Day 2: Marangu gate to Mandara Hut at 2720 m

Breakfasted we left the hotel, topped up with currency and snacks at the One-Stop shop where we cleaned the shop owner out of Snickers and Red Bull and onto Marangu gate. The porters were waiting and then we all made up our minds on whether we wanted to hire climbing sticks and gators, and then a patient wait for registration into the Park...

Then on and up through beautiful forest, dripping with climbers and bearded moss. Stunning.

Mandara Hut we fed, carved our names into history and fought off the giant male mosquitos...

Always one step ahead of the style game..Nathan and Yvan buy tour hats

Karel unaware of the danger behind him!

Made it to 2720 m and Mandara Huts...our first night on the mountain

At Marangu Gate hooking up with porters and hiring sticks

Hiking up through the forest

Jack woz ere

Day One: Nairobi to Arusha

All looking clean and excited...

Lunch at the Tanzanian border...Nathan digs into his enormous and soon-to-be famous snack collection

The Braeburn bus at the border

Wildlife on the way

Jack learning how to play 'Cheat"

A good start, a smooth entry into Tanzania and football on the TV when we arrived at the hotel...happy days!

Kili training: climbing up Mount Longonot

At the highest point around the rim

Fresh, clean and eager to get going...

The Year 9 pace-setters

Climbed the 4km to get to the rim of the crater. All in one piece and ready for a snack

Dr Wood, Toby and Annie

 Sunday February 5th 2012

The BGE Kilimanjaro 2012 expedition team of Ash, Kennard, Amanda, Amelia, Nathan, Robin, Annie, Yvan, Karel, Frederike, Jack, Miss Cropper, Dr Wood and Mr Cole (with the addition of Miss Werger and Toby just for the day) had a day out climbing up the extinct Longonot volcano and then around the rim of the crater, a distance of about 20 km. The views were fabulous and so was the spirit of the team. Well done to everybody. A great day's training.