Happy New Year folks! 

I wanted to update everyone who has been generous enough to sponsor my mountain climbing madness as to the current status of the trip.

Most of you already know that, early last August, I ruptured the biceps tendon of my right arm in a really silly "sporting" accident!

The tendon was surgically re-attached and healing/rehabilitation have been a slow haul.

Trip to Kilimanjaro had to be postponed by six months.

 

However............

 

February 14th is the new date - easy to remember

This will be a rest day in Arusha to recover from jet lag and the climb starts on the 15th.

Summit Assault is planned for early morning of the 20th

 

I am SO ready to get this done!

The planning and training have become a seemingly endless chore and it will be a relief to put it all to real use.

 

Check this out - it is kinda fun!  

The outfitter that is organizing my climb is called Team Kilimanjaro and they have a web link that allows family, friends etc. to track a climber on the mountain.

 

www.teamkilimanjaro.com/track-a-kilimanjaro-climber.html

 

The site is linked to a Google Map showing the satellite imagery of the Kilimanjaro area.

The various camps and strategic geographic points on the mountain are marked with icons.

Climbers are also marked and their positions on the map change daily as they move up and down the mountain.

 

The names of the groups currently climbing are listed on the left hand side of the map and clicking on the name will bring up a daily bulletin or "sitrep" of the climbers' progress.

 

My group is NEMA x 3, 15th - 22nd February 2011.  We will appear on the list on Feb. 15th.

The route is 8 C Lemosho via W. Breach

 

So, if you really want to know how knackered Neil is - all you have to do is click and see!!

 

A million thanks to you all for your support of Priors Court - Wish me luck and I will let you know how it went.

Neil

 

August Update!!!!!!! 

Well it was like this - I was at the village show and fancied my chances in the Welly Throwing competition

One huge throw later and I found myself in ER with a detached ligament in my right arm!

Suffice to say, I needed an operation (which I had on August 12) so I'm out of commission for at least 6 weeks and have therefore had to postpone Kilimanjaro until February next year

On the plus side, it gives me more time raise money for Prior's Court!

Watch this space for latest updates.

Well you should all know the story by now but to re-cap:-

I've decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro - the only rational bit is that it's in aid of Prior’s Court School in Newbury, Berkshire, UK.  My step-son Rhys, who is now 17 years old, has been attending Priors Court School since he was 7 and it has had an amazing influence on his life.

Prior’s Court School is an independent, specialist school for pupils from 5 – 19 years with autism spectrum disorder and severe and complex learning difficulties. The school aims to enable pupils to access their individual strengths and achieve as independent a life as possible.

‘Our aim is to offer the best quality specialist provision to enable our pupils to achieve as fulfilling and independent a life as possible’ I believe that the Prior Approach offers the most successful pathway to achieving the highest level of independence and a fulfilling life for people severely affected by their autism. They have high expectations of all students and staff and value their success, encourage and support their achievements and invest in their continuing development. Prior’s Court Foundation is a non profit making charity, established in 1999 to empower people with autism through education and training so that they are able to live fulfilling and productive lives.  The school was founded thanks to generous funding from Dame Stephanie Shirley and the Shirley Foundation.  Today, most pupils at Prior’s Court School are funded by Local Authorities and Social Services, however, they still work to raise money for additional activities and projects to enhance the experience of the pupils at the school.’

 

A bit about autism…

Autism (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) is an incurable, lifelong neurological disorder which affects as many as 1 in 100 people in the U.K, predominantly males. Varying enormously in severity, all people with autism experience difficulty in communicating or forming relationships. Rigid, inflexible thought processes can make autistic people anxious about the world around them. The condition can make life extremely challenging not only for individuals with autism themselves, but also for the families of those affected’

This short poem moved me to tears but shows how tough dealing with autism can be for everyone

 

My Special Brother 

I know him as my brother
Which seems very strange indeed
This little boy so special
Who knows nothing about me

I often wonder where he goes
In times of private thought
I hope he's happy and content
In just the way he ought

He lives his life in parallel
Across this huge divide
To be here with me but not connect
Growing older side by side

We never play or share or shout
This world he's in will keep me out
I hope one day he'll let me in
So I can be special just to him.

By Hannah Bint, aged 12 years, sister to Jacob

 

For more info on Prior's Court School, visit:

http://www.priorscourt.org.uk/landing.asp?section=0001000100010001&itemTitle=Priors+Court+School

 

A bit about Mount Kilimanjaro...

Mount Kilimanjaro was formed during the most recent faulting of the Rift valley two to three million years ago, an event that also led to the formation of Mount Kenya. Kilimanjaro was certainly an active volcano 100,000 years ago when the the crater below Kibo Peak was formed. The glaciers around the peak probably began to form some 11,700 years ago. However, it is thought that due to global warming they will have melted within another 20 years.

It is possible that the snow-capped Mountains of the Moon described the Greek geographer, Ptolemy, in the second century AD referred to Mount Kilimanjaro. In the sixth century Chinese sailors returned home with tales of a great inland mountain, but Kilimanjaro remained something of an enigmatic legend to non-Africans well into the nineteenth century.

The first Europeans to reach the summit  were Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller in 1889. Mawenzi peak was first climbed in 1912.

The mountain has retained a legendary and almost mystical aura throughout the twentieth century. In 1938 Ernest Hemingway enhanced this when he wrote his classic novel, The Snows of Kilimanjaro. On 1st January 2000, a thousand people watched the first sunrise of the new millennium from the peak.

For more evidence of my midlife crisis, I've opted for the toughest route to the top

Mount Kilimanjaro - Lemosho Route

It is a remote, unspoiled and very beautiful route to the Roof of Africa. The forest around the Lemosho Glades is rich in big game animals such as elephant and buffalo, which may sometimes require a game ranger to accompany climbers on the first day. This route is however a long route which requires 7-days for a comfortable completion.

Mount Kilimanjaro - Western Breach / Arrow Glacier

An alternative final ascend route which can be taken from all of the western routes, sleeping at magnificent Arrow Glacier on your summit night. The western Breach poses a very difficult walk up steep scree with some rock scrambling occasionally required. Snow cover makes scree easier but an ice axe is then required. It is also possible to sleep an extra night inside the Kibo Crater!

 

All donations will go to Priors Court School as this is a totally self funded expedition

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep make your donation for Prior's Court School now and keep your fingers crossed that I get back in one piece!