Nick and Alan's journey started on 4th July... here's Nicks diary of their 'Mid' Life Adventure 
After a quick stop at the polling booth, we were off to Heathrow for our flight to Kilimanjaro, via Doha (Qatar). A total of about 12 hours.
We arrived at our hotel at about 9:30 on Friday morning. No sign of the highest free standing mountain in the world. It is hidden in the clouds.
We had a couple days to acclimatise and visit the nearby town (Moshi), before meeting our guides and the rest of the group. There are only five of us climbing, but supporting by a team of 21 guides, porters etc.
We set off on Monday 8th, for our eight day trip. It is a couple of hours drive to get to Lemosho Gate (2100m), where we start our ascent.
The first day is just a 2 hours (7km) hike to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2650m), for our first night under canvas. As we leave camp on Tuesday, monkeys and white-necked ravens scavenge for the remains of breakfast.
Day two is about 6 hours to Shira 1 Camp (3610m) through the forest zone into moorland. We’re getting to know our fellow travellers and guides well by now, and conversations keep us entertained and help pass the time.
Day three is 10km to Shira 2 Camp (3850m). We had the option of a detour to Cathedral Point (3872m) which is a bit of a scramble (we leave our rucksacks at the base), but well worth the trip. It breaks the monotony of the moorland, and as we are well above the clouds, gives us some great views of the surrounding area, and Kilimanjaro off in the distance, and some 2km above us.
Its cold at night, and in the mornings when we set out (about 8:30am), so we dress warmly, but as we walk, generate some heat, and the sun rises, we soon have to take off some layers, until most days we’re walking in t-shirts and shorts.
Next stop is Lava Tower Camp (4600m) for lunch. Kilimanjaro is a volcano that last erupted over 200,000 years ago and Lava Tower , a column of hardened molten lava is the result of one of those eruptions. We then head down the Barranco Valley to our next camp (3900m). Still above the clouds, and the summit of Kilimanjaro is getting closer.
As we leave Barranco Camp the next morning we’re soon faced with the Barranco Wall. While most of the route to the summit is “just” a long slog, the Barranco Wall is the section that we’ve been anticipating with some trepidation. Some of it is very steep with narrow paths, our walking poles have been put away, as we have to use all four limbs to work our way up the path. One part is called the Kissing Rock, as you have to hug the wall on the narrowest part of the trail. We all agreed that this was the best part of our trip so far.
We stay the night at Karanga Camp (3995m) in the alpine desert zone. From here on it is really dry. Dust is kicked up by the person in front and covers our clothes. We wear bandanas over our mouth and noses to try to prevent breathing in the dust, but even so there is a lot of coughing at night.
Our last stop before summit night is Barafu Camp (4673m). We arrive around lunchtime and try to get a few hours rest before dinner. We then go to bed again in the hope of a couple of hours sleep before being woken up at 11:30pm for an early breakfast before we set off for the summit at half past midnight.
There is no light pollution here, so the sky is filled with stars, but also the head torches of climbers who set off before us, snaking their way up the mountain. The summit is 5km ahead and still more than 1km above us.
We walk uphill for about 6 hours before the sun comes up, when we stop to enjoy the sight, and a short rest, but there is still another hour to go before we reach Stella Point (5766m). Here the mountain levels off. We have only another 100m of height to attain, but nearly an hour’s walk across the top of the glacier to Uhuru Peak.
Its really emotional as we reach the summit. After month’s of training, with many miles walked or cycled and hundreds of thousands of steps walked, we’ve finally made it. We’re feeling very proud of ourselves, and thinking a lot about Rich as we unfurl the Smile4Wessex banner for photos at the top of Africa.
Although there are hundreds of people on the mountain, by the time we get to the top, we’re all well spread out, so there is plenty of time to take it all in before we have to start the descent.
Tanzania is a lovely country, the people very friendly and climbing Kilimanjaro was a great experience that I would recommend to anyone. But make sure you put in the work to prepare for it, in order to get the most out of the trip.
