Images and text by Mark Whitman

Climbing Kilimanjaro is definitely an adventure, but I’ve never personally looked at it that way.

Thousands flock to Tanzania every year with the sole purpose of attempting to reach what many colloquially call the Roof of Africa. Standing at 19,341 feet (5,895 meters), Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain on the African continent and the tallest non-massif (free-standing) mountain in the world.

The mountain’s popularity among hikers can be attributed to its Seven Summit status and the fact that it’s a non-technical climb. This means that anyone at (nearly) any age can climb Kilimanjaro. Fitness and physical ability are also more flexible than on many other climbs. Canadian couple Esther and Martin Kafer reached the summit at the ripe old ages of 84 and 85, while armless and legless Kyle Maynard crawled to the top of Kilimanjaro unassisted in 2012.

Compared to these extraordinary feats, I’ve never felt that my young, able-bodied experiences on Kilimanjaro were very adventurous.

It then dawned on me, recently, that I had indeed been part of a Kilimanjaro experience similar to those described above.

My first experience on Kilimanjaro was with a childhood mate who had suffered from partial sightedness for most of his life.

When I first met Brad, we were both normal seven year old kids. I took to his adventurous playground antics and we quickly became friends. The first two years of our friendship were like those of any two boys.

Then one day Brad started complaining about his eyesight. He struggled to keep up with us in sports and couldn’t see the whiteboard in class. He soon moved to a new ‘special’ school. Brad had a condition called macular degeneration. His central vision had deteriorated to 10% of a normal person’s eyesight and his peripheral vision was impaired.

He was effectively blind.

His condition never broke his spirit, though, and despite his awful eyesight he continued to play squash, golf, and snooker (and excelled in the latter).

Over the years we went on a number of sailing and climbing adventures.

Brad went pushed himself extra hard to succeed at activities that people with perfect eyesight would struggle to excel in and, over time, this made me forget just how limited his sight was. His determination to be active and ‘normal’ made me discount his disability and assume he could do anything that he wanted to.

So, when Brad told me he wanted to climb Kilimanjaro I was game.

At the time I was living in London and he in South Africa, so we met in Nairobi and flew together to Kilimanjaro International Airport.

In Moshi we got our first glimpse of the awe-inspiring Mount Kilimanjaro. Seeing any great mountain for the first time and realizing that you plan to drag yourself to the top of it is a frightening and seductive feeling.

We began our trek the following day following the popular Mâchame route that sojourns through dense tropical rainforest. The paths on Kilimanjaro are surprisingly good and make for relatively easy going hiking.

The biggest challenge is the altitude. The human body is not meant to function at extreme altitudes and responds to the unfriendly environment in various ways, starting with mild headaches that can turn into severe migraines and nausea.

As you climb in altitude the air pressure drops lowering the air density and reducing the number of oxygen molecules available per breath. At around 12,000 feet (3,600 meters) there are approximately 40% fewer oxygen molecules per breath than at sea level. The human body is able to acclimatize to this change, but it does so slowly.

Unfortunately, Kili doesn’t give the average trekker much time to acclimatize. So, the onset of mild or moderate Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is common and summit success rates are relatively low on certain routes. Death from severe AMS and its Edema complications also occur on Kilimanjaro.

Like most sane trekkers, Brad and I had valued our lives more than making it to the summit, but we were prepared ourselves to endure mild headaches and even vomiting (fortunately the latter never happened).

I was the first to come down with AMS symptoms on day four. Brad, despite his eyesight, had been having an easy time on the climb.

We reached the summit base camp, Barafu (which means ice in Swahili). As the name implies, it is not warm on the exposed plateau, which sits at 4,600 meters. Nausea had overcome me and I stopped eating. Brad smugly ate my dinner while all I could do was watch and try not to vomit.
That evening we prepared for the final push. We would be woken at 23:45 to begin our summit assault on the slopes of Kibo. A gale force wind blew all night long, making sleep impossible. We thought that that surely no one in their right mind would try summit in this wind.

We were wrong. Wind or no wind, we were pushing on. The good news was that I was feeling a lot better. Apparently starvation and sleep deprivation help to alleviate altitude sickness (though I wouldn’t recommend trying it).

Brad had taken a turn for the worse. Half way up Kibo started complaining that his heart was beating rapidly. Like a good manly friend, I ignored his complaints and continued to kick his ass up the winding slope, majestically flattened at a crater rim to reveal the sub-summit milestone, Stellar Point.

Many people stop here, exhausted and and defeated when they realise that they have to complete another hour’s trek around the crater to Uhuru Peak and the summit of Kilimanjaro.

Brad nearly joined the ranks of those who pack it in at Stellar, but after a cup of hot chocolate his spirits brightened and, as the morning sun rose out of the African landscape, we continued on toward the summit.

After 5 days of trekking, headaches, long drops. and baby-wipe baths, the feeling of reaching the summit is sublime however short lived. A few congratulatory high fives and customary photos are standard; however, the knowledge of richer air waiting below makes departure from the summit even sweeter.

Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano. The main peak, Uhuru, is adorned with large receding glaciers that have left the slopes covered with fine volcanic glacial scree. Descent on the upper regions can effectively be done by sliding snowboard-style down the scree to base camp where the landscapes becomes rocky again.

The problem with fine glacial scree — as I learned in the worst possible way — is that it becomes easily lodged in one’s eye. By the time I reached Barafu my right eye was partially closed and left eye was completely shut.

I fell asleep exhausted and partially blind. How the tables had turned!

The following morning Brad, with 10% vision, helped me down the final stretches of Mount Kilimanjaro and for the first time in 20 years of knowing him I got a small glimpse of the challenges he faces living with limited eye site.

To climb Kilimanjaro is a great feat, but it was only on our final day as we left the trailhead for of Kilimanjaro l gained a deep respect the extraordinary determination and spirit that my friend had to develop to overcome his limited vision and a life that I, with normal vision, take for granted.

Have any questions about climbing Kilimanjaro? Just comment comment below and Mark will  be happy answer them.

The post Climbing Kilimanjaro Through New Eyes appeared first on XpatMatt.

Place

Namibia (Republic of Namibia), Africa

Location

Namibia is located on the southwest coast of Africa on the Atlantic Ocean. Namibia borders on South Africa to the south, Botswana to the east, Angola and Zambia to the north, and is bisected by the Tropic of Capricorn.

Namibia Cities

Namibia’s capital city is Windhoek, which is located near the geographic center of the country and is the largest city by a significant margin.

The Geography of Namibia

Covering 825,418 kilometers of the African continent, Nambia is the 34th largest country in the world. Moving west to east from the Atlantic Ocean across Nambia you first cross the Namib Desert, and then the central plateau where most of the population lives and move farther onto the Great Escarpment, an enormous plateau that crosses several countries. The highest point in the country is Brandberg Mountain (also known as Königstien) at 2606 m.

Nambia’s Central Plateau runs north south through the middle of the country and is home to most of the population.

The Namib Desert is an 80,900 square kilometer (slightly smaller than Austria) hyper-arid plain comprised of gravel and sand dunes that covers Nambia’s entire coastline, including the Skeleton Coast. This extremely inhospitable area is thought to be the oldest desert in the world and most of it has little life. Nambia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism claims that this desert is home to the largest sand dunes in the world, but this claim is disputed. Either way, with the tallest measuring 383 m from base to top, they’re pretty damned big. And, ranging in color from orange to pink, the are quite a sight. This area is also rich in diamonds.

The Great Escarpment is a large rocky plateau that makes up a substantial portion of several countries in southern Africa. It occupies the eastern portion of Namibia, rising steeply out of the central plains to an elevation of about 2000m.

The Kalahari Desert is probably Namibia’s best-known geographic feature. The Kalihari Desert occupies portions of Botswana and South Africa, as well as a significant portion of eastern Namibia. The Kalahari Desert gets significantly more rain that the most deserts, and thus supports a wide variety of life.

The Climate in Namibia

Namibia has a climate typical of desert-dominated areas, arid with little rainfall, with large differences between daytime high temperatures and nighttime lows. Namibia normally receives over 300 days of sunshine per year, though this varies a bit from area to area.

Winter, which takes place from June to August, is dry. Namibia has two rainy seasons—a short season during October and November characterized by frequent thunderstorms, and a longer season from February to April. Rainfall varies from nearly zero in parts of the Namib Desert to 600mm per year in the northeast of the country.

During the summer temperatures can reach as high as 40°C, but drop significantly at night. During the winter inland temperatures range between 18°C and 25°C during the day, and can drop below freezing at night.

Namibia Description

With a population of just 2.1 million people, Namibia has the second lowest population desity of any sovereign country in the world after Mongolia. The government is a stable multi-party parliamentary democracy and the economy is based largely on mining for diamonds, gold, silver, uranium, and other base materials. Tourism also contributes significantly to the economy, especially ecotourism.

Economically and socially, Namibia is still a developing nation. Even generous estimates say that at least half of the country’s population is unemployed. Half the population also lives below the international poverty line of $1.25 USD per day and approximately 15% of the population had Aids in 2007.G

Receiving one million visitors each year, mostly from South Africa, Germany, the UK, Italy and France, tourism in Namibia makes up an important part of the economy. The industry comprises nearly 15% of the country’s GDP and creates 18% of all jobs.

Namibia is of the few countries that includes conservation and protection of natural resources in the constitution, and much of the tourism is ecotourism. Birding in Namibia is great, with 644 species of bird, 14 of which are endemic. The unique geography of the northeastern Bushveld attracts a fantastic variety of birds. There are also plenty of high-altitude activities. Paragliding and hang gliding are both done in Namibia, though you probably want to bring your own gear (more information can be found here). Hot air ballooning and skydiving are also both readily available. The most unique attraction, however, is the Flying Fox zipline, which is said to be the longest in the world, carrying you 1200 m from the peak of Rössing Mountain into the valley below at heights over 200 m. The most popular places to view wildlife include Etosha National Park, Waterberg Plateau National Park, and Cape Cross Seal Reserve.

Oh yeah, did I mention that the Fish River Canyon in the south of the country is the second largest in the world (after the Grand Canyon). Anybody up for a hike?

Highlights

Surf Namibia:WannaSurf.com lists lots of good surf breaks in Nambia, mostly breaking left with some points, and mostly suitable only for experienced riders.

Kitesurf Namibia: If you want to try kitesurfing in Namibia, check out the Walvis Bay Kite Center.

Sandbaording in Namibia: With some of the largest dunes in the world sandboarding is something everyone should try while visiting.  Sandboarding in Swakopmund is said to be great.

Namibia Outdoor Adventure Activities and Extreme Sports

• Surfing
• Stand-up paddle boarding
• Scuba diving (possible, but at the time of writing there were no known dive centers in the country)
• Snorkeling
• Surfing (all levels)
• Sailing
• Kitesurfing
• Windsurfing
• Parasailing
• Paragliding
• Hang gliding
• Sky diving
• Hot air ballooning
• River raft expeditions
• Kayaking (river and lake)
• Canoeing
• Caving and spelunking
• Hiking/trekking (all levels)
• Ziplining (really, really awesome)
• Rock climbing (all levels)
• Abseiling/rappelling
• Mountain Biking (novice to expert)
• Horseback Riding
• Camel riding
• Sandskiing/sandboarding

Namibia Budget Travel

• Namibia accommodations are not as cheap as one would expect. Although, reasonably priced hostels can be found in Nambia’s capital city, Windhoek, it’s harder to find good prices elsewhere. In Windhoek The Cardboard Box is a good basic hostel with dorm beds for $13 USD per night. If you go to the coast we suggest Loubser’s B&B Self Catering in Walvis Bay, which has beds for $17 USD per night.
  A full list of hostels in Namibiacan be found here.
  Go here for more information about Namibia hotels.
• Budget meals in local restaurants can be purchased for $3-4 USD and, if you’re dying for a McDonalds burger, that will run you just over $5. The local beer is cheap (less than $1 USD each at the supermarket) and good, so be sure to drink plenty of it.

Have Insurance?

I like to use World Nomads. It’s not too expensive and signing up is fast and straightforward. They also have pretty good coverage for sports equipment like surf and snowboards, but it varies depending on your country of origin, so be sure double check. You can get a free quote on their website.

Namibia Photos

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Images (in order) courtesy of Willemvdk, geoftheref, Alastair Rae, MauritsV, mp3ief, geoftheref, aftab., gakout, aftab., aftab., Ferdinand Reus, and aftab. on Flickr.

Suggested Reading

Click on the images for more information

Namibia Map

View Larger Map

The information on this page was provided by My Namibia Info. If you want to know more about Namibia they are the people to ask.

Windhoek Vacations

The post Namibia Adventure Travel Guide appeared first on XpatMatt.

Cape Verde (sometimes referred to as the Cape Verde Islands)

Location

Cape Verde is an archipelago of ten islands and three islets in the Atlantic ocean about 500 km west of Senegal.

Major Cities in Cape Verde

The largest cities in the Cape Verde islands include the capital, Praia, which is on the island of Santiago, and also Mindelo on São Vicente, and Asssomada on Santiago.

Cape Verde Climate and Geography

Cape Verde is a horseshoe-shaped archipelago of ten volcanic islands off the coast of Africa, and is part of the larger island group called Macronesia. The islands include (from east to west) Boa Vista, Sal, Maio, Santiago, São Nicolau, Fogo, Brava, São Vicente, and Santo Antão. The islands cover a total of 4033 sq km, an area slightly larger than Rhode Island, and have 965 km of coastline between them. Although they are all volcanic in origin, the islands host a wide variety of terrain ranging from rocky plains, to sandy beaches, to salt flats, and steep volcanoes. The tallest point is the active volcano Pico do Fogo, which stands 2,829 m above sea level and last erupted in 1995. Receiving little rain the islands are largely rocky and unfriendly to plant life.

Although hot, Cape Verde’s climate is milder than in nearby Africa because the cool sea currents help to cool the air around the islands. Cape Verde’s weather is sunny most of the year and the archipelago receives little rain. Because of this the Cape Verde islands are prone to drought, and are classified as arid and semi-desert. Most rain occurs between August and October in short, heavy bursts. The average temperature in Cape Verde at sea level ranges from about 19°C (avg. low) to 25°C (avg. high) in February to 25°C (avg. low) to 29°C (avg. high) in September. It is important to remember, though, that most of the islands are steep and rugged, and that the temperature in Cape Verde varies depending on altitude.

Description of Cape Verde

Cape Verde’s population (who are referred to as Cape Verdeans) is around 567,000. About a quarter of the population (128,000) lives in Paraia, and another 70,000 lives in Mindelo. Official language is Portuguese, but most people’s first language is a Cape Verdian Creole. Cape Verde is generally considered to be a developing country, but has a reasonably stable democratic political system.

Cape Verde was never meant to be lived on. It was uninhabited until the 15th century, and rightly so. There are few natural resources, limited fresh water, and little arable land. About 90% of the food consumed in Cape Verde is imported.

In recent decades Cape Verde has been striving to improve its tourism sector and has been having some success and options for holidays in Cape Verde have been improving. Between 1994 and 2000 58% of foreign investment in the country was in the tourism sector, and between 2000 and 2009 the country had one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors in the world. In 2010 382,000 people visited the archipelago which is, despite its economic situation, relatively safe for visitors.

Because of its isolation, Cape Verde it is home to many endemic species, mainly flora, birds, and reptiles. 664 plant species, two of which are threatened, are listed as endemic to Cape Verde. There are many endemic bird species, and 130 migrant birds visit the islands. There are 12 endemic species of lizards on the islands including the Cape Verde giant gecko. The surrounding ocean also provides excellent turtle habitat. As of 2003 Cape Verde had 48 protected areas, but they only covered 0.3% of the land area.

The Cape Verde islands are considered by some to be one of the top ten coral reef biodiversity hotspots in the world. With reef diving, wreck diving, and cave diving all readily available, snorkeling and scuba diving there are said to be amazing. With strong consistent winds, Cape Verde is world famous for windsurfing and is also excellent for kitesurfing and sailing. The surfing in Cape Verde is said to be awesome, and the website WannaSurf.com lists 13 breaks, most of which are rocky or reef breaks that can accomodate all levels of surfers.
Hiking, trekking, and caving are all spectacular there, especially on Pico de Fogo, which said to be one of the most spectacular conical volcanoes in the world. The hiking on Santo Antao is also beautiful. Because of the generally loose and unstable rocks that comprise much of the archipelago, there is little climbing in Cape Verde. Despite this Cape Verdeans have been taking a greater interest in the sport in recent years, and there are some guides that take out small groups.

If you’re just looking for a beach to lie on, then your best bets are the white sand beach of Santa Maria on the island of Sal, or, if you want something a bit more secluded, Santa Monica beach on Boa Vista. Several species of turtles inhabit the ocean surrounding Cape Verde, many of which are endangered by hunting. The best way to see these turtles, and contribute to their protection, is to take a turtle watching tour with SOS Tartarugas or visiting the hatchery on Ponta Preta. All proceeds go towards turtle conservation.

Outdoor Adventure Activities in Cape Verde

• Surfing
• Stand-up paddle boarding
• Scuba diving (wreck, reef, cave)
• Snorkeling
• Surfing (all levels)
• Sailing
• Kitesurfing
• Windsurfing
• Paragliding
• Kayaking (sea)
• Caving and spelunking
• Hiking/trekking (all levels)
• Rock climbing (all levels)
• Abseiling/rappelling
• Mountain Biking (novice to expert)
• Horseback Riding

Budget Travel in Cape Verde

• Being relatively small islands that don’t receive many backpackers, budget accommodation on the Cape Verde islands is limited. A couple of the cheaper options are the Solar Windelo on Mindelo where you can find rent a two-person studio for $18 USD per person per night, or the Casa Cavoquinho on Santo Antao where you can rent a room for two for about $25 USD per person per night.
  More information about hostels in Cape Verde can be found here.
• About 90% of the food on Cape Verde is imported, so food tends to be costly compared to other things. Cape Verde restaurants will probably eat up your budget quickly. Shopping in local markets and eating at small local restaurants is the best way to stretch your food budget.

Have Insurance?

I like to use World Nomads. It’s not too expensive and signing up is fast and straightforward. They also have pretty good coverage for sports equipment like surf and snowboards, but it varies depending on your country of origin, so be sure double check. You can get a free quote on their website.

Photos of Cape Verde

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Images (in order) courtesy of Yann Pinczon du Sel, aldask, davetrainer, antifluor, aldask, Al@in76, Sérgio Machado, Tom Simpson, Moises.on, davetrainer, dickdotcom, andIDS.photos on Flickr.

Suggested Reading

Click on the images for more information

Cape Verde Map

View Larger Map
The information on this page was provided by My Destination Cape Verde. If you want to know more about Cape Verde they are the people to ask.

The post Cape Verde Adventure Travel Guide appeared first on XpatMatt.

Johannesburg, South Africa

Location

Northern South Africa in the Province of Gauteng, about 500 km inland from the Indian Ocean.

Climate and Geography

Johannesburg RSA (Republic of South Africa)is the world’s largest city that’s not situated beside a river, lake, or ocean. It’s located about 500 km inland from the Indian Ocean in northern South Africa at an elevation of 1753 m above sea level on a plateau called the Highveld. There are hills to the north and west of the city, and the land to the east is flat. Johannesburg, with more than 10 million trees, may well have the largest man-made forest in the world. Although it’s not situated on a major body of water, the spring-fed streams that run through the city help to form two of South Africa’s largest rivers, the Limpopo and Orange Rivers.

Johannesburg has a subtropical highland climate. Temperatures in the city are generally quite mild because of its altitude. In the summer (October to April) temperatures the average high is about 25°C, but can climb to over 30°C.  Although the climate in Johannesburg is mostly dry and sunny, afternoon thundershowers are common during the summer and most of the annual average 713 mm of rain falls during this time.

The winter is a sunny and dry season. Daily low temperatures generally hover around 4-7°C, but can drop below zero resulting in frost on the ground. Snow, however, is rare.

Description

With 3.9 million people in its 1645 square kilometers, Johannesburg is the most populous city in South Africa. Johannesburg is a very important city, not only to South Africa, but to all of Africa. With two large international airports, including O.R. Tambo International Airport (the largest and busiest airport in southern Africa), Johannesburg is a thriving transportation hub. Subesequently, most visitors to South Africa pass through Johannesburg at least once during their visit. Johannesburg is also a base for many of South Africa’s large-scale gold and diamond mining companies and is a common setting for important business and political meetings. Some estimate that as much as 10% of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP is generated in Johannesburg.

Despite its economic and transportation importance, Johannesburg does not have a large tourism sector, probably due in part to the city’s reputation for crime. Although many visitors have no problems during their visits to the city, it is important to exercise caution and remain alert when visiting Johannesburg. The lack of tourism in the city, however, should not be taken to indicate a lack of attractions. There is a lot to see here to see, especially for those interested in wildlife and anthropology. About 50km northwest of Johannesburg is the Unesco World Heritage Site, The Cradle of Humankind, a 47,000 Ha site, which includes a complex of limestone caves and the sites of some of the most important archaeological discoveries in history. The site also includes the 1200 Ha Lion and Rhino Nature Reserve, which breeds numerous endangered species such as Siberian Tigers, Bengal Tigers, and White Lions. Nearby is also the Sterkfontein fossil site, one of the richest sites of hominoid bones in the world. Lions and other game can be seen at the Lion Park nature reserve, which is near Lanseria, where you can pet baby lions and feed giraffes. The 1500 Ha Kruegersdorp Nature Reserve is a 40-minute drive from the city center, and the De Wildt Cheetah Center, located in the Magiliesburg, breeds cheetah, wild dog, and other endangered species.

Activities

• Paragliding
• Hang gliding
• Sky diving
• Bungee jumping
• Hot air ballooning
• Whitewater rafting
• Kayaking (river and lake)
• Canoeing
• Caving and spelunking
• Hiking/trekking (all levels)
• Ziplining
• Rock climbing (all levels)
• Abseiling
• Mountain Biking (novice to expert)
• Horseback Riding

On a Budget?

• The cheaper hostels, such as the Sleek Hostel, start around $11 USD per night for a dorm bed. The Rietvlei Backpackers Lodge is also quite reasonable at $13 USD for a dorm bed.

A full list of Johannesburg hostels can be found here.

Hotel accommodation in Johannesburg is also plentiful and varied.

Have Insurance?

I like to use World Nomads. It’s not too expensive and signing up is fast and straightforward. They also have pretty good coverage for sports equipment like surf and snowboards, but it varies depending on your country of origin, so be sure double check. You can get a free quote on their website.

Photos

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Images (in order) courtesy of undone, Axel Bührmann, babasteve, Axel Bührmann, 350.org, sea turtle, babasteve, andre.vanrooyen, gareth1953, andre.vanrooyen, fanz, and andre.vanrooyen on Flickr.

Suggested Reading

Click on the images for more information

Map

View Larger Map

The information on this page was provided by My Johannesburg Info If you want to know more about Johannesburg they are the people to ask.

The post Johannesburg, South Africa Adventure Travel Guide appeared first on XpatMatt.

It’s wild.  One episode focuses on a part of northern Columbia where men commonly, and surprisingly openly, have sex with donkeys.  They actually show it.  In another they visit the last surviving members of an Aryan community started half a century ago in Paraguay.

Last night I watched the Webby nominated documentary, The Vice Guide to Liberia.  It’s one of the best, and most horrific, documentaries I’ve ever seen.  You must watch it now (but do so at your own discretion–it is incredibly disturbing).

If the you have problems watching it using the embedded player below, you can watch it here.

The post Watch it Now! The Vice Guide to Liberia appeared first on XpatMatt.