On day 6 of the expedition, at around 10:15am on the 3rd September 2009, after 9 hours of climbing since 1am that morning, I reached Uhuru Peak at 5895m on the very top of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Reaching Uhuru Peak and taking that final step up to the infamous wooden sign was a very special moment. It was the culmination of a journey I had spent many months and hours trying to envisage. It is difficult to describe the feeling on reaching the very top, I guess it was unadulterated joy, amazement and for a few long moments in the thin air as I looked all around – it was timeless, spiritual and silently weightless.
The final push to the peak was tough, and there were a few moments where I had to dig deep. The physical endurance and the lack of oxygen sapping my strength was a given but the last part was all about my heart reminding me of my desire to make it to the top with the flag (see pic left and the close up below!). It was tunnel vision, just breathing and walking with my mind constantly recounting the messages and images of encouragement. It is strange that the day I reached the summit was the day that they buried Michael Jackson and in his honour I did do the moonwalk on the summit.
Although I came back down having lost ½ stone – I have overfilled my heart and mind with many, many more great memories of this great trip. I will remember lot’s of things from this trip and all of the preparation and interactions I have had planning this expedition. I will always treasure three images: The moon and stars that shone 5 times as bright each night on the mountain; the snow that you see on top of the mountain turning out to be 80m high glaciers and lastly, the beauty of the desolate summit where it is just air, ash and human courage.
There are many thank-you’s s that I would like to share – please indulge me a little time as I plan to do my thanks to each of you folks over time in person – it feels to me that is the right thing to do. But let me end on this, it has been my privilege to have been your flag carrier up Mount Kilimanjaro – and in the process raised over £15,500 (and counting) to support the charity VSO (they still need all the help they can get on www.justgiving.com/rayet )
My HIGHEST regards and my DEEPEST thanks. JR
P.S. the other pictures are great, and you will get to see them.
The final push to the peak was tough, and there were a few moments where I had to dig deep. The physical endurance and the lack of oxygen sapping my strength was a given but the last part was all about my heart reminding me of my desire to make it to the top with the flag (see pic left and the close up below!). It was tunnel vision, just breathing and walking with my mind constantly recounting the messages and images of encouragement. It is strange that the day I reached the summit was the day that they buried Michael Jackson and in his honour I did do the moonwalk on the summit.
Although I came back down having lost ½ stone – I have overfilled my heart and mind with many, many more great memories of this great trip. I will remember lot’s of things from this trip and all of the preparation and interactions I have had planning this expedition. I will always treasure three images: The moon and stars that shone 5 times as bright each night on the mountain; the snow that you see on top of the mountain turning out to be 80m high glaciers and lastly, the beauty of the desolate summit where it is just air, ash and human courage.
There are many thank-you’s s that I would like to share – please indulge me a little time as I plan to do my thanks to each of you folks over time in person – it feels to me that is the right thing to do. But let me end on this, it has been my privilege to have been your flag carrier up Mount Kilimanjaro – and in the process raised over £15,500 (and counting) to support the charity VSO (they still need all the help they can get on www.justgiving.com/rayet )
My HIGHEST regards and my DEEPEST thanks. JR
P.S. the other pictures are great, and you will get to see them.
