SUMMARY of a great experience

Hi there,

back in Mendoza, on 750m and almost 35 celsius. Only 3 days after summit push at -25 degrees.

The disappointment about the turn-around on 6500m slowly fades away.

2 weeks of a unique experience come to and end. 12 days to get to 6000m high camp. Almost 2 weeks in a 2x2m tent with a person I havent met before. New friends. Lots of emotions when 3 of our fellows were helicoptered out only 4 days into the journey. Growing exposure to cold and lack of oxygene. I always felt strong and good.

Storms shaking the little yellow "lightbulb", as I called it, when the first sunrays lit the tent in bright lemon color. Everyday´s blue sky, sudden weather changes in the high camps 1 and 2, with snowfall from one minute to the next.

Didnt sleep more than 4hrs in average for the entire time on the mountain. Bloody altitude.
12 days of the same crackers, sausage, ham and cheese. Powdered milk and juice, tea and yerba mate. Somewhat of a overdose after a while. I spare the poo-bag part - an experience in itself. But great to see the mountain so clean. People that did Kilimanjaro, were pleasantly surprised.

And then the summit day. Still hurts to think back of standing on 6500m - half way up, the summit so close, but so far - having to turn around. Cold, dizzy, slow. Seeing my 3 mates and 2 guides move on is hard. Tears. It helps a bit to know that 4 fellows and 2 guides had to stop, too, before me. I did the right thing. Bad day, no luck.

The UNICEF banner made it to the top with Shawn and Bauty. Thanks guys!!

Will I ever return and try again? Hard to tell. It is a huge effort, much harder than I thought. Amazing and freightening at once. You give up the normal life for 2 weeks. No water, no toilet, no bed, no space, cold, basic food, no clean clothes, no oxygen, no sleep ..... . This makes you realise what a good life we have back home.

Thanks to those who supported my collectionfor Pampers / UNICEF!

Adios
Jan