Kili Day 3

Barranco Camp

Kili Day 3, 26 Jan 2011

Feeling good before breakfast at Shira Camp

I didn't enjoy the potatoes too much last night (our theory about the constant potatoes was that the porters didn't want to carry them anymore so they fed us a steady diet of potatoes) and didn't wake up very hungry.  I couldn't eat the eggs they offered for breakfast but had some Milo and we hit the trail.  Chambo, our guide, warned us that today was going to be a hard day, as we would go high and camp low.  

Walking up to the Lava Tower

We followed our guides as we were continually passed by porters along the Shira route up to the Lava Tower at 4630m (15,190 ft) and down the other side.  I felt pretty good as we climbed the trail to the tower so I disregarded Chombo's advice to get off the tower quickly and spent some time climbing some boulders and taking pictures.  As we came down from the tower I started to get a headache at the base of my skull that gradually increased and I completely lost my appetite.  At lunch I tried to choke down some peanuts and bread but couldn't eat anything else.

Descending from the Lava Tower

Seven hours after we set out we reached Barranco Camp at 3950m (12,959 ft) and I was suffering.  I was barely putting one foot in front of the other and had severe tunnel vision.  It hurt to lift my head so I just trudged along at the end of the line until I tumbled into my tent.  I immediately fell asleep and woke up to "Billy Goat" (trail name of the guy who put the trip together) checking on me since I disappeared as soon as we got into camp.  He tried to get me to eat something and instead I started to throw up- luckily outside the tent.  After I puked I felt much better, drank some water, and fell asleep for four hours.

Crossing a glacial stream

I woke up for dinner and the nausea was gone and the headache had diminished some so I ate some porridge for dinner with Camelbak Elixir and went back to bed.  While I was eating a member of the Canadian party that was following us came by looking for a doctor.  A lady in the group was also sick, but much worse.  It turns out they were told that an Advil a day would be enough to counter the effects of the altitude.  They were painfully mistaken and she had to climb down in the morning.

Finally the camp is in sight