Day 5, September 1st, 2024
We awoke feeling somewhat refreshed and ready to go, optimistic that the day ahead was relatively short. Though as always, our guides kept us moving. Today’s journey was marked by cloud walking, temperature drops, and deafening silence.
Kilimanjaro felt quiet today. For hours all we saw was the back of the feet in front of us and all we heard was the rhythmic swoosh, swoosh of our steps. At one point Dr. P turned on his downloaded music from his phone a welcome break from the monotony. We talked a bit, but the air was getting thinner and we were breathing harder. Talking became a bit strenuous. Not to mention, we were running out of things to say. A rare find along today’s journey was finding the remains of a large water buffalo. We experienced a brief moment of fascination as Dr. P, (a pediatric hip surgeon) graciously gave us an impromptu anatomy lesson.
In this quiet, I became aware of how uncomfortable silence sometimes feels. Today in America, many of us have learned to find comfort in noise. We are surrounded by a hum of cars, airplanes, phones, music players, and TVs constantly murmuring in the background keeping us “entertained”. Many people even rely on “white noise” makers to sleep.
Uncomfortable Silence
However, humans evolved in a landscape similar to what we are experiencing on Kilimanjaro. The days were quiet, and loud noises usually signaled danger such as the roar of an animal, crack of thunder, or boom of a rockslide. Our brains are wired to think that loud equals dangerous.
The World Health Organization found that the noise we live in daily is quite literally killing us. Some research shows that for every 10-decibel increase in a neighborhood, anxiety medication rises 28%. People who live near loud roads are 28% more likely to suffer from depression. That stress could be quite literally killing us. (Comfort Crisis, by Michael Easter)
In contrast, natural sounds in which we evolved – the sound of waves on a beach, a gentle breeze, the gentle sound of snow falling – calm our nervous systems. These sounds naturally reduce stress, explaining why we seek these environments for vacation and rejuvenation.
Mindful Silence
So this vacation day we continued in the quiet. Many of us found ourselves turning inward. We were able to be more present and mindful of our surroundings, something that happens only when you have the time and space to do such things. I found myself taking more time to appreciate the flora, marveling at their hardiness in this inhospitable climate. I chatted with our Tanzanian guides, learning more about their lives here in Africa. I observed the steep inclines and the peculiar rock formations and caves formed by this ancient volcano. I reflected on our human ancestors and how resilient and adventurous they were to explore places like this.
Another new experience today was cloud walking. It sounds so delightful when you say it that way, but there were times that the fog was so dense you could get lost if you didn’t pay attention and stay close. It also created a drastic temperature drop.
We also stopped for a very surprising lunch today – a peanut butter and passion fruit jam sandwich with thinly sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots inside! It was delicious! This spurred a lively debate of whether the food was amazing because it was truly fantastic or if we were just so tired and hungry that anything tasted divine. Regardless, it was a highlight of the day!
Tonight we camped at Third Cave – nearly 3,800 meters (or almost 12,500 feet). It was cloudy and quite cold and we were tired, but tomorrow we would hit Base Camp and then begin our summit at midnight! Excitement hung in the air as we drifted off to sleep.
Next… Base Camp
for previous day, click here.