Mt. Kilimanjaro - to the Roof of Africa

Money for Nothing?

Fund raising is tough. I expected the training to be the most difficult part of my preparations but pestering my friends and family for cold, hard cash has given me more sleepless nights than my ankles ever will. Strangers? No problem: I'll happily shake a bucket at anyone I don't know. But when it comes to haranguing people that I talk to every day, it suddenly feels a little more complicated.

I've also had to deal with the inevitable question: "If you are so concerned about the charity why are you bothering to climb Kilimanjaro in the first place? Why don't you just give all the money that the expedition and the equipment is costing you directly to UNICEF?" This is, I have to admit, a perfectly valid question.

The truth is, I'm taking on this challenge to change my life - to shake myself out of the unhealthy rut that I've found myself in. I figured that if I was really lucky I might inspire someone else to do the same. When Joe initially suggested the idea of climbing Kilimanjaro the charity aspect didn't really register with me at all. I honestly had no idea that a Comic Relief expedition was on the cards and I didn't twig that this was the sort of thing that people did for charities in the first place. On reflection it makes perfect sense: this is a little more difficult than sitting in a bath of baked beans and people give money to nutters who do that all the time, no questions asked. The last time I checked no one has ever died from sitting in a bath of beans.

When I finally realised that my efforts could potentially benefit people other than myself I immediately decided to support a charity that helped children. UNICEF was the natural choice because they do incredible work in both the UK and Tanzania, the country in which I plan to push myself to the limit. Thankfully, there's never been any pressure on us to raise a minimum amount of aid because we are paying the expedition costs ourselves, but it's been playing on my mind ever since we set our initial target, which in retrospect looks quite modest and yet occasionally seems impossible.

It should be easy to ask you lot for money -  UNICEF is a fantastic charity after all, and the more I learn about the work they do, the more desperate I am to do my best for them. Unfortunately, this invariably leads to feelings of frustration and self-doubt: am I really doing enough? Has Cheryl Cole turned public opinion against me? Did the lack of a hospitalised Chris Moyles lower the bar? Are people suffering from Kili-flavoured compassion-fatigue? Should I just chill out about the whole thing or should I get evangelical on everyone's ass?  How can I possibly ask people for money in the middle of a recession? Am I beginning to bore the pants off everyone I speak to? Am I turning into a clipboard welding freak that you have to side-step in the street? Isn't climbing the mountain enough?

Worst of all, If a friend doesn't donate any money does that mean they secretly hate me and/or assume that I will fail? It's a tricky call...

I know that a few people still don't have a clue about what's involved; it's as if I'm asking them to sponsor me to take a nice relaxing holiday. At least two people I know were under the impression that I'd climbed the mountain several weeks ago - over a long weekend, no doubt! Another believes that once we reach the summit we all come down in a big helicopter. A couple have suggested that I should give the money back if I don't summit but I'm not sure if they are being entirely serious or not. Would it help if I offered to climb the mountain covered from head to toe in baked beans?

I've still got plenty of fund raising activities planned: a Dr Who Charity Auction (god willing), a sponsored Tea and Scones Event on the peak of Roseberry Topping in May, another local paper are going to run a story about our climb next month, and I will be appearing on a local BBC Radio show just before I leave. I'm also receiving support from other websites who are doing their best to drum up support for me. I would like to single-out the brilliant Radio Free Skaro and Cathode Ray Tube in particular. Thanks lads.

One thing I'm certain of: when the going gets tough up there on the mountain (and believe me, it will get tough) the one thing that will keep me going will be the thought of all the people who have donated their hard earned money to show their support for me. And for that I'd like to thank you in advance.

Neil

King of the Mountain

I've just spent an unforgettable weekend in Wales with Palma, where we attempted - but ultimately failed - to summit Mt. Snowdon. Not that we didn't try our damndest, but the weather was so extreme we had no choice but to turn back 30 minutes from the top. Thankfully, we were in the safe hands of Brian Jackson and Ian Foster from Expedition Wise, who clearly knew when enough was enough. At times the trek felt pretty hardcore and the experience has been invaluable.

You can see how people get into trouble up there - at 9am the weather was beautiful and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, but by 11am we were trudging through snow, ice, sleet and gale force winds. The dangers were brought into sharp relief when Palma was actually picked up by the wind and thrown head-first down the mountain. To my surprise, I actually managed to intervene, and while I'd love to tell you that I saved her life I certainly stopped her from banging her head on a rock. It wasn't exactly Cliffhanger but it's probably the closest I'll ever get to committing an heroic act (if you can call throwing myself on her feet and screaming like a baby "heroic").

And I loved every minute of it. In fact, the harder it got the more I loved it. Whether this was just beginner's euphoria or mild insanity is still open to debate, but I felt more alive than I have in years. It was also reassuring to discover that no matter how bad things got my equipment was more than up to the job. Except for my gloves. Which were shit.

The information that we were given by Brian throughout the weekend was incredibly helpful. I honestly don't know how I even contemplated taking on this challenge without the knowledge he imparted to us. I now know how to keep my feet warm at minus 15 degrees, why sleeping naked is best, why walking cold is a must, and why the colour of my urine is so important. As a result, I feel that my chances of making the summit have increased tenfold.

If you are interested, I've set up a photo gallery from the weekend that you can access by clicking here.

I also met a fellow geek who will be tackling Kili with me in June. To be honest, I was dreading sharing a youth hostel bunk with a total stranger; I was concerned that they would be an expert in trekking and that they would shame me with tales of their adventures, but by the Sunday we were throwing James Bond quotes at each other and debating the relative merits of Russell T. Davies in painstaking detail. There is a god.

In fact, everyone I met during the weekend was fantastic. It's amazing how, within just a few short hours, a group of complete strangers spanning all walks of life and aged between 18-60, can bond beneath a thin sheet of plastic while Mother Nature reminds everyone who's boss; by Saturday evening we were playing pool together like old friends. Amazing.

Of course, I can't post this entry without commenting on the news that all nine celebrities reached the summit of Kili over the weekend. My first reaction was a mixture of surprise, admiration and dismay; it's inevitable that everyone will now think that climbing Kilimanjaro must be really easy, and the pressure to summit has increased as a result. If I had a pound for every person who has said to me, "how hard can it be if Chris Moyles can do it?" then I would be able to put a sizable dent in our fundraising target. However, I'm hoping that the documentary that airs on BBC1 this Thursday will chronicle the full horror behind this stunning achievement, and it might convince people to put their hands in their pockets...

Neil

Red Nose Climb

You probably already know that a bunch of celebrities are currently climbing Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief. This has been especially fascinating for me as it provides yet another insight into what I've let myself in for. Chris Moyles has been giving daily updates on the mountain via satellite phone (he wanted to come home yesterday) and the BBC have uploaded video footage that covers the expedition in detail:

Please make sure that you donate to Comic Relief (after you have sponsored us, of course!).

In other news, I climbed Roseberry Topping with Sue a couple of days ago. I can't tell you how good it felt to do it in the right gear for a change. The ability to suck liquid directly out of my rucksack was strangely liberating. The good news is that the walking and climbing is getting easier with each passing week, although my knees still suffer quite a bit during descents.

I'm also very aware that my priorities have changed recently. I went to a retail park on Saturday where a new HMV has opened up. Ordinarily I would have spent a good 30 minutes browsing the DVD and Blu Ray section but within 30 seconds of entering the shop all I wanted to do was head for a place where I could finger fleeces and mittens.

To those who know me well, this is a stunning turn of events. Even my ebay activity has shifted from vintage Doctor Who annuals to base layers and hiking socks.

Palma and I are off to Mt. Snowden this weekend: at 3,500ft this will be equivalent to climbing 3 Roseberry Toppings. The forecast is for snow and I am seriously concerned about my vertigo. I plan to take a video camera with me so expect a different kind of update next week...

Neil