Pictures in the Moshi Market – maybe

Stepping off the jet at Kilimanjaro airport, medicine it was dark. The night air was warm, try a bit humid but not too much. We moved like a long eel towards the immigration officers. They checked our documents, took modern scans of our finger prints, for what reason I am still unclear, and most importantly took our valuable US crisp dollar bills.

The usual anxiety of lost luggage went away as one by one each duffle or suitcase appeared on the carousel. Met by our IMG guide Eben, the team gathered outside the simple air terminal, exchanging names knowing we would forget them in the fog of jet lag. An hour later we had a fast buffet at the Keys Hotel in Moshi. I was immediately impressed by their efficiency bu;t more so, the friendless of the staff.

Today we spent the day visiting the market in Moshi where the vendors, trained by hordes of tourist wanting photographs over the years, covered their faces as we approached. But with a bit of coaxing, a smile and a crisp dollar, their smiles appeared and we all laughed together. Commerce at work.

Moshi is a tourist town with a population of half a million people. It serves as the primary launching point for many Kilimanjaro climbs. Over 15,000 porters work on Kili each year servicing the 25,000 climbers. Climbing Kilimanjaro, similar to other mountains of the world, is an important piece for the local economy.

We leave Moshi for the Machame Gate at 8:00 tomorrow, Wednesday September 14th, morning and begin our climb. We are a 15 person team plus another 50 or more porters, cooks and helpers. This is truly a lifetime experience.

Here are a few pictures from our day.

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything