 I
was exhausted in school the next
morning. Amir rubbed his head like it
hurt him and Lizzie had dark smudges
under her eyes. I didn't feel so
good myself.
We
whispered quickly to each other 'I
dreamed I saw you on the mountain ... Was it real? ... You
too?'
Then
it was time for class and I had to start
again.
'On
Kilimanjaro,'
I said 'trekkers
often stay at the second hut, Horombo at
3,720 meters, for two nights to get used
to the altitude. Some people start to
get headaches, and if it's very bad you
have to go down again quickly.'
Amir grimaced.
 'It's
because there's less oxygen in the air
high up. You have to walk slowly so your
body can replace what it uses. Most
airplanes don't fly even as high as the
top of Kibo and they add oxygen in their
cabins.'
'I
bet if you're fit you don't have
problems with
altitude
sickness'
said Lizzie, who wins swimming
competitions.
 'When
I researched high altitudes, I read that
fitness helps but some people get sick
anyway. They try to walk too fast
or they're just unlucky.'
'You
move on up the valley to the bottom of Mawenzi
crater - you can see it here, without
clouds for once.'
'Old
Mawenzi sure looks jagged'
said Amir.
 'Sure
does. Past Mawenzi, there's a
volcanic plain between the two
brothers. You cross it to get to Kibo
Hut. That's at 4703 metres, just under
Kibo crater. The next part is
very hard. Everyone has an early meal
and goes to bed at 6 o'clock, to be
ready to go on at midnight.'
I took a break and got some water. Today
I just couldn't stop drinking. |
