Most Inspirational Moment
The most inspiring moment of the trip was undoubtedly the incredible teamwork ethic and camaraderie running through the entire contingent of porters and assistants that made the trip up the mountain with us. while I wouldn't say that reaching the top of Kilimanjaro pushed me to my *absolute* limits (as I have a high level of fitness) I do believe that the process was rendered that much easier by the real 'togetherness' that our group enjoyed. The professionalism of the crew travelling with you could not be surpassed and I can imagine that for the naive, a trek like this could quite easily take on a more sinister veneer if not given the level of support that the AWC gave us.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our leader led by example from beginning to end; you could tell he was monitoring everyone's progress like a hawk despite displaying an unbelievable calmness on the outside which, in turn, kept everyone at ease. His nightly chats with the group were both entertaining, informative and full of hope and optimism which went a long way towards helping get us out of bed in the mornings!
Advice for Potential Travellers
This is not an easy trip, do not get it twisted; I take huge heart in our decision to travel the Lemosho route (thus giving the longest time to acclimatise) sadly vindicated by the occasional sight of casualties carried down the mountain on the last couple of days. Having carefully taken our time from beginning to end, reaching the top was overwhelming; it was my first serious mountain-climbing achievement, and has already given me the enthusiasm to save up and do it all over again in another continent when time and money permit! I would also advise going ahead with all kit recommendations and not attempting to travel light in any respect; you won't need to carry most of this stuff anyway, and given conditions can be quite bleak towards the latter stages of the trek I wouldn't have wanted to be caught short without any essentials. Having brought the kitchen sink with us, this wasn't the issue but it was for some.