Kilimanjaro Climb -the day has finally arrived

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Kilimanjaro Climb -the day has finally arrived

The day has finally arrived. Today is the day we head off to Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and I’m not going to lie, I’m a bag of nerves.

Yesterday I kept myself busy by packing, nervously un-packing to make sure I had everything and then re-packing….and repeating the process again and again.

I think I’ve been so busy focusing on the training that it didn’t leave any room for doubt to creep in but it has finally hit me. I’m plagued by self-doubt and constantly have images running through my head of being stretchered off the mountain while everyone else smiles and skips on towards the summit.

This week I’ve received good luck cards in the post, phone calls wishing me all the best and text messages from friends saying they’re proud of me. But at the moment I feel like a fraud as I haven’t done anything yet and I’m terrified of not reaching the summit and letting everyone down.

The support has been overwhelming, from colleagues, to friends and family, as well as friends of friends, and I’m determined to show them all how much their kindness is appreciated by making it to the summit.

I’ve been begging everyone to keep everything crossed that I make it…..that’s got to count for something surely….surely?!

Sharon and I are also convinced that the rest of the 25-strong group we’re climbing with are a bunch of mountain goats who are all far more prepared than we are. I’m really hoping that when we finally meet them at Heathrow Airport later today we’ll realise that they’re all just as clueless and terrified as we are and that they’re also wishing they had another few months to prepare for this climb.

I know I’ll just need to put the nerves aside for the next ten days so that nothing distracts me from the task at hand and so that I actually enjoy the experience. I’m sure there will be various stages in the climb when we’re cursing the darn mountain and wishingit was over, but I also know that it’s an experience of a lifetime and I’m sure that two very special ladies will be watching over us as we take part, willing us on and hoping we stop moaning about being nervous, that we keep calm and carry on.

Wish us luck!

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