your face will fall off!), sunhat for daytime, water will freeze on summit night (and I had a camelback thermal kit, blow the water back if you have the breath!), mosquito nets are at all hotels (tho we never saw any mosquitos), poles were very helpful especially on summit night, follow the guides instructions (they've seen it all before), do the acclimatisation walks, we all did, half our group took diamox later on in the trip.....headaches abounded, miracle drug, it definitely works and all 9 of us made the top together, take regular snacks through the week, energy levels dip easily,you'll hate summit night and the trip down at the time but love it afterwards!! Be prepared for toilet sights you've never seen the like of!! Good luck, poley poley, and enjoy!

thank for the advice!! really appreciated! sounds like hell but i know itl be fantastic!! now just trying to figure out how im going to get all of my gear into the luggage allowance-exodus told m we are only allowed to take 15kg in kit bag and 5kg hand luggage due to the small intrnal craft used for zanzibar! was this the same with your trip?? cheers

20kg on London to Nairobi plus 10kg hand luggage. Definitely only 15kg kit bag for porters to carry plus your daysack (mine was always heavy or seemed like it!). Look on Precision Air website (internal connecting flights) for weights but I can't say anybody took any notice when checking in, my kitbag was certainly heavy with my Zanzibar stuff in too but it just got checked in without any comment. Try and get a seat on left of plane (seat A or B) from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro.....you'll get a view of the mountain out of the window!

Hey there, been away from the internet for a while... 

I still feel like we have loads to do before we go but not long left now!

Hows your planning going?

A

 

Hiya! i know!! everytime I think I just about have everything I need-I think of something else!! Well off to town this morning to get last few bits and bobs-then I am on night shifts for the next 7 days, which pretty much takes me up to when we leave :S

Also just need to get my antimalarials today-and going to start on diamox later on this week- i have decided to take it prophylactically-although i dont think my friend is going to bother at all-how about you two!?

Am a bit worried about the weight restrictions that exodus told me when i asked in an e-mail may have to leave a few things out!

what sort of camera are you taking with you? im going take my Digital SLR-although  fear slightly for its safety with all the dust people keep talking about:( and may take a little point and shoot just incase it seizes up altogether,will be nothing less than gutted if after all that slog we dont get a piccie at the top :)

Hi there, hope all your shopping went ok… I think we’re pretty much done now.Which antimalarials did you go for? As for diamox, I don’t think I’m going to bother although it does seem that a lot of people swear by them… Mmmm another thing to sort out!! As for the camera – we’re not sure either… like you we’ve got an SLR but other than having to lug it up there - everyone seems to be saying that the dust is a bit of an issue so confused really! It seems a long way to go with hopefully lots of good photo opportunities so would probably be a shame not to take a good camera! Its all a bit close now isn’t it? Did you guys sort out your visas, or are you getting them at the airport?

hiya

I went for malaone cost £65-was gutted handing over my credit card! I think i am going to take diamox and start before i go-im a proper wimp when it comes to being ill!:)

as for visa's we decided to get them there-mainly because ive been on a lot of night shifts so didnt get my rear end in gear to post them down!

I managed to pick up a polarising filter for my SLR-which should be good for bright light areas ie high up! also should act as a good lens protector also!-am goin to take my old point and shoot just in case! I also only have a bog standard kit lens-so not overly worried:

tis way too close for comfort now-am starting to get a bit nervous!!what have we let ourselves in for ..........................................

Hi there again, sorry-not very good at keeping up with e-mails etc.... anyway its a big day tomorrow!

Not sure if you'll catch up with this before then but if you dont I'm sure we'll meet at the airport/on the plane or in Tansania!! Oh well too late to back out now... see you at some stage tomorrow!