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| Briefing by Head Guide Pendaely Lauwo (standing) of Thomson Safaris
Climbers in this photo include from L-R Jennifer Lindwall, Rick Billingham,
Rich Wortley, Tom Reveley, Tom Miller, Alex Branch, Anthony Welcher,
David Branch, and Robert DeWolf. Unfortunately, David Branch was unable
to join us on the climb based on last minute health concerns, but his daughter
Alex and son Chris Branch, plus Chris's partner Alicia Chapman did participate.
David Branch was there to farewell us and meet us when the climb was done.
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Pendaely Lauwo had been one of the Assistant Guides when Gary Drobnack and David Still made the Kilimanjaro climb back in 2009. That also was an effort to raise funds for the Mufindi Children's Project.
Pendaely's personality and performance then made him a perfect choice to be our head guide on the 2014 climb. He has an interesting personal history tied very closely to the first successful climb of Mt Kilimanjaro in 1889. That was the year when German geologist Hans Meyer and Pendaely's grandfather were among the first men known to have stood on the top of Mt Kilimanjaro. Pendaely's family has been involved in climbing and guiding Mt Kilimanjaro over many, many years. He is a member of the local Chagga tribe.
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| L-R Jennifer Lindwall, Rick Billingham, Rich Wortley |
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| Anthony Welcher |
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| Robert DeWolf |
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| L-R Tom Reveley, Tom Miller, and Alex Branch |
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| David Still |
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| Gary Drobnack |
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| Alicia Chapman and Chris Branch
After the initial briefing by Pendaely, the climbers collected the gear they chose to rent in Tanzania from Thomson Safaris rather than carry it with them all the way from the United States. Most of us rented sleeping bags, air mattresses, and some also rented warm down parkas for the chilly nights on the mountain.
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| Collecting rental equipment |
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The final weigh in. Note small scale hanging above for weighing our individual duffle bags. Climbers could choose to carry a small day pack and their camp porter was limited to carrying a duffle weighing no more than 33 lbs. It was also possible at extra cost to hire a personal porter who could also carry up to 33 lbs. Some climbers did not carry day packs and others did. The personal porters went wherever the climbers did so ones snacks, water, and other gear was always at hand when needed.
On the next blog post, our group travels to the Londorosi Gate on the west side of Mt Kilimanjaro National Park. There we sign in with the Park Rangers, meet all the rest of our porters and the assistant guides, and drive to the trailhead where we launch ourselves toward our first camp site, the Shira 1 Camp that is nestled inside the Shira Caldera. More about the Shira Plateau and what we experience there in the next blog.
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