Life in Karanga

It's a simple life in Karanga- for me at least - in between my groups coming through. I've got 4 days now til my next group and all I have to do is eat-sleep-repeat. My team- guide Rajab, cook Buddi, waiter(!) Barak and Toilet man(!!) Boniface are here too but wandering are limited not just by oxygen and terrain but also by legislation. For example the path through to Millenium camp I used to evacuate Alan is porters only and raised a few eyebrows and conversations along the way. Food is good if carb- centric but you can't help but think you're only one poorly washed tomato away from disaster. There is a "good" water supply nearby- probably an hours round trip for the acclimatised to the small stream. Fresh food is brought up every few days from Mweka gate- 8 hours walk up 2500m or so. There's the simple pleasure of warm water for washing twice a day.
Most entertainment is provided by watching the groups decamp and camp each day. We will be the only "permanent" fixture so are in a unique position to watch the daily cycle. Around 6 there will be the muffled sounds of kitchen activity and for the next hour a stready incremental hum of human interaction. Within an hour of the trekkers leaving between 8 and 9am the tent city has all but disappeared as the exodus of porters take all the kit up the mountain to the next camp. Soon after arrive the spotters- here choosing the best spots for the arriving groups. The guy I was watching today was marking spaces with his machete- I rather hope that's all he uses it for up here.... By 10-11 most tents will be up - some just for a lunch stop, but most, sensibly, for an additional overnight here to aid acclimatisation. Between 11 and 2 most trekkers will have arrived with what is one of the shorter and easier legs completed, albeit all hovering around the 4000m contour. The afternoon sees the camp buzzing and clouds might or might not drift up from the African plains, before dinner in the mess tent around sunset. Tiredness and the rapid drop in temperature dictates early to bed soon after. A bizzare silence the falls over the camp, broken only by the occasional cough and the symphony of tent zippers for the nocturnal toilet wanderings.
And repeat....もっと詳しく