Why Africa, Why now?

Several friends have asked why did I decide to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. Well to answer that question I have to proved a lot of background, so bear with me.

The genesis of this trip and climb go back to 1980, when I first saw the PBS series Flame Trees of Thika, which was based on Elspeth Huxley's biography of her childhood growing up on a remote farm in Kenya in the early 20th century. I was so inspired by the fearlessness, curiosity, and caring nature of young Huxley, we made Elspeth the middle name for our first child. A few years later my fascination with Africa was enhanced when I saw Out of Africa, which had amazing cinematography of Africa: flamingos on the saline lakes, wildebeest crossing the plains, solitary acacia trees in the scrub. So way back then the desire to visit East Africa began.

Another activity that leads to Kilimanjaro is hiking. As far back as High School I have enjoyed hiking, I spent many weekends driving around CT to hike various “Blue Trails”. After college I made it out west where I hiked through most of the major National Parks, including backpacking in Yosemite and Glacier National Parks. So I have always enjoyed hiking up into the mountains to experience the views, the crisp mountain air, the sense of being above the world.

The final thread that leads to Kilimanjaro is my hobby of Birding. I take my binoculars anywhere I go and always get out for local birding, weather visiting the jersey shore in summer, traveling to Germany on business, vacationing at a Mexican beach, or visiting my Mom in Oregon. As a Birder I find joy in seeing a variety of birdlife and be necessity a variety of habitats, and challenging myself to try and identify new birds, sometimes after only fleeting glimpses. I keep lists of the different bird species I’ve seen in the NJ, the US, and the world. Part of the fun of the hobby is seeing a totally new bird, a Life Bird. After 30 yrs of birding I’ve seen only about 1200 of the 9000 bird species on the planet.

So last summer I was casually looking at a brochure on birding tours around the world and one tour immediately caught my enthusiastic attention: an 18 day guided tour through East Africa. This was the ultimate fusion of my 30 year fascination with Africa and my hobby of birding: two countries, 18 days, only six participants, and led by the author of “Birds of East Africa”. The tour has the potential to see around 450 new species, including exotic groups of birds I have never seen: Snake-Eagles, Sandgrouse, Honeyguides, Barbets, Sunbirds, Hornbills, Cuckoo-Shrikes, Cisticolas, Boubous, Drongos, Firefinch, and Waxbills; to name a few. I decided, what the heck, after 30 years with Merck I have 6 weeks of vacation, maybe its time I actually used up all my annual vacation for the first time in 20 years, spend some money I’ve saved and just go! At the time Tanya also planned to go, but when she got a new job she lacked enough vacation time to go, in the end I decided to go anyway.

But how did I end up climbing Kilimanjaro? As I was reviewing the detailed itinerary for the 18 day birding tour, I realized the trip circles around Mt. Kilimanjaro. Given its near mythical status: almost on the equator but permanently snow covered, the tallest base to peak mountain on the planet, the tallest mountain in Africa, and famously titled by Hemingway “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”. Moreover, the summit is accessible by hiking and reaching the summit does not requiring technical skills of crampons, ice axes, ropes, carabineers, pitons, etc. So it seemed like a perfect chance to extend my time in Africa and make the hike of a lifetime.

And now the real challenges have begun: can I prepare for the mental and physical challenges of the 6 day climb so I can climb the mountain safely? Can I successful challenge you to support me by helping those who have difficulty breathing? Please donate generously to the American Lung Association today! Thanks!