Kilimanjaro here I come

If at first you don’t succeed, pack, pack and pack again!

24 hours till my Kilimanjaro adventure and I have repacked my bags more times than I can count.

It’s not like there will be a Tesco Express or other convenience store just round the corner so its important that I don’t forget anything.

Then there’s the advice from the trekking organisation that its not uncommon for baggage to go astray for a day or 2, so best take everything you will need in your first day of the hike in the hand luggage ‘just in case’. Unfortunately my extremely large 5 season (yes, there are 5 apparently) sleeping bag didn’t make the cut so I will be very cold at night if my baggage goes astray.

My boots will be worn on the flight because if I put them in my bag there will be no room for anything else (hello huge feet)

Then there’s the stack of medication. Altitude meds, antimalarials, mozzy spray, contact lenses, suncream etc etc

Never mind the ‘you may want to bring a few of your favourite snacks’ …….Need I say more?

Just when I thought I had got everything in the right bags I weighed them….. Needed to remove about 5Kg of ……what?  Give up battery charger or snacks?  How few clothes can I decently take for 10 days? Take centre out of loo rolls so they pack down smaller, and 4 inches of cardboard is heavy right?

After what feels like 50 repackings of the bags I have called time.  Enough is enough.  Its as ready as it will be.

Charging everything that can be charged with a last bit of electric juice before tomorrow.

And I get to use a luggage trolley for the first time in 20 years (trekking bags don’t have wheels)…

Wish me luck……….

Kilimanjaro here I come.