WOW, it’s already March—how are you doing?
When I posted my last update, it was early January, and I had just arrived in Tanzania. I was gearing up to organize a few things before my guests and friends arrived, but I ended up feeling a bit unwell for a few days. To my surprise, I had COVID again, just eight weeks after my first bout. It wasn’t too bad, but it caught me off guard. I lost my voice and developed a lingering cough, which turned out to be a real challenge when climbing Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro.
The cough severely limited my breathing capacity, and hiking uphill—especially above 3,000 meters—became a mental battle. My blood oxygen levels dropped below 70% several times, and if you know anything about oxygen levels, you can imagine how that felt.
I managed to summit Meru, though, and after resting for three days, I felt much better. When we began the Kilimanjaro ascent, I was rested and energized. But after passing the 4,500-meter mark, I realized there was no way I could reach the summit without risking my health. I made the decision to descend two days before the summit attempt. It wasn’t easy to accept, but it just wasn’t my time to continue.
The group was in great hands with my friend and guide Chacha, and I’m incredibly proud that they all made it to the summit.
I’ll share a few photos of the mountains and write more about an amazing safari next time.
I also have some news about the lodge. After a lot of back and forth, I finally reached a decision just last weekend—I’ll be keeping it!
More on that… next week.
Take care, my friend,
Florian
