At least it will be tough to clog them – Kilimajaro, Day 2 (20 July 2008)

What little propriety I have left prevents me from posting a picture of the toilet facilities. In some way I feel like the zoo animals from Madagascar. I’m so accustomed to civilization that I don’t know what to do when confronted with a more primitive natural environment.

I vaguely remember outhouses as a child, and know for a fact that I’ve voided in the woods before, but it’s been a long, long time. So being confronted with a shack with a 12” x 8” hole in the floor was quite a shock. I mean, couldn’t they make it bigger? Or actually rig up an outhouse?

My first thought was that I’d just avoid going number 2 while we’re up here – but that’s 7 days. Thankfully I didn’t have to today. Jen, though, found that the world would be a better place if more people shared my performance anxiety. “What’s that squishing noise? Oh!”

There is at least one group on the mountain without these concerns, though: Abercrombie & Kent. Jen and Cari ran across them when they were on Safari in 2000, and made fun of them for dashing off in their Land Rovers every time a call came across the radio.

Evidently they are the luxe travel group. We’ve received brochures from them in the past, but they’re just so expensive that it was out of the question. Now I know why. At each camp site they set up a complete little compound with matching tents, a dedicated latrine tent, and a dedicated shower tent. Outwardly I’m mocking them for being soft. Inwardly I’m longing to be clean, on day 2.

Fans of Monty Python will know how to complete this question: “How can you tell he’s a King?” The same applies to A&K.

Today’s hike took us from Machame to the Shira Caves. According to our guide, Justaz, the porters used to sleep in the caves that surround this site instead of in tents. To hear him tell it, the porters would prefer to sleep in the caves, because they’re warmer. Unfortunately the caves are collapsing and there was an accident where several of them were killed.

I say several, because Justaz consistently says that three people were killed whenever discussing mountain tragedies. Initially I took him at his word, but after four or five descriptions where “three people were killed”, you either start doubting or make sure that you’re in a group smaller than three.

Shira peak (which the caves take their name from) is a collapsed volcano visible from here. It looks quite forbidding, almost like Mount Doom (at least to me). See for yourself:



We also got a great view of Kibo, the name given to the bulge at the top of Kilimanjaro, and I was able to indulge my need to take panoramic pictures: