Ah the dilemma... is it better to buy now or later? Do you want to have lots of stops and long layovers or just one stop but the cost is higher? Where can I get the best deal? When it comes to traveling what is the best possible option? Should you get travelers insurance or just hope that nothing goes wrong in regards to airplane? These were the questions that I was faced with.
I scoured the websites in order to find the best possible price. I tried Kayak and thought that by using them I was getting the best deal... I was wrong. On Saturday (February 2nd, 2013) one of my classmates pointed me towards another direction... Airfarewatchdog.com. This website sends alerts for best deals and searches 10 different sites for the best price. This is far more than what Kayak does and I don't blame Kayak for not listing certain websites because the fares tend to be $100 cheaper. That $100 is enough to pay for travelers insurance on most international travel so trust me... that $100 savings one place makes a huge difference in another.
After searching website after website I started to doubt myself. Why am I buying a ticket this early in the game? What if the prices go down? Should I wait and hope that there are tickets later that have seats near windows or should I just take what they are able to give me? I haven't followed the trends for plane tickets in the last year and normally Kayak has a neat tool that tells you if you should buy or wait and the confidence if prices will go down or not. Well since this trip is so far out they don't have that available. The only other option I had? Talk to a co-worker that buys tickets there often.
Her question to me was this: How do I value my time? Do I want to spend time in airports for long layovers (there was 1 layover that was 8 hours long) where if I leave the airport I will have to go through customs all over again? Or do I want 1 simple short layover (2 hours long) and get to my destination with only 20 hours in the air and on the ground or 54 hours if I go the other route. She also explained to me that with international airports there are normally hotels attached in case I want to get a room but they tend to be far more expensive than if I were to stay the night.
As much as I thought it would be great for the cheaper ticket and being able to see more of the world the fact is that once you leave you need to spend more time getting back through security and customs. In the end there probably would be little or no time to explore past the airport and that didn't seem worth the time that I would be stuck in limbo. I decided to go with a short layover that would cost $1,770. This ticket has a layover in Amsterdam that is only 2 hours long both to and from Tanzania.
Now the next question is: Do I want to buy travelers insurance? Seems like a dumb question to really thing about. Travelers insurance helps to insure against the following: Loss passports and visas, loss of luggage, delay of luggage, delay of flight, cancellation of flight (to include if there are terrorist acts in any country you are flying into that would cancel flights), illness when you are on travel, death or dismemberment while you are on travel... there are just a lot of features that seem really nice. Basically if anything goes wrong I can get money back for it! I, of course, turned to my local travel guru and asked her again if I should fork over the $85 for the travel insurance. She said yes... so I spent the money.
Overall my flight cost me $1,855.00
What my flight looks like:
To Africa
Leave Seattle at 1:20PM PST on Sunday, December 8th 2013
Arrive Amsterdam at 8:15AM CET on Monday, December 9th 2013
2 hour layover
Leave Amsterdam at 10:15AM CET on Monday, December 9th 2013
Arrive Kilimanjaro Airport at 8:50PM EAT on Monday, December 9th 2013
From Africa
Leave Kilimanjaro Airport at 9:50PM EAT on Saturday, December 21st 2013
1 Stop Over (1 hour long)
Leave stop over
Arrive Amsterdam at 7:35AM CET on Sunday, December 22nd 2013
3 hour layover
Leave Amsterdam at 10:40AM CET on Sunday, December 22nd 2013
Arrive Seattle at 12:10PM PST on Sunday, December 22nd 2013.
Overall that means I only have 1 layover and it isn't all that long. I even get to be home in time for Christmas! Question is... after the heat of Africa... will I want to be?
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Monday, February 4, 2013
Struggles with Management
When it comes to taking vacation I always thought about maximizing my time in regards to my trip to Africa. My planned trip is from December 8th until December 22nd where I was planning on taking Monday, December 23rd off. The Boeing holiday starts on December 24th and goes until January 1st the following year. Basically when I planned this trip I would be gone from Saturday, December 7th until Thursday, January 2nd.
I submitted my request for vacation on Wednesday, January 23rd after I had spoken to my manager for over a week on my planned trip to Africa during the winter and I was waiting for Alpine Ascents to post the dates. Well today is Monday February 4th and though it doesn't seem that big of a deal to anyone else that my manager hasn't approved my vacation for December it is a big deal to me.
The moment I told others that I was planning on taking vacation during the winter break they started submitting their own requests. The winter time is convented around my work and if you are able to bump your vacation next to a major holiday who wouldn't? So I was concerned that their requests would end up getting approved before mine even though I put in my vacation request first.
Another thing that worried me is the cost of a plane ticket. Sure it is early to be thinking about that but right now the prices for tickets are only $1,800 if I want to only have one stop with a two hour layover (meaning I leave Saturday and arrive Sunday) verses having well over 20 hours in layovers (leaving Saturday and arriving on Monday or Tuesday). The longer that I wait the higher the ticket price is going to be... at least that is my thought process. I know that many people wait but I don't want to lose out on that flight to and from Africa where I don't have to deal with a huge layover!
Today I went and spoke to my manager. I made the problem about him instead of myself. I asked him what his concerns were about me leaving during the winter. Of course his concern was the fact that I was going to be gone for so long and he wasn't sure if the upper level managers wouldn't come back and veto his approval. I appreciate his concern but he has been sitting on my request for almost two weeks and I spoke about this vacation well into last year.
I explained to him my concern on plane tickets and how historical trends say that the prices are going to go up from here. After realizing my dilemma he stood up from his desk and spoke to upper level management. He didn't tell me what the response was until I went into his office this afternoon and asked him.
Management had told him it was fine.
He approved my vacation...
I am one step closer to my trip to Africa!
I submitted my request for vacation on Wednesday, January 23rd after I had spoken to my manager for over a week on my planned trip to Africa during the winter and I was waiting for Alpine Ascents to post the dates. Well today is Monday February 4th and though it doesn't seem that big of a deal to anyone else that my manager hasn't approved my vacation for December it is a big deal to me.
The moment I told others that I was planning on taking vacation during the winter break they started submitting their own requests. The winter time is convented around my work and if you are able to bump your vacation next to a major holiday who wouldn't? So I was concerned that their requests would end up getting approved before mine even though I put in my vacation request first.
Another thing that worried me is the cost of a plane ticket. Sure it is early to be thinking about that but right now the prices for tickets are only $1,800 if I want to only have one stop with a two hour layover (meaning I leave Saturday and arrive Sunday) verses having well over 20 hours in layovers (leaving Saturday and arriving on Monday or Tuesday). The longer that I wait the higher the ticket price is going to be... at least that is my thought process. I know that many people wait but I don't want to lose out on that flight to and from Africa where I don't have to deal with a huge layover!
Today I went and spoke to my manager. I made the problem about him instead of myself. I asked him what his concerns were about me leaving during the winter. Of course his concern was the fact that I was going to be gone for so long and he wasn't sure if the upper level managers wouldn't come back and veto his approval. I appreciate his concern but he has been sitting on my request for almost two weeks and I spoke about this vacation well into last year.
I explained to him my concern on plane tickets and how historical trends say that the prices are going to go up from here. After realizing my dilemma he stood up from his desk and spoke to upper level management. He didn't tell me what the response was until I went into his office this afternoon and asked him.
Management had told him it was fine.
He approved my vacation...
I am one step closer to my trip to Africa!
The Trip
The trip that I am going on with Alpine Ascents is a 14 day excursion. There is so much to do in African that it's hard to determine if I wanted to just do the climb (which would be 10 days total) or to go on the 14 day trip where it adds 3 days for an African safari.
Here is the itinerary for the trip:
Day 1 (Sunday, December 8th 2013): Day of flight!
Day 2 (Monday, December 9th): Arrive in Tanzania! Alpine Ascents will then pick me up and transfer me to the New Arusha Hotel in Arusha, Tanzania.
Day 3 (Tuesday, December 10th): Orientation and gear check. After meeting in the hotel for breakfast I will join a detailed group orientation covering all aspects of the climb. After Lunch there will an equipment check. Once the check is completed there will be a walking tour of Arusha before dinner.
Day 4 (Wednesday, December 11th) thru Day 10 (Tuesday, December 17th): Climbing the mountain. Please check my previous blog on the entire itinerary for this climb.
Day 11 (Wednesday, December 18th): Safari adventure in Tarangire National Park. This place is known to have a variety of large animals.
Day 12 (Thursday, December 19th): After lunch there is a possibility of visiting the Masai village where we would observe the tribal dance and local life-styles of the nomadic herders of the region. We would then go to the well known Ngorongoro Crater and sleep in a lodge perched on the rim of the crater. This crater is well known for having exotic wildlife that can't be found anywhere else in the world.
Day 13 (Friday, December 20th): Exploring Ngorongoro Crater during the morning where there are herds of zebra, antelope, buffalo, elephant, rhino, cheetah, and hippo. After lunch we proceed to go through the Serengeti National Park to our next lodge and dinner.
Day 14 (Saturday, December 21st): There is an option for me to go on a sunrise balloon ride here. I'm thinking of doing this only because it's about $500 more and honestly if I am going to go and experience this I might as well fork over the extra cash to do so. After the sunrise balloon ride we fly back to Arusha for a lunch and prepare for lat night flights out.
Day 15 (Sunday, December 22nd): Arrive back home... maybe...
I will be posting more details on what my flight schedule looks like after I actually buy my ticket. I am really fortunate right now that I didn't hurry to purchase my tickets. I was planning on being there on the 8th which was what I was thinking was day 2 but really is Day 1 in accordance with the itinerary! If I had bought that ticket I would have had to find my own way around Africa for a whole day!
Here is the itinerary for the trip:
Day 1 (Sunday, December 8th 2013): Day of flight!
Day 2 (Monday, December 9th): Arrive in Tanzania! Alpine Ascents will then pick me up and transfer me to the New Arusha Hotel in Arusha, Tanzania.
Day 3 (Tuesday, December 10th): Orientation and gear check. After meeting in the hotel for breakfast I will join a detailed group orientation covering all aspects of the climb. After Lunch there will an equipment check. Once the check is completed there will be a walking tour of Arusha before dinner.
Day 4 (Wednesday, December 11th) thru Day 10 (Tuesday, December 17th): Climbing the mountain. Please check my previous blog on the entire itinerary for this climb.
Day 11 (Wednesday, December 18th): Safari adventure in Tarangire National Park. This place is known to have a variety of large animals.
Day 12 (Thursday, December 19th): After lunch there is a possibility of visiting the Masai village where we would observe the tribal dance and local life-styles of the nomadic herders of the region. We would then go to the well known Ngorongoro Crater and sleep in a lodge perched on the rim of the crater. This crater is well known for having exotic wildlife that can't be found anywhere else in the world.
Day 13 (Friday, December 20th): Exploring Ngorongoro Crater during the morning where there are herds of zebra, antelope, buffalo, elephant, rhino, cheetah, and hippo. After lunch we proceed to go through the Serengeti National Park to our next lodge and dinner.
Day 14 (Saturday, December 21st): There is an option for me to go on a sunrise balloon ride here. I'm thinking of doing this only because it's about $500 more and honestly if I am going to go and experience this I might as well fork over the extra cash to do so. After the sunrise balloon ride we fly back to Arusha for a lunch and prepare for lat night flights out.
Day 15 (Sunday, December 22nd): Arrive back home... maybe...
I will be posting more details on what my flight schedule looks like after I actually buy my ticket. I am really fortunate right now that I didn't hurry to purchase my tickets. I was planning on being there on the 8th which was what I was thinking was day 2 but really is Day 1 in accordance with the itinerary! If I had bought that ticket I would have had to find my own way around Africa for a whole day!
The Route: Machame
As I spoke before I will be taking a difficult route that has a lot to offer in regards to views. I will be traveling with a group known as Alpine Ascents. They have a 90% success rate when it comes to climbing the mountain which is the highest in the industry.
I got all this information from: http://www.alpineascents.com/kilimanjaro-dtd.asp
Machame Route start to finish. Data is approximate.
Distance: 64km / 39 miles in 7 days.
Elevation Gain: 4,891m / 16,044 ft Elevation Loss: 5,020m / 16,444 ft
Climb Day 1 Start: Machame Gate 1830m / 6,000 ft
End: Machame Hut 3000m / 9,900 ft
Elev gain: 1200m / 3900 ft.
Time: 6 hours on average
Distance: About 10km, 6 miles
We travel by Land Cruiser to the Machame trailhead, winding through coffee fields and small forests of ferns and flowers. After registering with the park service, we meet our porters from the Chagga Tribe, indigenous to the slopes of Kilimanjaro. They are an integral part of our African journey and become friends and provide insight into their culture and society. Our climb begins on the edge of a rain forest (elevation 5,800’). Below the watchful eyes of the monkeys, we trek seven hours to the Machame Camp (10,000’) and set camp for the night.
Climb Day 2 Start: Machame Hut 3000m / 9,900 ft
End: Shira Hut 3800m / 12,500 ft
Elev gain: 800m, 2,600 ft.
Time: 4 –6 hours average
Distance: About 8km, 5 miles
Leave the Machame Hut, cross a small valley and begin our ascent. The environment changes from heath forest to moor lands. These moor lands are littered with two species of giant groundsel, Senecios and Lobelia. Halfway up the trail we meet a river gorge and ascend across the Shira Plateau (12,300’). We sleep at Shira Camp.
Climb Day 3 Start: Shira Hut 3800m / 12,500 ft
End: Barranco Hut 3900m / 12,900 ft
Elev gain: 2,100ft / Elev loss: 520m, 1700 ft.
Time: 6- 9 hours average
Distance: About 10km, 6 miles
* Day includes critical acclimatization gain and loss
* Lava Tower option: additional 600 ft of gain/loss
Today we climb to 14,800’ while crossing a ridge and view the plains far below. Here we eat lunch and admire the ancient glacier ice of the Breach Wall before dropping to our 12,800’ campsite at Great Barranco.
Climb Day 4 Start: Barranco Hut 3900m / 12,500 ft
End: Karanga Valley 4055m / 13,300 ft
Elev gain: 400m, 1,300 ft. Elev loss: 300m, 1,000 ft.
Time: 4 - 5 hours average
Distance: About 5km, 3 miles
We climb up and over the Great Barranco, topping out at about 14,500’ before dropping to our camp at the Karanga River at about 13,000’. This completes another day of acclimatization as we pass below the famous Breach Wall, the largest ice and rock face in Africa. The Breach Wall climbing route, known as ‘The Icicle’, was first climbed in the early 1970’s by Reinhold Messner. Daytime temperatures can reach (80°F), while evening temperatures often drop below freezing.
Climb Day 5 Start: Karanga Valley 4055m / 13,300 ft
End: Kosovo Camp 4,760m / 15,600 ft
Elev gain: 700m, 2,300 ft.
Time: 5 hours
Distance: About 5km, 3 miles
From the Karanga River we climb about 5-6 hours to our high camp at Kosovo (15,600’). As we wind through beautiful and rarely traveled regions, we enter a high desert plateau, littered with volcanic boulders. Looking south we view the desert plains as the pinnacles of Mowenzi Peak tower before us. At Kosovo we prepare for the summit attempt. We spend our time packing and preparing for the early morning, 2:00am departure.
Climb Day 6 High camp to Summit Start: Kosovo camp 4,760m
Summit: Uhuru Peak 5896m / 19,344 ft
Elev gain: 1136m, 3726 ft.
Time: 8 - 10 hours
Distance: About 7km, 4 miles
Summit day! Awake at midnight and prepare gear for the ascent. We climb wearing headlamps until the predawn light is reflected off the African plains. Following a distinct ridge we approach the crater’s rim, then traverse northwest along the rim to the main summit, Uhuru Peak (19,340’). From here we view the Bismarck Towers, rock pinnacles along the rim and the hanging Rebman Glaciers.
As the sun rises over Africa, we are privy to a panorama of incredible views. To the north stands the second highest mountain on the continent, Mt. Kenya (17,056’/5199m), with its unique twin summits. The southern exposure reveals the sprawling plains of Tanzania and East Africa and Mowenzi Peak.
Climb Day 6 descent Start: Uhuru Peak 5896m / 19,344 ft
End: Millenium Camp 4000m / 13,000 ft
Mweka Camp 3100m / 10,200 ft
Elev loss: 1869m – 2,796m OR 6,133 ft – 9,170 ft
Time: 6-9 hours
Distance: About 13km, 8 miles
After enjoying the view from the top, we descend to Barafu, pack camp, and begin our traverse down the Mweka route on the southern side of the mountain.
Day 7: Start: Mweka Camp 3100m / 10,200 ft
End: Mweka Gate 1800m / 5,580 ft
Elev loss: 1300m, 5,900ft.
Time: 4- 5 hours
Distance: About 7km, 4 miles
The sunrises are exquisite as we awaken below the towering mountain. We descend through the lush green landscape of the Mweka route into the thickest jungle we have yet encountered. The environment becomes primordial, with 20 foot-tall fern trees creating a prehistoric atmosphere. After reaching the Mweka Gate we drive to Arusha and enjoy a celebratory dinner. O/N New Arusha.
If you noticed Day 6 is two parts: the climb up and the climb down. In the end it will be a long day of climbing between 14 and 19 hours total. Luckily we start at 2am. There are a lot of points where we climb to a high elevation and then descend just so we can take in a spectacular view.
When it comes to my climb I will make sure that each day is appropriately written about from my view and that there are plenty of pictures to accompany my account. The full trip that I am taking is 15 days long. I will post the full trip itinerary in another blog but I wanted you the readers to get a chance to understand what the climb is truly about.
I got all this information from: http://www.alpineascents.com/kilimanjaro-dtd.asp
Machame Route start to finish. Data is approximate.
Distance: 64km / 39 miles in 7 days.
Elevation Gain: 4,891m / 16,044 ft Elevation Loss: 5,020m / 16,444 ft
Climb Day 1 Start: Machame Gate 1830m / 6,000 ft
End: Machame Hut 3000m / 9,900 ft
Elev gain: 1200m / 3900 ft.
Time: 6 hours on average
Distance: About 10km, 6 miles
We travel by Land Cruiser to the Machame trailhead, winding through coffee fields and small forests of ferns and flowers. After registering with the park service, we meet our porters from the Chagga Tribe, indigenous to the slopes of Kilimanjaro. They are an integral part of our African journey and become friends and provide insight into their culture and society. Our climb begins on the edge of a rain forest (elevation 5,800’). Below the watchful eyes of the monkeys, we trek seven hours to the Machame Camp (10,000’) and set camp for the night.
Climb Day 2 Start: Machame Hut 3000m / 9,900 ft
End: Shira Hut 3800m / 12,500 ft
Elev gain: 800m, 2,600 ft.
Time: 4 –6 hours average
Distance: About 8km, 5 miles
Leave the Machame Hut, cross a small valley and begin our ascent. The environment changes from heath forest to moor lands. These moor lands are littered with two species of giant groundsel, Senecios and Lobelia. Halfway up the trail we meet a river gorge and ascend across the Shira Plateau (12,300’). We sleep at Shira Camp.
Climb Day 3 Start: Shira Hut 3800m / 12,500 ft
End: Barranco Hut 3900m / 12,900 ft
Elev gain: 2,100ft / Elev loss: 520m, 1700 ft.
Time: 6- 9 hours average
Distance: About 10km, 6 miles
* Day includes critical acclimatization gain and loss
* Lava Tower option: additional 600 ft of gain/loss
Today we climb to 14,800’ while crossing a ridge and view the plains far below. Here we eat lunch and admire the ancient glacier ice of the Breach Wall before dropping to our 12,800’ campsite at Great Barranco.
Climb Day 4 Start: Barranco Hut 3900m / 12,500 ft
End: Karanga Valley 4055m / 13,300 ft
Elev gain: 400m, 1,300 ft. Elev loss: 300m, 1,000 ft.
Time: 4 - 5 hours average
Distance: About 5km, 3 miles
We climb up and over the Great Barranco, topping out at about 14,500’ before dropping to our camp at the Karanga River at about 13,000’. This completes another day of acclimatization as we pass below the famous Breach Wall, the largest ice and rock face in Africa. The Breach Wall climbing route, known as ‘The Icicle’, was first climbed in the early 1970’s by Reinhold Messner. Daytime temperatures can reach (80°F), while evening temperatures often drop below freezing.
Climb Day 5 Start: Karanga Valley 4055m / 13,300 ft
End: Kosovo Camp 4,760m / 15,600 ft
Elev gain: 700m, 2,300 ft.
Time: 5 hours
Distance: About 5km, 3 miles
From the Karanga River we climb about 5-6 hours to our high camp at Kosovo (15,600’). As we wind through beautiful and rarely traveled regions, we enter a high desert plateau, littered with volcanic boulders. Looking south we view the desert plains as the pinnacles of Mowenzi Peak tower before us. At Kosovo we prepare for the summit attempt. We spend our time packing and preparing for the early morning, 2:00am departure.
Climb Day 6 High camp to Summit Start: Kosovo camp 4,760m
Summit: Uhuru Peak 5896m / 19,344 ft
Elev gain: 1136m, 3726 ft.
Time: 8 - 10 hours
Distance: About 7km, 4 miles
Summit day! Awake at midnight and prepare gear for the ascent. We climb wearing headlamps until the predawn light is reflected off the African plains. Following a distinct ridge we approach the crater’s rim, then traverse northwest along the rim to the main summit, Uhuru Peak (19,340’). From here we view the Bismarck Towers, rock pinnacles along the rim and the hanging Rebman Glaciers.
As the sun rises over Africa, we are privy to a panorama of incredible views. To the north stands the second highest mountain on the continent, Mt. Kenya (17,056’/5199m), with its unique twin summits. The southern exposure reveals the sprawling plains of Tanzania and East Africa and Mowenzi Peak.
Climb Day 6 descent Start: Uhuru Peak 5896m / 19,344 ft
End: Millenium Camp 4000m / 13,000 ft
Mweka Camp 3100m / 10,200 ft
Elev loss: 1869m – 2,796m OR 6,133 ft – 9,170 ft
Time: 6-9 hours
Distance: About 13km, 8 miles
After enjoying the view from the top, we descend to Barafu, pack camp, and begin our traverse down the Mweka route on the southern side of the mountain.
Day 7: Start: Mweka Camp 3100m / 10,200 ft
End: Mweka Gate 1800m / 5,580 ft
Elev loss: 1300m, 5,900ft.
Time: 4- 5 hours
Distance: About 7km, 4 miles
The sunrises are exquisite as we awaken below the towering mountain. We descend through the lush green landscape of the Mweka route into the thickest jungle we have yet encountered. The environment becomes primordial, with 20 foot-tall fern trees creating a prehistoric atmosphere. After reaching the Mweka Gate we drive to Arusha and enjoy a celebratory dinner. O/N New Arusha.
If you noticed Day 6 is two parts: the climb up and the climb down. In the end it will be a long day of climbing between 14 and 19 hours total. Luckily we start at 2am. There are a lot of points where we climb to a high elevation and then descend just so we can take in a spectacular view.
When it comes to my climb I will make sure that each day is appropriately written about from my view and that there are plenty of pictures to accompany my account. The full trip that I am taking is 15 days long. I will post the full trip itinerary in another blog but I wanted you the readers to get a chance to understand what the climb is truly about.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Kilimanjaro: The Mountain
Kilimanjaro has a lush amount of vegetation and climbing environments. There are six routes that vary in the scenery that the climbers are able to experience. The route that I will be climbing (to be described in a later blog) is the most scenic and has the largest variation of environments. There are still currently glaciers on Kilimanjaro but they are quickly going away and so if anyone else is interested in experiencing these before they disappear it is recommended you climb soon.
Currently there are three peaks for the mountain. Two of the peaks are extinct and there is no chance that they will erupt. The third is the highest peak and is what I will be traveling to the top of and it is dormant but still has the ability to erupt. Don't worry though it hasn't erupted in 150,000 to 200,000 years and I doubt it will decide that it will do so while I am up there.
Why a Mountain?
Ever since I was a child I enjoyed playing video games and studying. I was extremely good at school and didn't enjoy exercise. I attempted to become confident in exercise by playing sports but let's face it... I never was any good. I was on the C team most of the time and was lucky if I had an opponent to play against most of the time. If you don't know the C-team is when you aren't a good enough player for the Varsity or Junior Varsity teams.
I joined the military knowing I was going to have to remain physically fit. I was wrong with that assumption. The military only required me to perform a physical fitness test twice a year. Over the course of the five years I was in the military I reverted back into being a video gamer and gave up exercise. I ended up gaining 50 pounds in the matter of three years and when I left the military I didn't see anything wrong with my weight.
October 28th 2011 was my wake up call to my weight problem. I stood on the scale that day and found out I was 182 pounds. I am a 5' 5" tall woman and that means I am seriously obese. In fact the top weight for my height for the military is 160 pounds. At that moment I knew I had to make a change and I started dieting and performing physical activity. First it was just playing on the Wii Fit and eventually it went forward to doing the couch to 5k program.
All the while I was with a wonderful man who supported my choice to become healthy. On his 29th birthday I told him that for his 30th birthday I would climb Mt. Rainier with him. Over the course of the next year I would find myself sleeping outside of the Tacoma REI for garage sales in order to purchase as much of my gear as possible at a discounted rate. Well a year passed and his 30th birthday came around and we never climbed the mountain. Blame was placed both ways as to why we didn't go. We didn't have the gear. He wasn't physically fit enough to climb the mountain. I didn't pay attention enough to him attempting to teach me how to use my ice axe or other equipment used to climb. In the end it didn't matter where the blame was placed neither of us went.
On December 25th 2011 he asked me to marry him. We started to plan for our wedding and a large question was placed before us. Where would we go for our honeymoon? Well his great ambition in life was to climb the 7 highest peaks of the world, and though I supported him following his dreams there was no way I would ever be able to climb some of those peaks. Without him knowing I went and contacted Alpine Ascents, which is a climbing group, and was ready to pay for our trip for our honeymoon. I had decided that we would go to Africa and climb the highest peak there for our honeymoon.
Misfortune fell upon me when I returned from school on Friday and was told that he wasn't happy in the relationship. He didn't want to be with me anymore. Over the next couple of months I considered cancelling my trip to Africa but in the end I decided one thing... I've been working hard on my weight loss why should I give up something I am excited to do just because he was no longer going to do it with me?
That is where I am at right now. I have been working hard on exercising and gathering gear together to climb this mountain. I believe it will be a great chance to challenge myself and since it is the least technical of the mountains I am sure that by working hard on my exercises and going on a lot of hikes I will be able to accomplish this.
I joined the military knowing I was going to have to remain physically fit. I was wrong with that assumption. The military only required me to perform a physical fitness test twice a year. Over the course of the five years I was in the military I reverted back into being a video gamer and gave up exercise. I ended up gaining 50 pounds in the matter of three years and when I left the military I didn't see anything wrong with my weight.
October 28th 2011 was my wake up call to my weight problem. I stood on the scale that day and found out I was 182 pounds. I am a 5' 5" tall woman and that means I am seriously obese. In fact the top weight for my height for the military is 160 pounds. At that moment I knew I had to make a change and I started dieting and performing physical activity. First it was just playing on the Wii Fit and eventually it went forward to doing the couch to 5k program.
All the while I was with a wonderful man who supported my choice to become healthy. On his 29th birthday I told him that for his 30th birthday I would climb Mt. Rainier with him. Over the course of the next year I would find myself sleeping outside of the Tacoma REI for garage sales in order to purchase as much of my gear as possible at a discounted rate. Well a year passed and his 30th birthday came around and we never climbed the mountain. Blame was placed both ways as to why we didn't go. We didn't have the gear. He wasn't physically fit enough to climb the mountain. I didn't pay attention enough to him attempting to teach me how to use my ice axe or other equipment used to climb. In the end it didn't matter where the blame was placed neither of us went.
On December 25th 2011 he asked me to marry him. We started to plan for our wedding and a large question was placed before us. Where would we go for our honeymoon? Well his great ambition in life was to climb the 7 highest peaks of the world, and though I supported him following his dreams there was no way I would ever be able to climb some of those peaks. Without him knowing I went and contacted Alpine Ascents, which is a climbing group, and was ready to pay for our trip for our honeymoon. I had decided that we would go to Africa and climb the highest peak there for our honeymoon.
Misfortune fell upon me when I returned from school on Friday and was told that he wasn't happy in the relationship. He didn't want to be with me anymore. Over the next couple of months I considered cancelling my trip to Africa but in the end I decided one thing... I've been working hard on my weight loss why should I give up something I am excited to do just because he was no longer going to do it with me?
That is where I am at right now. I have been working hard on exercising and gathering gear together to climb this mountain. I believe it will be a great chance to challenge myself and since it is the least technical of the mountains I am sure that by working hard on my exercises and going on a lot of hikes I will be able to accomplish this.
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