On I went, out of the wood, passing the man leading without knowing I was going to do so. Flip-flap, flip-flap, jog-trot, jog-trot, curnchslap-crunchslap, across the middle of a broad field again, rhythmically running in my greyhound effortless fashion, knowing I had won the race though it wasn't half over, won it if I wanted it, could go on for ten or fifteen or twenty miles if I had to and drop dead at the finish of it, which would be the same, in the end, as living an honest life like the governor wanted me to. -Alan Sillitoe, "Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner"

Friday, February 25, 2011

More emails I've exchanged this week

Because I am lazy, I am milking email exchanges into two blog posts this week.

This email exchange is between me and my little brother. I'm having trouble inserting a screenshot of the conversation itself, so you'll have to settle for me retyping the exchange. I've inserted pictures for your viewing enjoyment.

Me: So, I want to climb Kilimanjaro. Any chance you'd be game for it? Not this year - maybe not for a few years - but at some point. What do you think?

No Toto. Only giraffes.
Poochie: Would I be interested? As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like an Olympus above the Serengeti. But seriously, yes, I am somewhat interested. Would it involve "roughing it" or are there acceptable hotels in the region?

I can rough it like you would NOT believe.
Do you see any bathrooms in this photo? No?
That's because I was PEEING in the DESERT.
Yes, that's right.
Me: So, it's a "walkable" mountain, meaning that there's no technical climbing and old people can do it. BUT, the hiking of the mountain is a several day thing with camping involved. It can take from 5-8 days. The rest of the time in Africa/Tanzania will obviously involve hotels.

I'm also pretty okay with nice hotels, though.
Condoleeza Rice stayed here shortly after I did.
Poochie: Do we know if the camping would involve bugs the size of dogs?

Originally I googled "giant roach," but that was too gross for me.
Me: Bugs the size of dogs are a dealbreaker.

Man, I am just full of crazy ideas this week, I think that's the take home message. There's no chance any of you have climbed Kilimanjaro, is there? And does this make me more of an idiot? Also: was I bluffing about no giant bugs?
Posted by at

10 comments:

  1. Silly Girl RunningFri Feb 25, 09:45:00 AM EST

    You stole my plan of climbing Mt Kilimanjaro! ;) You should just go for it...at least in my opinion... ;)

    And 5-8 days? It only took Salomon's Kilian 1 day. For both the ascend and the descend. Okay...he did set a world record there, but still, you could beat the skinny Spanish guy! :)

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  2. Liberal Arts LadyFri Feb 25, 10:07:00 AM EST

    I did, and I can give you the name of a good company to use. Let me know what else you want to know ;)

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  3. KateFri Feb 25, 10:14:00 AM EST

    Josh and I totally want to climb Kilimanjaro! *But* I don't think it's quite as easy as a walkable mountain. A bloger I read just did it for her honeymoon...I'll get your links...

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  4. TFri Feb 25, 10:25:00 AM EST

    LAL: I didn't know you'd climbed it, but I'm SO not surprised. I should have put that together. I'll email you so I can pass the links on to Kate. Kate, what do you think - can my brother and I go with you two? Group vacay?

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  5. AnonymousFri Feb 25, 12:15:00 PM EST

    haha, you crack me up. Sadly, the one thing that stops me from doing adventurous vacations is my gigantic fear of bugs like that (hairy spiders especially....ughguhgu I shudder just thinking about it). Seriously, it's a problem.

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  6. kilaxFri Feb 25, 01:27:00 PM EST

    I love that your family is game for anything!

    What did you decide about the Flying Pig?

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  7. TFri Feb 25, 01:51:00 PM EST

    No decision yet on the Pig. I think part of what's holding me back is that I set my PR there in 2003 - so I think I feel like when I go back, I need to be ready for it (in a way that I'm not now). But then again, when I'm ready to set another PR, why on earth wouldn't I choose a flat course??

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  8. AnonymousFri Feb 25, 04:24:00 PM EST

    Brit at dukeshouse.wordpress.com just hiked Kilimanjaro this winter... I believe she'll be doing a post(s) about it soon!

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  9. TFri Feb 25, 04:26:00 PM EST

    Oh, kick ass! I knew I wouldn't have to go that far outside of my social circle (well, blog reading circle) to find someone who'd done it.

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  10. AnonymousTue Mar 01, 03:18:00 PM EST

    I reeeeeeeeeeeeally want to go to Africa, but my husband has no desire. Is that racist?

    Also: fuck that bug AND the horse it appears capable of skeletonizing.

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