Rumble in the Jungle

 Dawn broke, a chorus of birds and Monkeys let us know

 and so began another day. Eric and Ernie, the two stone hippos that stowed away in my rucksack came out for a breather and after breakfast

 we headed along the trail, mostly uphill through sweltering rain forest again.

 Stops were compulsory as the excessive heat was getting to us all.

 But morale was high

 and by mid afternoon Kilimanjaro hove into view for the first time.

 Perhaps for the first time the enormity of the task began to dawn.

 First it was a long way away, as second its was absolutely massive.

 So we pressed on to camp where again there were armed guards and paperwork.

 Food was aplenty, that small banana thing was delicious, a citrus flavoured banana.

 Spirits were high after the sugar rush of dinner

 and we settled in for a long night during which we became acutely aware of the variance in temperature as the sun set on the desert.

 All had survived thus far, all were happy despite appearances

so we posed for a Team Red Kite pic and slept as soundly as you can with armed men pacing the campsite and jackals barking in the darkness.