Noah Veenstra
Mount Kenya Article
2/12/2014
Advice for the Groups to Go to MT Kenya
Mount Kenya was absolutely stunning the views, the plants, and even the fat little hyraxes but, for the groups of ninth graders going up to Mt Kenya next year and the years to come, I have a lot of advice. Primarily, be very wise with your packing, you will be walking at the very least 8 hours per day, most of it up! on this walk your pack can be your greatest foe. I suggest getting it way ahead of time so that you know it inside out. That being said know how to work the straps so that none of the weight goes onto your shoulders or back, and for the love of goodness Do Not buy a pack from Nakumatt it will make you miserable(thankfully I had mine on Longonot, so I got a new one before Mount Kenya) Back to packing, do not bring an excess of anything, meaning 2 pairs of underwear, 2 shirts, 1 long sleeve, one good sweater, 3 pairs of warm pants, 4 pairs of socks, a light coat, and a warm coat. Have something plastic to cover your stuff if it rains (dry cleaner bags will work fine). Break in your boots, blisters are absolutely terrible. That being said cover any spots you get blisters beforehand, that way you don’t get them when you can’t stop and treat them. The next very important tip is to always listen to the guides, they know what they are saying, If one tells you to put more layers on, put more layers on. If a guide tells you to tell them, if in any way your feeling less then 100%, you tell them. Next, eat the food. You will need tons of energy to walk 10 hours a day. Plus other than the eggy bread, the foods pretty darn good. Also, bring candy, a little goes a long way and it boosts morale. When you take a break you can share and have candy and it helps. KEEP hydrated at all times, the headaches you can get are absolutely terrible. Be prepared to go to the bathroom in holes in the ground, for this a nice thing to have is antibacterial soap, it helps cleanliness. Finally enjoy the walk, have someone to walk with and talk to otherwise the hours are much longer. It is an excellent privilege don’t change that.
