Conquering Kilimanjaro: A personal journey

See Also: Preparing for Kilimanjaro

March 12, 1997
By Nick Zieminski

(CNN) -- In the book "Travels," Michael Crichton describes climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro as a test of character, a way of measuring your will. The mountain emerges as a character itself, a fickle yet powerful opponent who will cast every obstacle in your way. Reading that, I couldn't resist the challenge. I decided to climb, and I invited my parents along.

Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa. The dormant volcano rises 19,340 feet. It takes four days to climb, and another two to get back down. Most people don't make it to the top because they get sick from lack of oxygen.

After spending a few days in Amsterdam, and another couple of days in Nairobi and on the Kenyan coast, I've had enough vacationing , and I feel ready to tackle the mountain. I meet my parents at the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi. We have a big lunch, then take a bus across the border to Arusha, in Tanzania. The next day our safari company drives us to the foot of Kili.

The first two days are nothing strenuous: just a slow, gradual hike. Day one, we walk through rain forest, surrounded by cackling monkeys and birds. Day two, the foliage thins, and we begin to see our distant goal: the snow-capped peak, many miles away.