Day 4: Gaining more altitude

Start: Shira camp 1

Finish: Shira camp 2

Distance: 7 miles

Elevation gain: 3505m to 3890m

Climatic zone: Heath

I was awoken from a deep sleep by the gentle sound of tapping on my tent as Ramaa whispered, "Morning Amy, your tea is ready!" The morning was cold and a light crust of frost had formed over my tent in the night, the air was clean and refreshing and I enjoyed drinking my tea as the clouds slowly parted to reveal the icy slopes of Kilimanjaro. The mountain looked distant and high, but I refocused my thoughts on today's progress to avoid becoming overwhelmed by the challenge ahead. Today we would continue to hike across the Shira plateau, a region of the mountain that was formed by an eruption of the Shira Caldera 700,000 years ago. As we were called for breakfast the sun illuminated camp and provided a comforting warmth, revealing the majesty of the morning's African vistas.

After breakfast we followed Anton along the plateau, the hiking was gentle and the incline was kind. The views were beautiful as Mount Meru (4566m) emerged from a sea of fluffy clouds and Kilimanjaro towered intimidatingly above us. I have wanted to visit here for many years, to walk upon these slopes so I felt contented to be here and to witness such stunning scenery. The hostility and the unpredictable nature of a mountain environment coupled with the beauty and mystery is always alluring to me and evokes a wonder that has leached out of modern existence. I've always found exhilaration from spending time in environments that don't answer to the flick of a switch or the turn of a dial but instead makes us question our durability. As we continued to progress, the thinner air was noticeable with both my elevated breathing and heart rate, each step demanded more effort as we grew closer to 4000m above sea level. After around 4 hours of hiking, we'd arrived to Shira 2 camp, situated at 3890m. The usual ritual of uncontrollable giggles while being whacked with a tea towel to remove the dust from my boots and trousers commenced. Saidi congratulated us individually on a progress today, walking his way around the group offering shoulder massages, enthusiastic taps on the back and high fives.

Nasibo and Ramaa prepared us a traditional Tanzanian lunch, a mix of potatoes, carrots and other root vegetables in a warming sauce served with bread and followed by a large plate of melon and avocado. The food was nutritious, fresh and delicious and Ramaa smiled proudly as I accepted a second helping. Following lunch and a rest, Saidi told us it was time for our daily acclimatisation walk where we'd climb slowly to just above 4000m before returning to camp for dinner. The evening was accompanied with a cold wind so I piled on the layers to ensure I'd stay warm. The walk was peaceful and I chatted and laughed with George and Will, the brothers from Sheffield. Once Saidi and his fellow guides were happy we'd gained enough height, we rested as they pointed out the Shira cathedral, a geological formation on the Western slopes of the mountain. Anton and Saidi played football with small rocks, it was impossible not to feel energised in their presence and feel happy being around their infectious smiles. Joey, the other guide was a little older than both Anton and Saidi who were both early 30s and he offered a calm, mature presence as he shook his head as the younger guides began competing in a press up competition. "I can see I have two strong young boys in my team" Joey laughed and encouraged them to begin guiding us back down. Anton and Saidi paid very little attention, calling over to me asking "Who did more press ups Amy?"

Before dinner we had a briefing and the guides formally introduced us to the full team of porters, we moved around the group with each person saying their name and I did my best to try and remember everyone's name. After introductions, they sung us traditional Tanzanian songs about Kilimanjaro and danced around cheerfully. Following this, the tone shifted as Saidi needed to brief us on the equipment they were carrying in order to protect our safety in the high altitude. Firstly he showed us the oxygen cylinder, followed by the extensive first aid kit and finally the hyperbaric chamber - a pressurised bag that you are placed in that mimics descending the equivalent of 2000m below your current altitude. He explained this is only used when severe altitude sickness symptoms develop that don't allow for time to descend and assured us that he has never had to use this and will constantly be checking on our health to ensure this is avoided. My transparent expression was clearly one of concern as he spoke about the signs and symptoms of pulmonary and cerebral oedema which are life threatening conditions developed at altitude, so he placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed me for reassurance that I was safe. He concluded by showing us his satellite phone where he is able to contact a team of private French and Swiss doctors that offered worldwide medical support over the phone to remote high altitude locations if we were in need of more specific advice at any point on the trip. Despite the scary nature of high altitude environments, I couldn't have felt safer and appreciated the effort the guides go to ensure our safety came first.

Ramaa called us over for dinner where he served us pumpkin soup, spaghetti with a vegetable and bean sauce followed by cake and fruits. The guides taught us some Tanzanian card games and we had an evening full of laughter and fun before heading to bed to get some rest ready for the longer days ahead.