Chateau de Barive / Gates / Earth / Barive & Madame Tanguy

There we go – food galore!

Happy birthday!

Although the end result of my bolognese sauce wasn’t up to my expectations (I think wrong tomato paste used), there were second helpings that went around the table. [...]]]> For the first time, I stayed in the kitchen, with an apron on and cooked up a storm an entire Sunday afternoon. And surprisingly, I enjoyed it!

Although the end result of my bolognese sauce wasn’t up to my expectations (I think wrong tomato paste used), there were second helpings that went around the table. Thanks to Smitten Kitchen’s clear and entertaining instructions in her Lasagna Bolognese writeup.

While the sauce was brewing away for 4 hours, I whipped up a Spanish Tortilla for the hungry people at home with us this weekend. And that was a big hit!

There will be many Sundays as such to come till I can perfect the ultimate bolognese sauce!

Distance: 5.1 km
Duration: 5 hours
Altitude reached: 4034 m

Today was the day we parted with the rest of the group. The brave 6-day people will continue on to Barafu Huts and then scale the peak at midnight. Phew! I was so glad that we made a last [...]]]> Friday, 16 Dec 2011

Distance: 5.1 km
Duration: 5 hours
Altitude reached: 4034 m

Today was the day we parted with the rest of the group. The brave 6-day people will continue on to Barafu Huts and then scale the peak at midnight. Phew! I was so glad that we made a last minute decision to go for the 7 days trek instead because by the time I arrived at Karanga Valley, I just wanted to sleep.

Woke up in the morning and our guide told us that we had to scale THAT wall!

Waving at our friends at the top. As usual, we were the last to set off.

The view below (Yikes, people catching up).

It was scary at some points (with no safety harness).

I can’t climb fast enough (that’s a nervous laugh). Hats down to those amazing porters.

Finally, after the tough climb, we arrived at the top of Barranco Wall but it was freezing cold!

Felt like a walk in a dream.

Phew, I made it (and wanted to go to bed asap).

Our barren but peaceful camp site with amazing sun down view.

I am currently completely engrossed in a book – Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. It is very well written and very easy to read. I am on Day 3 and already half way through. Some complained that the book is incomplete however, I [...]]]> The title is just irrelevant to this post.

I am currently completely engrossed in a book – Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. It is very well written and very easy to read. I am on Day 3 and already half way through. Some complained that the book is incomplete however, I wonder if one can ever fit a lifetime of great man within a book? He is indeed inspirational!

Chinese New Year is around the corner… again! Time flies. I am pretty excited to go home. Looking forward to catch up especially with my friends whom I have not been in touch as often as I would like. I will have to sacrifice some family time but hope to spend some quality time with my friends. I have the tendency to speed thru the week, spending a minute with everyone, touching lives but not engraving depth. This time, I want to have some slow ‘us’ time. Savoring the good old memories, catching up on time and keeping close for the coming journeys.

I know, I still have to complete my blog on Kilimanjaro. And I will!

My weakness is a passion that burns out too fast – as the Malay proverb goes, hangat hangat tahi ayam. I am trying to make a habit out of the innate motivation that grew within me since Kilimanjaro. I tell myself if I can complete that harsh journey, I can complete everything I do if I try hard enough. I managed to finish that last 5mins to meet my goal of 45mins running today. Phew! Seems like a small task but hell yes, it takes a lot of internal determination to run that extra mile. Especially with no personal trainer and no one looking, the temptation to get off the machine and ease my muscles was hard to resist. But I made it and now it drives me to want to complete things that I have not been able to get around doing in the last years. Like learning french (small). And find meaningful work (big). I still don’t know what I want to do (definitely not a telecom sales forever) that will make me happy yet fulfilled but I will start seeking that out.

Am going back to my book for now…

 The title resonates after all.

Distance: 13km
Duration: 8 hours
Altitude reached: 3950m

Chris decided to leave us this morning as he was really feeling unwell. I think he had a slight bout of hypothermia as his lips were kind of bluish. Unfortunately, his Camelbak which he placed next to him during [...]]]> Thursday, 15 Dec 2011

Distance: 13km
Duration: 8 hours
Altitude reached: 3950m

Chris decided to leave us this morning as he was really feeling unwell. I think he had a slight bout of hypothermia as his lips were kind of bluish. Unfortunately, his Camelbak which he placed next to him during the night leaked and left him freezing all night long in his sleeping bag.

On this day, we actually hiked up the same route we did the previous evening and continued till  the Lava Tower at 4600m. Then we descended again to our camp site which is at 3950m. It is in fact on of the vital acclimatization walk. According to our guide, if we made it up here, chances to get to the summit is high. Yeah!

But it was raining again! It was really nice of our guides to organize a warm lunch for us at about 4500m. We really needed that to warm us up. We had soup, fried chickens and vege empanadas. It was so good!!!

No pictures for today! My camera was clogged up with moist as I left it out of my bag the night before.

We headed up to the Lava Tower after lunch. Afredo started feeling really bad 30 minutes before Lava Tower so we gave him a Diamox. And then he kept going.

I felt completely ok! But again, I was walking like a turtle. I think my breathing technique helped too (regulated with my steps).

The vegetation declined eventually, leaving some sparsely scattered rocks and weird looking plants. And I had to take a pee break! My, it was quite a task to find somewhere discreet!

Before arriving at our camp site, we were greeted by majestic giant tree groundsels, celebrated kilimanjaro lobelias, evil-looking thistles called carduus keniensis and more lobelias. Magical!

We arrived at about 5pm. It was pasta night. Essential energy replenishing for our 6-days comrades who would be heading off for their big day the day after.

Oh, the view this night was amazing! Millions of stars shinning above us, and millions of city lights glittering below us.

After days and nights (I do think about other important things in life), I reached a compromise with myself to watermark with font size 6 [...]]]> I have been toying with the idea to have or to remove all the watermarks on my pictures. Also, where to place them and what size to make them be.

After days and nights (I do think about other important things in life), I reached a compromise with myself to watermark with font size 6 on the right corner of my pictures. (Sorry for the uneven sizes and placements in the past few posts. They were not very sightful!)

WHY? Just in case I become a popular blogger/ photographer one day

To dream is to hope