Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Pulled the trigger ...

After realizing in May that we both had Kilimanjaro on our "bucket list" and spending months talking about our 2010 trip, we finally pulled the trigger on booking. Yep ... my friend Beth (/Kate) & I are booked for Africa in March of 2010! No one thought we'd do it - but our flights are booked, passports are still valid and our futures just looked a little more exciting!

After hours of analyzing and debating the smallest details (yes, Mom – 6 hours), we decided on March 10, 2009 - March 27, 2009. We'll fly from JFK to London, where we'll have a 2.5 day stopover to meet up with old friends from when I used to live there. I'm looking forward to sharing a few pints at my old watering holes in Fulham ... and maybe even seeing if AntJoMamma still has the flat below us on Allestree Road (uh oh ... JT at 2 am is NOT a good idea). I might even make it back to Portobello Market to buy the canvas painting I was pining over my entire rotation in England. Keep the fingers crossed!

We leave London on Saturday, March 13th, arriving in Nairobi on that Sunday. We plan to book direct flights to JRO that Sunday, which would ideally allow us to begin our ascent of Kili on Monday or Tuesday. Plans still to be determined...

What else is on our agenda? Clearly a safari is in the works, as well as a jaunt to Zanzibar - although I think those gorgeous beaches might hold off until after the hike, as a reward for our tired bodies.

The trip of a lifetime has come to fruition and I can't wait to finalize the rest of our plans. What's next?

-Training program for Kilimanjaro
-Flights from NBO to JRO
-Flights to Zanzibar
-Booking our hike & safari
-Visa into Kenya & Tanzania
-Immunizations (EEKS!)

Check back as we'll continue to update our progress on the trip. Looking forward to sharing our adventures with the world!

-Kate & Erika