Day 2 - Big Tree to Shira Camp (11,800 ft./3610 m)

| Home | Day 1 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 |

Our second day on the trail begins at 6:30 a.m., when Eduardo (the cook's assistant) brings us a cup of tea. We slept fitfully, woken by the sounds of Colobus monkeys and tree hyraxs. I open card #2, the second in a series of six cards created by my daughters (who gave me strict orders to open just one card/day--"no peaking ahead, Mom"). Thank you, girls. You have no idea what your cards meant to me.

It's a long walk today and we cover more than 7 miles and gain 1,000' in altitude. We finally leave the forest behind us and enter the moorland, which is above the tree line. Crossing the Shira ridge (12,100'/3690 m), we climb through the clouds and emerge on the other side, a little damper and colder. The ground here is covered with sedges and lots of yellow, daisy-like flowers (Helichrysum) that are papery to the touch. Rounding a bend in the trail, the summit of Kilimanjaro becomes visible. What an unbelievable sight. Louise and I look at each other and grin. Are we really doing this?

We descend down to the Shira plateau and after another hour's walk come to our campsight. The wind has picked us and it's gotten colder; very cold when the sun goes down. Early to bed, a little reading using our headlamps (which for some reason makes Louise howl with laughter every time I put mine on), and we're asleep by 9:30.

Pictures from today, June 13, 2003.

Day 2 starts	Ready for the day's trek (8 hours)	Climbing through the forest	Emerging from trees
Just past tree line	En route to Shira plateau	Clouds rolling up Shira ridge	First view of Kili
Us with our first view of Kili	There's our goal - only 5 days to go	Kili with Shira plateau in background	Lunch
Shira 1 camp	Kili with full moon