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August 13, 2012

Climb Kilimanjaro with Rachel! Post 4: Packing Tips

My countdown to Kili is now measured in hours – it’s hard to believe I’ll be in Tanzania tomorrow! I’m feeling strong and confident in my training, which I’ve recently tapered down in order to give my muscles a rest. In the past week, I have been focused on wrapping up conversations with guests, gathering tips from my colleagues, running last-minute errands and packing my duffle.

What am I packing in my duffle? Click photo for a closer look.

The thought of packing overwhelmed me at first; I wanted to make sure I had the appropriate gear and was prepared for any kind of weather Kilimanjaro might serve up. Once I started though, it was a lot easier than I thought. Not to toot our own horn but the packing list in the Kilimanjaro Preparation Guide was straightforward, easy to use and was a great tool for me. Amongst other things, it helped me to organize the gear I already had and figure out what I still needed to get, like a few more pairs of socks and a sturdy pair of thermals.

My predeparture specialist and my colleagues who have climbed Kilimanjaro have been great resources for information and support. Here are a few key pieces of advice I collected from them:

• Bring lots of plastic bags, or stuff sacks, to keep items separated/organized, like wet or dirty clothes

• Pack your clothes in a garbage bag (within your duffle) for extra protection from wet weather

• Clean socks each day is a luxury not to be missed!

• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! (I think all of my colleagues advised me to drink a ton of water.) If you tire of water easily, bring flavored powders with electrolytes or bouillon cubes for a savory flavor.

• Don’t forget the sunscreen! It’s hard to believe you can get sunburn while trekking in the snow and glaciers but the equatorial sun is strong!

• Above all, don’t let the particulars of gear, packing, missing work – anything – get in the way of enjoying the climb! Enjoy the mountain, take it all in and don’t worry about details!

Now that all the preparation is out of the way, I’m in the pure excitement zone. I’ve got my boots on, backpack and duffle packed, plane tickets and passport in hand, and I’m ready to hit the trail! Wish me luck!

#RachelClimbsKilimanjaro

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July 26, 2012

Climb Kilimanjaro with Rachel! Post 3: Training on the Trail

I went for a training hike on the Frankenstein Cliff/Arethusa Falls loop trail in the White Mountains near Crawford Notch last weekend. I really love getting away to the Whites; the terrain challenges my legs for a great workout, and getting out of the city gives me the opportunity to visualize and mentally prepare myself for Kilimanjaro!

Since I’m a naturally competitive person, I have to constantly remind myself to slow down; when I finally do, I am able to enjoy the hike, or workout, so much more. Slowing down also allows me to focus on proper technique and efficiency… something that will have a big payout when I’m closing in on Kilimanjaro’s summit!

During my hike last weekend, I practiced the rest step, a technique hikers use to conserve energy. Watch the video below to learn how this technique is especially effective on long hikes requiring muscle endurance, such as my upcoming 9-day Western Approach Route trek.

This week I’m back in the gym and increasing the intensity of my workouts in anticipation of tapering, or resting, for the week leading up to my departure…it’s approaching quickly! In other preparation news, my boots are almost completely broken in, though I’ve noticed a few chafed spots on my feet, so I tried Moleskin on these areas and it worked great during last weekend’s hike! I plan using Moleskin throughout my trek to proactively prevent the formation of blisters.

Less than 20 days until I leave and I’m slowly starting to pack my duffle; more on that in my next post…
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Post 2: Training in the Gym	Post 4: Kilimanjaro Packing Tips

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July 20, 2012

The Quiet Majesty of Dawn in the Serengeti

There’s no denying it – a Tanzanian safari is a trip of a lifetime.

Our guests tell us Tanzania is like no other place they’ve visited, and we couldn’t agree more! Here in the Boston office, we consider ourselves very lucky to be able to go to Tanzania from time to time…and, no – it never gets old. In fact, we find ourselves longing to return between visits.

“I miss the sweet Jambo, Jambo in the morning. I miss the soups made by scratch by our amazing camp chefs! I miss the quiet moments in the Land Rovers listening and watching as hundreds of elephants pass by just yards away,” shared Thomson Staffer, Evan.

We fell in love with the following video, which captures a little bit of the magic of waking up in the Tanzanian wilderness. Listen carefully as the bird calls increase, and let yourself imagine the other natural wonders that are in store! It was filmed in the Serengeti at dawn by our friend and seventeen-time past guest, Michael Ellis. Of course nothing compares with being there, but we thought you might enjoy it!

Sometimes it’s these quiet moments that stay with you for a lifetime.

Posted at 12:03 pm in Safari | Permalink | 7 comments

July 10, 2012

Climb Kilimanjaro with Rachel! Post 2: Training in the Gym

I thought I was going to have to spend hours cranking out several miles on the treadmill in order to train for my upcoming Kilimanjaro trek, which was not a thrilling prospect for me, to say the least! But after working with Fit For Trips on a customized training program, I learned there is more to training for Kilimanjaro than I originally thought. My program incorporates cardio, strength and endurance training via a variety of exercises. I really like having a specific workout plan each time I go to the gym; it has been keeping me focused and makes me very confident I’ll be properly prepared for Kilimanjaro’s Western Approach in August.

What about the dreaded treadmill, you ask? Well, it is still a part of my workout regimen – it’s a necessary evil, I guess! However I’ve learned that running on the treadmill isn’t the most efficient way to train for Kilimanjaro. Believe it or not, to train for Kili, you need to practice walking! Slowing the treadmill down to a walking pace (and at a steep grade) was counter-intuitive to me at first but now I can see that it’s the closest thing to being on the trail. I’ve recently increased the intensity of my treadmill workouts by wearing a weighted backpack…yes, I’ve received a bunch of curious looks from others at my gym as I’m stomping up the treadmill with a bag of weights on my back but the benefits far outweigh the initial awkwardness.

My stair workouts have been great too. Instead of doing this on a Stairmaster, I prefer 8-10 minute sets on a single flight of stairs because it not only forces me to focus and puts me into the zone but it also gives me the opportunity to train for the descent… don’t forget, you have to walk down several thousand feet from the summit! I hear the descent can be tough on your knees, so I’m definitely taking the time to strengthen the muscles to support my joints. Upgrading to a larger flight of stairs is on my to-do list!

I have terrible balance so one of the most challenging exercises for me is the sideward bound-pause. When I try to do it, it is more like “sideward bound-hop-wobble-hop.” Watch how it is done in the Fit For Trips clip below; it’s not easy!

As a swimmer, I’ve never had to work the smaller, stabilizing muscles in my hips, knees and ankles but these small muscles are the key to keep me from stumbling over rocks and roots on the trail and will help to reduce the risk of injury. As they say, practice makes perfect, and the more I practice the sideward bound-pause, the less I’ve been wobbling on the pauses.

I figure this trek will also challenge my mental fitness, so I placed a photo (the one of the Furtwangler Glaciers at the top of the post) at my desk to keep me focused on my goal. It is helping me visualize the moment when I will finally take a stroll amongst the famous glaciers of Kilimanjaro. I can’t wait!

Route-specific training programs set up by Fit For Trips for Thomson Safaris’ Kilimanjaro treks. Custom programs are built with individuals’ fitness level and lifestyle in mind. Find out what other trekkers are saying about Fit For Trips.
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Look for more posts as we follow Rachel through her training program. If you’ve climbed Kili before, wish her luck, share a story or offer words of wisdom via posting a comment below!
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Post 1: Meet Rachel	Post 3: Training on the Trail

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June 19, 2012

Climb Kilimanjaro with Rachel! Post 1: Meet Rachel

This August, the newest member of our Kilimanjaro team, Rachel, is going to make her first attempt to summit Kilimanjaro. Follow her progress as she blogs about training for her trek and prepares for her trip to Tanzania. Look for Climb with Rachel posts here in the coming weeks. First, meet Rachel!

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I just found out I’m climbing Kilimanjaro this August and I’m beyond excited! After months of studying the mountain, its routes and the logistics involved with our treks, I cannot wait to experience the mountain for myself, first-hand.

I wouldn’t say my experience screams mountaineer but I do have a passion for hiking and the outdoors. Growing up in coastal Texas, which happens to be the flattest region of the state, didn’t exactly provide an optimal environment for hiking. In fact, if you asked me to describe a mountain when I was a child, I would say they were “buildings with trees on them!” Don’t worry, I’ve become much more familiar with mountains since then!

While I was in college in Seattle, day hikes in the Cascade Mountains got me hooked on hiking. Inspired by the mountains of the northwest, I sought out hiking opportunities wherever I traveled, including China – where I lived and worked – and the beautiful mountains of New Zealand. Since moving to the Boston area, I look forward to my weekend excursions to New Hampshire’s White Mountains, which happens to be a perfect place for training for Kili!

Kilimanjaro will be my first high-altitude experience, as the majority of my active background lies at lower elevations…at sea-level, literally! I’ve been a competitive swimmer since I was a kid and recently became an open water distance swimmer – I will be swimming my longest distance yet this summer: 10 miles! Training for open water in New England has been a bit chilly (the ocean doesn’t tend to warm up too much here), but I love the challenges the ocean presents with unpredictable factors like waves, currents, fish and seaweed. It’s so dynamic! When I’m not open water training, I like to join my teammates of the Nahant Knuckleheads; we swim in the ocean when it’s warm and do polar plunges when it’s not!

Like many of our guests, I’m headed to Tanzania as a solo traveler, and know that I will be in the best, most capable hands on the mountain; I am so excited to finally meet our hard-working guides and porters. In the meantime, I have been getting encouragement and lots of support from the staff here at Thomson Safaris, who have 10+ summits among them.

I’ll keep you posted on my training as I go. My regimen has been set up by Fit For Trips, who have been great about creating a custom program to incorporate the activities I already do and adding Kili-specific exercises, which will help me transform from a seasoned swimmer and casual hiker into a high-altitude climber!

Look for more posts as we follow Rachel through her training program. If you’ve climbed Kili before, wish her luck, share a story or offer words of wisdom via posting a comment below!
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	Post 2: Training in the Gym

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June 5, 2012

Soup Recipe from Camp Chef, Herriel

Not only do the heavy rains of spring bring green grasses to the Tanzanian plains, they also allow our team in Tanzania to reboot and prepare for the next wave of guests. The break also marks an annual visit to the US for four Tanzanian staff members, something our US team anxiously awaits each year. One of our visiting colleagues this year was Herriel, a Nyumba Camp Chef.

Our camp chefs are superb and can prepare cuisine that some guests admit is better than meals they’ve had in restaurants in the US. If you’re headed out on safari, ask for a peek behind the scenes and tour a bush kitchen – our staff is happy to show you. You’ll be amazed at the skill and ingenuity of our chefs who make use of limited provisions in bush kitchens.

The soups in our camps are always a big hit – we frequently get asked, What’s the secret ingredient in the soups? Can I get the recipe? Soups like carrot and butternut squash soup, sweet potato cream soup, carrot and ginger soup and even peas and peanut butter soup have not only warmed the bellies of our guests but have also remained in their memories.

During his visit, Herriel—whose culinary prowess always receives great feedback—shared his carrot and ginger soup recipe and prepared it in the Thomson Safaris “test kitchen.” Watch the video below for step-by-step instructions or download the recipe here.

You’ll find this recipe is not only easy to make but also quite crowd-pleasing. The ingredients aren’t unusual or secretive – sometimes the ingredients don’t define the magic of a meal, sometimes it is defined by who has prepared it. Perhaps the secret ingredient is Tanzanian karibu spirit.