Adventure with a purpose: The Cause: #trek4hunger2015 The Challenge: Mt Kilimanjaro Day6- The charity: Meals on Wheels South Africa

8th October 2015: Day 6 Wednesday: Final Ascent: Crater Camp - Uhuru Peak - Horombo Hut Altitude: 4335m to 5895m (summit) then down to 3720m

Itinerary - Rongai Route

A very early start (midnight) for the final challenge to reach Uhuru Peak (5 895m) Push up further for the short haul up to Uhuru Peak. Rememberto take in your day pack energy bars - biltong is also very good, and much along the way. hike slowly on a switchback trial through loose volcanic scree. rest of a short time to enjoy spectacular sunrise over Mawenzi. continue to Uhuru Peak passing close to spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs in the summit area. descend to Kobo and rest then continue down the Marangu Route to Horombo Camp

We had all tried our best to catch some sleep. even though we were in much warmer huts as apposed to our freezing tents it was still freezing inside and I struggled to keep warm. From the airplane crash site I had started with really horrid stomach cramps and heavy legs and this kept me from sleeping as much as would like to have. I kept remembering my first Kilimanjaro summit from Stella Point via the Umbwe route some years back. We were caught in one of the worst snow storms and weather for over 30 odd years with temperatures plummeting below -30 degrees. 70 % of climbers had to turn back and we were racing above the storm as our guides had deemed it unsafe for us to turn back straight into the "eye of the storm". Our head guide had over 1000 summits to his credit and had just featured recently in the Getaway Magazine. It had taken us 3 ladies 19 hours to summit. we were the only 3 left on the mountain at the summit. I was wondering as I heard the wind howling and beating against the hut what weather the Queen of Africa would throw at me this time. I knew for sure it was snow! I was a little worried as I had had a cold with a sore throat 3 days before we left and I was hopping that the fact I was feeling so rotten was not because of flu rather a bit of minor altitude issues.

We made our way in silence really, as we huffed and puffed while zigzagging up the snow covered slopes. only our head torches for light against the white snow and the sounds of our heavy and labored breathing. Each of us taming our own inner demons as we made our slow and freezing way up towards Gilman's point.

I had bagged 2 out of 3 of Kilimanjaro's recognized summits. The big one Uhuru Peak, Stella point both I bagged in 2009 and now I had Gilman's point in my sights, I just hoped the weather and the stomach cramps would not prevent me from achieving my goal. My other goal was to see a Kilimanjaro sunset as in 2009 we got to the Summit at 12h15 and most of the trek was through a snow storm so we had a white out.

It was really tough going, I won't lie to you, everyone was taking strain. As we made our way towards Gilmans' and past towards Uhuru Peak we saw a lot of vomit in the white snow and it was concerning to see the amount of blood in people urine left behind on the snow.

Cheryl, Brent, Jana and Hayden still full of smiles!

Watching the sunset just below Gilman's point was a bucket list and dream of mine to witness and now I had. It was absolutely stunning and so worth the pain and effort to get to see it. I just sat down in the snow and watched in absolute awe at God's incredible work. WOW.

Such incredible and unexpected beauty - everyone thought this was spectacular. Saimon was smiling at me yelling for joy at finally seeing my first sunrise on Kilimanjaro!

Gilman's point so close now and the sun was warm against our face - but for only a short time!

How incredibly beautiful and spectacular was this sunrise. WOW the photos just don't do justice to God's incredible gift.

Cheryl's hair had frozen to the side of her face!!

and then the sun was gone, the wind picked up, snow started to fall and thick mist enveloped us that we could barely see 1 metre ahead.

Hayden with B2, Edwin, Marcel

the old landmark where I stood back in 2009. Khabo and I sat on those very rocks, I wondered if the silver metal trunk case with all the stickers on was still up there somewhere! A friend of my Sam Worley has summited 2 week before us and had left a gift near the summit but with all the snow it was impossible to find so this means I have to go back again in better weather!

Hayden still has time for a smile!!

Hayden and Cheryl (son and mom team) rocking it!

Brent at his first ever Kilimanjaro summit!!

me plodding along in the background LOl

my turn - it was freezing!

My shoes had started to come apart at the tips allowing water and snow to enter, so I had put on dry socks and covered my feet with 2 plastic bags and then taped up the tips of my hiking boots with blue duck tape! Several of the other team members had done the same!.

at Gilman's point taking a breather - would have done anything for a huge mug of hot chocolate and maybe a St Bernard to come around the corner with a barrel of brandy to warm me!

My Adventure with a Purpose/9 Peaks/Team Zodwa pink flag on top of Kilimanjaro for the very first time!

My Springbok rugby flag - his flag had now being on Kilimanjaro twice and given to my by an old friend, you can see how the wind was blowing!

and of course our South African Flag this 2 has been on Kilimanjaro twice, in Europe several times and on many other mountains.

The very reason we were up here in this blizzard on top of Kilimanjaro was to raise awareness for the plight of the hungry in South Africa. Did you know as you read this that 12 million South Africans will go to bed hungry tonight and that nearly 5 million of them are children. Meals on Wheels is an amazing organization which feeds the hungry in our country. They serve over 1 million hot meals a month to those in need. Our #trek4hunger 2015 was dedicated to bring attention to the amazing work that Meals on Wheels does on a daily basis for the destitute. Salute!

It is hard to see with the wind blowing the writing away but it spells Khabo - took a moment to reflect on our time on Kilimanjaro back in 2009. Khabo was my climbing partner, fellow fire fighter and best friend and in 2010 her policeman husband brutally murdered her 6 months after we came back from Kilimanjaro. He pumped her small body with 7 bullets while he was on duty with his service pistol. We had so many plans and dreams that we wanted to achieve. It has taken me a long time to "get it together" and to continue our dreams on my own. Its not the same climbing without her but life has to continue, and work needs to be done. Life must happen. I miss you Khabs.

Making my way back down with Saimon the weather was still bad and it was heartbreaking watching people falling down along the way up and down, completely exhausted. Some just could not carry on and porters where dragging and carrying people down. Others had this vacant stare and were not even aware where they were. Was very sobering to witness. I had never seen anything like this the first time I climbed Kilimanjaro.

This area of rocks is called the Jamaican Rocks and it is scattered with tons of rocks which are known to be slippery making this a bit difficult to negotiate. I came tumbling down on my butt and I think the whole mountain could hear me screeching with laughter. I hit my knee really hard on a rock. I think with so much snow and cold it seemed to help the knee and it did not swell - only bruise a little.

The lady behind me was in a complete trans and completely unaware of her surroundings. I had passed her several hours ago. Sadly she had had to turn back below Gilmans and was making her way back down with her guide.

Then it would clear up for a bit and the most amazing blue skies appeared against the white of the snow and clouds, it was really spectacular.

The deep black soil below the snow was a beacon in the mist. The path had been carved out as many hikers made their way back down off the mountain, many of them had not even got past Gilman's that night. I was so very proud of my team that had achieved their goals.

on my bucket list - to make snow angels - not a very good attempt but hell I had been awake for far too long! at least Saimon was laughing his head off!

as suddenly as the skies cleared so the mist came in again!

we had stopped her for shelter on our way up earlier and now we needed to once again this cave is called the Hans Meyer Cave and it lies at 5150m (16900ft) about 2 and 1/2 hours from Kibo huts.

Han Meyer a geologist, is credited with being the first European to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro in 1889. In 1887 during his fist attempt to climb Kilimanjaro Meyer reached the base of Kibo and was forced to turn back as he did not have the equipment needed to handle the deep snow and ice on Kibo. He had to abort another mission the following year but finally got it right in 1889 his third attempt. He also attempted to summit Mzwenzi even though he did not success the highest summit on Mzwenzi is known as Hans Meyer peak.

This is Williams Point - we missed it in the dark but Saimon made sure I saw it on the way back down. You may notice the big rock behind me, this marks the 5000 m (16400 ft) line. I tried to find out who Williams was but failed! it is considered a rest point.

base camp was looking very different snow was melting and the "white out" had disappeared.

my energy levels had increased as I could expand my lungs and take in lots of oxygen!

I had 3 layers of pants on and the legs still got cold!

The smiling but exhausted team after our summits and after some hot lunch we were on our way back down to spend one more night on the mountain.

we soon made our way down and through the spectacular desert like scenery which created a dramatic backdrop to the deep hues of blue sky and building white cotton clouds.

Jana with Mawenzi in the background - out camp 24 hours ago!

Maweniz peak covered in snow

the famous Kilimanjaro Ambulance - it was one of these that took Khabo back down when she took ill after our successful Uhuru summit in 2009. Did not expect to feel a bit chocked up when I saw it!

the heli-pad for emergency evacuations!

and suddenly the topography changed from desert to bushes and grasses

the clouds were spectacular and building up with rain which would hit us later

Edwin who has over 500 summits to his credit - what a Legend!

It had started to rain now as we spotted out next camp around the corner. Caryn's knee was playing up so she and Sean decided to take the emergency "ambulance" with several other hikers back to their hotel. Our team was now down to 5 as we settling in for our last night on this magnificent mountain.