Out
of the mist they came, legends, superheroes…...
Known
to lesser mortals as Mike Rumble, Chris Brewer, and
Louis Eybers, but known in the realm of legends as The
Exited One, King El, and No Calves…...
Our
mission was simple. Saai Kak!
As
foretold in the prophecy, we chose to cause Kak at Kilimanjaro,
and the Bar (Zanzibar to the non-fringees).
Our
mission was greatly simplified by the help of the delectable,
absolutely edible Trudie, from Destination Africa Tours.
Her equipment list caused us not to freeze our asses
off on the mountain. A very professional presentation
using slides and a three-D model showed us exactly what
we let ourselves in for. All other details such as visas,
tickets and all the other boring stuff that we superheroes
avoid doing, was competently taken care of by Trudie.
At
Johannesburg International airport Trudy introduced
us to our five Indian companions, and donated a bottle
of champagne to our cause. We immediately began to scan
the masses for Swedish blonde chicks. (Previously, inside
the biggest Baobab tree in the world, it had been revealed
to us that we would indeed score three Swedish babes
on this trip).
The
flight to Kilimanjaro Airport took four to five hours.
We did not manage to hit major amounts of turbulence.
I did not get to wear the nifty yellow life jacket,
or get to partake in some aircraft oxygen. Damn..
Our
tour operators in Tanzania were Zara Tanzania Adventures.
They organized our transfers from Kilimanjaro international
airport to the Springlands Hotel in Moshi as, by this
time, the Exited One and No Calves were no longer responsible.
Trudie also managed to bend and warp space-time to such
an extent that King El (all the way from a previously
great Empire on which the sun never set) was able to
meet us at the Springlands Hotel, Moshi (Tanzania).
We
were impressed to find that the hotel was not a mud
hut somewhere in the bush as we had expected. The time
had come to sample the many beers available in Tanzania.
We were happy.
We
met some of our fellow vulcaneers, a contingent from
South Africa, instantly nicknamed Radg, Didge, Bodge
and Sodge. And looked again for the promised Swedish
chicks.......
We
were given a briefing by Patience on the whole hill
climbing thing. It was critical to remember to “
walk at your own sweetable pace”. People who did
not make it to the top of the hill would have to come
back to the Hotel, for a hug from Patience. Tempting,
but no way could we Superheroes fail! We would just
have to get to the top.
