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“ Februar - April 2019
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  • 66footprints
  • 67days
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  • 23kkilometers
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  • Marleen Relling
    Day1

    Day 1: The day before the big hike

     February 2, 2019 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C
    1
    2

    Jambo! Jambo! (Swahili, means “hello”)

    Last night I have arrived at my final destination for the next few days: Kilimandscharo.

    And this morning I got very lucky and was able to see a little tiny bit of the top 😱

    I am super excited about this hike starting tomorrow morning. Let’s see if all the training, preparations and investment in professional equipment will pay off. Keep fingers crossed I will make it to the top ✌️🗻🏃‍♀️    Read more

    Jaqueline Sandberg

    You will make it!!!

    2/2/19Reply
    Liz Owens

    I know you can do it!! 💪🏻

    2/2/19Reply
    Monika Relling

    You make it! Sure!! 🍀⛰

    2/2/19Reply
    8 more comments
     
  • Marleen Relling
    Day2

    Day 2: Is day 1 for the Kili adventure

     February 3, 2019 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Mambo! (Swahili, means “Hi”)

    This is the big day I have been waiting for, for a very long time: I start hiking up Kilimandscharo 🗻🏃‍♀️💪. See for yourself how beautiful it is.

    You cannot believe how excited I am ... and the funny thing is: I will be all by myself - with nine local men, I feel beyond special✌️☺️👸🏼

    We are going to climb via Machame Route starting at around noon 🏃‍♀️🗻💪.

    PS: No internet on Kilimandscharo, that’s why I share this with you just now. But stay tuned and see whether I made it to the top...    Read more

     
  • Marleen Relling
    Day2

    Day 2: Is day 1 for the Kili adventure

     February 3, 2019 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We took off at noon (Machame Gate 1,800m) and arrived at the first camp (Machame Camp 2,835m) right before 6pm - 6 hours of walking through the jungle 🌿🌱🍃. Now all the walks to work and my Alster training with all of my friends really pay off 💪🏃‍♀️ I did well until 5pm... then I got really tired and could feel pain in my legs and feet.

    But I made it! And I’m proud, because so far I’m doing great. And this body of mine really deserves a big applause - 7 vaccine shots and lots of training in January plus lots of stress, but not the slightest sign of feeling weak, falling down the stairs at Tchibo one day before take-off leaving nothing but a bruise, and now climbing this mountain with no problem adjusting to heights (so far), at a good pace and with nothing but aching feet (which is normal) 💪🏃‍♀️.

    Today’s lesson: Love and appreciate your body for what it is (i.e., healthy, strong, beautiful) and don’t shame it for what it’s not (i.e., Victoria’s Secret model 😉)

    PS: My team prepared the most delicious food tonight 🥑🥒🥔 and I have been lucky to see the most amazing sky full of stars (really, I have never seen anything like this before 💫✨⭐️).

    All in all a perfect day to be grateful for 🙏

    Asante sana!
    (Swahili, means “thanks very much”)    Read more

    Peter Dilg

    You sound great. I love what you learn about your body

    2/9/19Reply
     
  • Marleen Relling
    Day3

    Day 3: Is day 2 for the Kili adventure

     February 4, 2019 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
    1

    Habari za asubuhi!
    (Swahili, means “good morning”)

    I have survived my first night at Kilimandscharo in a tent 💪🏕🏔. It’s a challenge, believe me: Cold, hard floor and loud people who apparently want to make this hike without any sleep 🤷‍♀️. But all in all I’m still grateful for 5 hours of sleep 🙏.

    The hardest part is the night at this stage and the thin air. I woke up several times coughing, feeling that I can’t breathe. To be honest, I was actually anxious and wanted to quit...But this morning it was all gone. And I’m not a quitter ... not yet 💪🏃‍♀️!

    So after a fabulous breakfast with Nutella, porridge and omelette, we start our journey to the next camp: Shira Cave Camp!    Read more

    Liz Owens

    You are awesome keep the pics coming 😁

    2/8/19Reply
    Peter Dilg

    What a great shot!

    2/9/19Reply
    Peter Dilg

    Fear or any other feeling is just an event in your space of consciousness - it comes, is present and goes again.

    2/9/19Reply
     
  • Marleen Relling
    Day3

    Day 3: Is day 2 for the Kili adventure

     February 4, 2019 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    At around noon and after 4.5 hours of climbing (yes, climbing, not hiking...why do people say that Kilimandscharo is just a hike?! 🗻), we reached Shira Cave Camp (3,750m).

    You cannot imagine how it feels to arrive at camp 🏕🏔. It’s the biggest relieve - and all you can think about is taking off those shoes, food and a well-deserved nap.
    We had an amazing lunch: Home-made french fries, tomato soup, fresh carrots and beans and for desert bananas with custard🍌🥕🍅🍟.

    On the photos you can see the camp 🏕. It really looks and feels like an expedition. It feels amazing to be part of something like this.

    By the way: You know what I am grateful for today? Running warm water and flushing toilets 💩💦!!! No toilets during the walks and at camp toilets that are basically just a hole in the ground (no flush and no one to clean that hole either). This was definitely the biggest challenge during the whole trip. So guess what, every time I managed to pee etc. I felt like Wonder Woman: Proud of myself, strong and free 💪👸🏼🦸🏼‍♀️

    In the afternoon I went for a walk with my guide (whose name is Gaston, by the way) and afterwards for dinner with the team. We started talking (previously everyone was a bit shy ☺️) ... I want to keep all of our conversations confidential ... but let me just say this: We need to be grateful for what we have and not feel sorry about what we do not have 🙏💛

    Lala Salama (Swahili, means “good night”)    Read more

     
  • Marleen Relling
    Day4

    Day 4: Is day 3 for the Kili adventure

     February 5, 2019 in Tanzania ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    Luckily today started off much easier as yesterday - no climbing, proper hiking 🗻🏃‍♀️. Today is THE day showing how my body handles the altitude: Climb high (Lava Tower Camp 4,600m), sleep low (Baranco Camp 3,900m).

    I’m actually feeling quite alright. A little bit of a headache and a sore neck from carrying the daypack. But once we have passed Lava Tower, I feel much better... and I am wondering whether I could actually do this in 6 rather than 7 days 🧐💪

    Gaston keeps saying: Pole, pole (Swahili, means “slow down”) and asks me why I’m always in a rush. Some food for thought.
    So today’s learning: Slow down, live in the moment 🙏

    In the evening I had my first doubts that I will actually make it to the top: Nightmares keeping me awake (90% had to do with me dying 😱), serious headache, low appetite and a bit dizziness 🤪🥺🤕

    But let’s see ...    Read more

    Peter Dilg

    Slowing down is essential to allow yourself to go deep. Allowing yourself to go fast is allowing yourself not to go deep.

    2/9/19Reply
     
  • Marleen Relling
    Day5

    Day 5: Is day 4 for the Kili adventure

     February 6, 2019 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
    2
    1

    Again, why do people say Kilimandscharo does not involve any climbing? Today started off with climbing (!) Baranco wall 🗻🦸🏼‍♀️🥾. This was hard, especially if you are afraid of heights 😱 But due to Gaston I made it (he is very good at motivating people).

    I was so relieved when I reached the top and enjoyed a wonderful view.

    Next stop: Karanga Camp (3,995m) for lunch, then Barafu Camp (4,673m) for rest.    Read more

    Klaus Relling

    Herzlichen Glückwunsch Leni, hast toll gemacht. Liebe Grüße Papi.

    2/9/19Reply
    Peter Dilg

    Looks like loads of clouds. Is that only at particular hours of the day?

    2/9/19Reply
    Peter Dilg

    Beautiful pics of the plants. Thank you

    2/9/19Reply
     
  • Marleen Relling
    Day6

    Day 6: Is day 5 for the Kili adventure

     February 7, 2019 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Ume lalaje?
    (Swahili, means “how did you sleep?”)

    Well, to be honest, not at all 🧟‍♀️ I’m scared of the altitude, scared of not making it to the top 😬 (by the way, just the day before someone was picked up with a helicopter due to severe height sickness).

    But today is the big day: Summit day🗻 (yes, one day earlier than initially planned 💪🏃‍♀️). At 2am Gaston and I start climbing - it is freezing cold, even with 5 layers of clothing. Gaston carries my daypack due to the pain in my neck ... I don’t know how he did it... but he did, without complaining even once.

    This climb is pretty tough. Mostly solid rocks and 7 hours of walking up (no plateau in between). Physically and mentally I am definitely at the edge ... next to aching muscles, a sore neck, headache, no sleep and freezing like crazy, I can now feel the height. I have to vomit 🤢. My body refuses any food and I panicked 😱

    But again it is due to Gaston that I keep going. Coca Cola brought my energy levels back to normal and every time I started to cry (😢 - I don’t actually know why I cried), Gaston motivated me to keep going (“you are so strong”, “everyone is feeling like you”, “you can do this”).

    And then in the early morning, we have reached Stella Point 😱🙏(5,756m - this is not the top, just a milestone)!

    Please have a look at that sunrise ... it truly is the most beautiful I have seen ☀️    Read more

    Delphine Gardere

    You are killing it!!! I am so proud of you. Keep going.

    2/9/19Reply
    Peter Dilg

    Dear Marleen, you are doing well. Acceptance is the path to endurance

    2/9/19Reply
     
  • Marleen Relling
    Day6

    Day 6: Is day 5 for the Kili adventure

     February 7, 2019 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Now, what do you think? Did I reach Uhuru Peak (5,895m)? The roof of Africa? One of the world’s seven summits?

    Of course I did 🙏🏃‍♀️🗻💪✌️🏔

    I am proud. Proud of this strong body 🏃‍♀️. Proud of me doing this all by myself 👸🏼. Proud of fulfilling this dream of mine ✨. Proud of my mental strength 💪. Proud of my willingness to never give up ✌️. Proud of doing something I never thought I would be able to do 🦸🏼‍♀️.

    Will I do it again? Probably not. This has been very, very hard. It was one of the toughest things I have ever done. And this adventure was never meant to be the first of many more climbing adventures (Mount Everest is not next 😉). This was about a dream I had when I was a teenager and fulfilling this dream without waiting for anybody else to come along helping me fulfilling this dream.

    Today’s lesson: I can achieve everything I want and I am enough 🙏✨    Read more

    Sarah Bumann

    Congrats 🎊🎉

    2/9/19Reply
    Jaqueline Sandberg

    You can be soo proud of yourself!!!💪

    2/9/19Reply
    Ute Klobe

    It's sooo fantastic😍! I'm sooo proud of you 👏💕🍀🥂!!!

    2/9/19Reply
    5 more comments
     
  • Marleen Relling
    Day7

    Day 7: Is day 6 at the Kili adventure

     February 8, 2019 in Tanzania ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Time to go home! All I want is to take those shoes off, sleep in a proper bed, wash my clothes and enjoy a hot shower.

    After reaching Uhuru Peak, we had to walk all the way back. About 4 hours of walking downhill back to Barafu Camp. And after a hot lunch, we also had to walk downhill to High Camp (3,950m) - leaving the high altitude. So yesterday was tough 💪🦸🏼‍♀️!

    But today we finished the Kili adventure. 6 more hours of hiking downhill and we arrived at Mweka Gate (1,640m) - the finishing line of Machame Route.    Read more

     
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