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Kilimanjaro journal

Posted: Thursday, November 13, 2008 10:17 AM by Sarika Dani
Filed Under:

From Ann Curry, NBC News


Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Arusha, Tanzania We can see her silhouette,  rising above the clouds under a full moon in the darkness.  And she is gorgeous in her solitary pose, as the world's largest free standing mountain, one of its seven summits.  And she waits for us.  

Looking up at her, we are a humbled NBC News team, driving in a lurching safari truck from Kilimanjaro International Airport, brimming with excitement. 

Our mission is to report on Kilimanjaro's vanishing glaciers, expected to disappear completely as soon as 2020. And if we are successful, we will reach millions of Americans with the story in an unprecedented way. 

Our crew is talking nonstop about technical challenge we face in going live over five days from as many as four places on this 19,000-foot mountain. So many things could go wrong. But Bobby, Peter, Julian, Jen and Ray are jazzed, and listening to these talents, it is easy to be calm. If it can be done, they will do it. 

What worries me more is whether we are up for the physical challenge. Just a third of those who try reach the top of Kilimanjaro. Eighty percent suffer altitude sickness, 10 percent the point where their lives are threatened.   

We are taking the hardest route, known as the Western Breach, because it will get us closest to the ice. We will be careful, take our time, and take care of each other.   

And so an adventure begins.

Watch the video of Ann preparing for her hike, and read her blog report about the how the melting snows of Kilimanjaro are affecting the local people.

TODAY's Ends of the Earth series begins Monday, Nov. 17. Find out more here.

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Comments

Hi staff:
This trip is very meaningfull in many areas, thanks for your trip and the storys your giveing us.

Dean Renner, salem Oregon (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 11:40 AM)

Ann, My father climbed Kilimangaro at the age of 63 with 6 of his buddies. He trained for months and one of the guys did not make it due to frostbite, but I know you can DO IT!

Laura Prichard, Hillsdale, NJ (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 11:58 AM)

I'm not sure if I want to be Ann - I don't have her sense of adventure, BUT I certainly do admire her.

Good luck to Ann and the crew.  You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

Jeanette Meyer (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 12:10 PM)

Ann;

I summated last June. It is the adventure of a lifetime. It is very hard, but doable and well worth the effort.


Jim

Jim Horan, Cherry Hill, NJ (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 12:17 PM)

The courage you and your team possess is amazing. As a daily viewer, I am grateful for the informative stories that you bring to the program.  Your professionalism, grace and sense of humor keep people coming back to watch the show each day.  Please be safe!

Yvonne Andes, Santa Rosa, California (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 12:21 PM)

Good Luck to the entire team!! I successfully summitted in August of 07 with the Kilimanjaro Education Foundation.  I wish you physical strength, mental determination and good technical luck on the journey of a lifetime. Looking forward to the broadcasts!  

Heather Williams Curtin (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 12:21 PM)

New studies on the glacial retreat atop Kilimanjaro performed by a Austrian/US research team predict that the ice will last another 30 to 40 years, in contravention to old estimates of the ice disappearing by 2020.  So that buys everyone just a little bit more time to see the legendary snows of Kilimanjaro.

Ultimate Kilimanjaro, Chicago, IL (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 12:25 PM)

Dear Ms Ann Curry,
I was so excited to see that you are visiting Killimanjaro, Tanzania. I will be glued to the set absorbing every little tidbit. I am also going to Arusha Dec. 28 for a safari tour of Tanzania with National Geographic Expeditions. Please give me your sense of this country. I am traveling alone and am a bit nervous. I have travelled Europe alone and never had any tepidations. However, Africa is a little different.
I am reading books on Tanzania and other East African countries. I just saw a segment on an outbreak of Cholera in an ajoining country. Did they require you to have a vaccination or did you just have one period?

Hope you are having a great time. I am really jealous. I wish you will have time to respond to me, but I am a realist and know that you have an ocean full of requests.
Karibu, Susan Paredes

Susan Paredes, Running Springs, California (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 12:29 PM)

How exciting for you and the crew! I am very interested in your experience as I will be climbing Mt Kilimanjaro with 20 other people starting Feb 17th 2009.  We are apart of the Journeys Of Inspiration Kilimanjaro Cancer Climb.  The goal is to raise money for Cancer.  Best of luck and enjoy the experience.

Terry Cullinan, Avon, New York (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 12:40 PM)

I wish you well. Just be careful and I hope you really get some good video and reports. The tech challenge is huge. Good luck.
...Millie Farmer, Ray's Mom

Millie Farmer, Louisville, KY (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 1:21 PM)

I believe I speak for many, when I say , we really appreciate what you are doing in bringing these stories to us..Thank you all.

Wade Leinaar, Port Angeles, Wa (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 2:06 PM)

I applaud your courage and fortitude in taking on this task. Good luck and God Speed.

Pat McKenna, Beaver,Pa (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 2:54 PM)

Hello Ann...
I am schedule to climb Kili in July with my childhood girlfriend in celebration of our 40th birthdays! I'll be watching closely as I too am preparing for the physical challenge.  Good luck and enjoy.

Darby Fitzpatrick, Las Vegas, Nevada (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 2:55 PM)

I love Ann Curry and the rest of the Today show crew. I watch you every morning and I am so excited to see Ann climb Kilamajaro, as well as the rest of the team and the ends of the earth.

Courtney Palladino, Newport Beach, CA (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 3:52 PM)

Please be safe and a have a great time!

Gwen, W.Conshy, PA (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 4:50 PM)

Good luck on your trek Ann. I am actually leaving for Arusha Tanzania on Monday Nov. 17 to start my Kimlimanjaro trek on Friday Nov. 21. I lost my mother in June after a brief five week illness and I know you recently lost your father. I'm sure they'll be with us on our individual treks! Your father was from my hometown of Pueblo,Colorado. God Bless and keep you and your climbing party safe. I'm looking forward to your report on global warming, and the effect it is having on the glaciers of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Bill Garcia, Arvada, Colorado (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 6:04 PM)

Dear Ann and crew,

best of luck and enjoy every moment!
It is the journey which brings the most lasting memories! Thanks for bringing the "Roof of Africa" and the story of her wonderful people into the homes of Americans.

Steff Legalli, Athens, GA (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 6:14 PM)

Hello Ann,

I have always admired your courage in taking up those huge challenges,life has to offer, and I know that you're doing it for the love of mankind and the environment, once again ! Please be careful, may God bless you and be with you always in all of your trials and adventures.

Francis Menezes, Sydney, NSW (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 6:50 PM)

Please be careful, I wish you and your crew the best of luck on your adventure.

John McKinney, Aiken,SC (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 7:53 PM)

ann, the opening paragraph of your blog sounds so exciting.  you are a great writer I feel like I am right there with you looking at the clouds and the mountain and anticipating the climb.  What an adventure!  I climbed the Grand Canyon several years ago, it was beautiful but this is alot more exotic and challenging. Watch you step and be careful, we can't wait to hear the details.

geglesiaspenna (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 8:13 PM)

Jambo,
Ann, you will do just fine. I've been to the top three times as a professional mountain guide. I will be back for number four in Feb. 2009. It just takes alot of mental toughness, grit your teeth and get it done. The sunrise is pretty spectacular at 19,000ft. Have fun and be safe! Corey

Corey Raivio, Coeur d' Alene, Idaho (Sent Thursday, November 13, 2008 11:23 PM)

Dear Ann, Please be so, so careful. My husband, age 37, died climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in October 2007 from High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and he was in excellent shape. There was also another very recent death of a 48 year old man who was in very good shape that died from HAPE on the mountain. It has become such a popular adventure expedition but people NEED to be aware that it can be a killer. Please know the signs and symptoms and rely on your own judgement.

Elena Lhotka, Grand Junction, Colorado (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 12:15 AM)

Hi Ann,

I am inspired by your Kili climb and will be watching you all next week. Tanzania holds a special place in my heart. I visited Kilimanjaro two years ago while participating in a community service project. I formed a non-profit and returned to Arusha last year to build a new school for the children in Moivaro village. They too will be watching as you climb their mountain. Check out the photos of my new school on my website:
www.bricksandbooks.org
Good luck and thanks for sharing your climb with the world. We will be watching.
Ashley Speyer

Ashley Speyer, Washington, D.C. (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 7:48 AM)

I summitted on September 12, 2008 - it was an amazing life adventure! The wonderful people of Tanzania only added to the incredible experience. Good luck - you can do it!  

Kathy Gendron, Burlington, Vermont (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 8:06 AM)

Dear Ann,

Im excited that you get to trek Mt. Kilimanjaro!!! I was in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania this summer (June 2008-August 2008) and I wish i could have seen Mt. Kilimajaro.  Good luck and I will keep you in prayers

Amber Hunt, Hampton, Virginia (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 8:51 AM)

Hi Ann-

My father and I just got back from climbing the mountain 2 weeks ago- via the Machame route. It was the most wonderful and challenging experience of my life.  There were so many times when we wanted to stop but we just kept putting one foot in front of the other. "Pole...Pole" (slowly..slowly) as they say.  Good luck in your adventure!

Leanna Leonard, New York, NY (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 9:27 AM)

Ann
 Trust me you are in the best of hands! I climbed Kilimanjaro with Jonas in 2003 for my 50th birthday. He is the sweetest kid and knew that I had been training and trying to keep fit since I turned 30 and had told my husband and 2 boys that I was going to climb Kili for my 50th. The last day of the climb was my most difficult. At that point there was no fresh water and they were purifying our water with chlorine tablets. My stomach was having no part of it and as Jonas will tell you "drink, drink, drink" if you want to succeed. It is the only way to avoid altitude sickness. If Jonas had not been as determined for me to get to the top as I was, I probably would not have made it. I owe him so much and am overwhelmed with joy that he has come as far as he has in just 5 years. But in Jonas fashion, it is not all about him but helping give jobs to his people, educating everyone about Kilimanjaro, and his love of the land.
 I am very envious that you are there and I can only watch. My time with Jonas was an unforgettable time in my life and there is not a day that goes by and I do not think about it. It was a life changing experience as I am sure you will find out. I can't wait to call Jonas and tell him I am watching him all the way.
Thank you for choosing Kiwisa!
Karibu
Donna Minickiello

Donna Minickiello Campton, NH (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 9:34 AM)

Ann, I hike up Kilimanjaro with my two sons about ten years ago. My youngest son was 13 at the time, one of the youngest to summit at that time.  My oldest son was bitten by the hiking bug and in 2005 hiked the entire Appalachian trail. Both have climed to the top of Mt. Ranier also.  It is definitely a life changing event.  I would love to compare pictures of the shrinking glaciers with you.  Good Luck!

Susan Smithson, Gainesville, Ga. (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 9:44 AM)

Hi Ann..I DRAGGED myself to the top of Kilimanjaro six years ago and I cannot imagine how your crew is going to haul all the equipment up there..I had a hard time with just my back pack! It's TOUGH and you can't breathe so please be careful and make sure you have warm gloves! It's extrememly cold at the top..I can't wait to tune in every day and see your progress. Take care.. I'd love to know who your guides are?

Selina Rainey, Richmond, Virginia (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 9:44 AM)

Hi Ann!  I'm not sure if the Western Breach is anything like the Machame route but if it is...on the night of the summit...going up to Stella Point, whatever you do, don't look up!  Trust me on this! :) I summited this October for my 30th birthday and it was one of the most rewarding things I've done so far!  One other thing, it does require some physical strenght but what I learned was it requires more mental strength than anything.  YOU CAN DO IT!!! Pole pole!!!  

Julie, New York, NY (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 10:03 AM)

Jambo! Ann,
I lived in Kenya for 13 year.  My photos of Kilimanjaro in 1981, seen from the Kenya side, show the entire mountain top covered in snow and ice.  What a difference 27 years have made!

Kay Muldoon (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 11:06 AM)

what is the impact from cutting the rain forests on Kilamajaro flanks on the reduced transport of water vapor to the glacier?
Dean

Dean Kavanagh, Longmeadow, Ma (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 11:20 AM)

Ann, I love the adventures you are willing and able to execute.  You display such deep caring for all of your adventures and for the people you interview.  Your positive attitude is much admired.  I watch the show each morning while at the gym on the various cardio equipment and it makes for a very pleasant start to each day.  What is so nice to watch is the genuine affection you all have for each other.  

Patricia Ruiter (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 11:43 AM)

What is NBC thinking to send you on the expedition without giving you the opportunity to train for it?  It is just plain irresponsible for them to do this.  What message does this send?  I applaude your courage in accepting this assignment. I don't suppose you had much choice.
Be safe.

Susan Lake, Hood River, OR (Sent Monday, November 17, 2008 11:43 AM)

On July 5th of this year, my son and I made the summit on the same route. It was difficult but very rewarding. We both fell in love with the people and Kilimanjaro. Take your time, Poli, Poli! I'm amazed that you only had 3 weeks to prepare. At age 58, I trained hard for 4 months...Are you taking anything like Diamox for the altitude sickness? You Go Girl and God Bless you and your crew!

Doug Berkley from Somerset, Pennsylvania (Sent Monday, November 17, 2008 12:08 PM)



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