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We have received the following message from Heather H, who successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania this summer:

I just wanted to let you know how my trip climbing Mount Kilimanjaro went. It was just about the hardest thing I think I’ve done, but I had such an amazing time! As you know, before I could go I had to raise £2450. Many of you supported me by coming to my coffee morning, Swiss evening, buying biscuits and bread and thanks to your generosity I exceeded my target.

So here’s a bit about my trip and a few photos if you’re interested! One of the first things we did after arriving was to visit one of the schools that Childreach International is helping to fund. We had a brilliant day playing and singing with the children.

We set off on the climb the next day and the whole thing lasted 6 days – 4½ days up, 1½ back down. We started out walking through humid jungle…

…but by the top we’d reached snow and it was so cold!

We walked slowly all the way up so that we could acclimatise and we had about 4 guides who led us. The guides and porters helping us were just amazing – we couldn’t believe it every time the porters overtook us on the way to camp laden down with so many bags and the guides laughed and sang with us all the way to the top!

The hardest part of the whole thing was that last bit to the top. After 2 hours sleep we got up and left at midnight (we had to walk through the night while the ground was still frozen). We all had our head torches on and when you looked up you could see a trail of lights going all the way up the mountain. I hadn’t properly appreciated how little oxygen there was and everyone was getting out of breath so quickly. On the last stretch we were having to stop every couple of steps to catch our breath back. But we reached the top as the sun came up and the view was absolutely amazing!

Then we came down so fast, sliding down on the scree and speed walking to get to the next camp before dark. We spent the last night of the trip once we were down back at the hotel in Moshi with all the guides, drinking Kilimanjaro beer, having cold showers with head torches on (would you believe it after 6 days with no showers there was a power cut at the hotel!) and singing songs the guides had taught us on the walk!

This trip has been one of the best things I’ve done and I know I would never have got there without your help and support. Thank you so much for donating to such a worthwhile charity and for helping me get to the top of Africa!