In almost 30 years of working in adventure travel – from 1991 to 2020 – I have had the luck to climb across East Africa, in the Himalayas, in South America, in Europe and the UK. I learned to climb and trek at high altitude when I was middle-aged, and even now in old age I hope to carry on climbing for as long as possible. In fact, a return to Kilimanjaro and a third crack at Mawenzi – little known, but still Africa’s third highest peak – is next on my list! In this series of posts, I will look back on some of my climbing experiences so far. In doing so, I hope to illustrate how middle and old age need not be a barrier to climbing, and how anyone can also climb and trek these wonderful worldwide peaks. The posts will also look forward to after Corona, when climbing and trekking peaks will once again be open – and wild and beautiful as ever.

Passage to Kilimanjaro
We can pass quickly and conveniently over the next 38 years, when I was getting an education and then trying to make my way in the UK as an adult. I can summarise those years as a period of few successes and absolutely no climbing. Then in April 1991, at age 43, on my very first visit to Sub-Saharan Africa, a local bus on a bumpy road took me to the foothills of Kilimanjaro and I saw the magnificent snow-capped peak for the first time. My first trip to Africa was to end in a prison cell far way in the Cameroons, but before that I was to climb Kilimanjaro.

Equipped with a Woolworths summer sleeping bag, a pac-a-mac, a Marks & Spencer pullover and some poor long-johns, I headed to the mountain in the company of another backpacker – Mary, who I had met on the bus from Nairobi. We were surprised that the mountain was so quiet. Infact we were the only climbers setting out that day. It was the beginning of the monsoon season and although Arusha and Moshi were delightfully sunny, Kilimanjaro was soon covered in cloud and then very heavy rain. The rain was to continue daily until we reached the snowline and then it was to snow almost without cease. It was a very cold and wet expedition up the Marangu Route! An Austrian trekker caught us up and on the day we met at Horombo Hut it seemed that we were the only three tourists on the mountain. Our Austrian friend headed to Gilman’s Point on the rim with us, but became increasingly irrational and bad tempered. I did not realise then that he was suffering from the beginnings of a cerebral oedema due to his very fast ascent. Finally, we waded through thigh-deep snow to the summit and the sun broke through and all of Africa seemed to lie below us. That was the moment I decided I must come back to Kilimanjaro. I loved being on that mountain. I was to climb Kilimanjaro over 20 times and the mountain was to become the foundation of Gane and Marshall – our family-run adventure and wildlife safari business.

But first I was to get arrested in the Cameroons. The second goal of my first journey to Africa was to meet Peter Marshall, travel writer, and my good companion during our last two years at university. Peter was writing about and filming a journey around Africa on different local boats and ships – from oil tanker to Zanzibar dhow. I was scheduled to meet him in the Cameroons where he was to dock for a few days and do some filming. I flew into Douala airport from Nairobi and was unlucky enough to arrive during a period of civil and military unrest. Having no visa, I was thrown into a cell near the airport by some very large and very frightening soldiers. After an interminable wait a chap in military fatigues, speaking good English, dragged me out of the cell and to a waiting Landcruiser, where Pete was waiting. They proceeded to drive at breakneck speed through Douala and out to a “safe” five-star hotel in the capital in the interior. This was Pete’s bodyguard, an influential chap from the Cameroon special forces, appointed for Pete by the BBC as the crisis in the Cameroons threatened security. The crisis soon ended but I shall never forget my first visit to West Africa!

Next post due late April:
CLIMBING AND TREKKING IN EAST AFRICA – where, how and why.
Part One – East Africa Overview and Trekking in Ethiopia