"It Is Not The Mountain We Conquer- But Ourselves"

11:50pm December 31, 2010
A friend's New Years Eve House Party

By this point in the evening, the party had become an intimate gathering of about twelve long time friends. With the television on opposite us in the living room we all were standing around the kitchen island. The countdown to west coast New Years was ten minutes away. The host of the party had a spontaneous idea, inspired by her own accomplishments made in the past year in her life, lets all go around the room and tell the group our favorite moment of the year 2010. My mind jumped from memory to memory, and every great moment I thought of included him. It was only six weeks prior that our relationship had ended, and most of my close friends in the room still did not even know all the details of what happened. Every single great moment I had that past year, I shared with him and therefore felt they were tainted, like they were all a lie. One by one around me, my friends were producing solid accomplishments and milestones worthy of the best moment of the past year. The thought then entered my mind that I would make something up, but quickly dismissed that realizing that was even more pathetic than not having a moment at all. I tried then to distract them, by going in front of the TV, pretending to be very interested in the countdown hosted by Anderson Cooper. My friends were persistent though....what was my best moment of the past year? I burst into tears and responded that I did not have one. It was an ugly, uncontrollable cry and I had hit one of the saddest and lowest times of my life. I was so disappointed in myself for ever getting to this place, I felt no pride in the decisions I had made.  I spent the past two years of my life putting my best efforts into a relationship and a person that I truly believed in, only in the end to be given their worst. **************************************************************************

The question I have been asked most by people around me is "Why Africa?" I think the more interesting question is "Why Now?"  I have wanted to go to Africa ever since I was a young teenager. I have always had that feeling, even though I have never been there, that I belong there. It was almost a decade ago that I read that magazine article about Zanzibar that peaked my interest in a land that seemed so beautiful and so exotic. Climbing Mt.Kilimanjaro was the unspoken dream inside me, that I thought was for people more prestigious and more athletic than I. When the winter of 2010 came around, it had honestly been years since I had even thought about traveling Africa. Then as my relationship dissolved, it was all I could think about. I made so many decisions based upon what I thought another person wanted, I lost sight of what I wanted for myself. More than anything I wanted to do something I could be proud of. This trip to Africa is only 19 days long, and I hope that I will be able to call some of those days the best times of my life. However, the process of just getting to this trip has given me already so many moments that I am proud of. I am grateful and humble to the amount of support I have gotten from everyone around me. It is unexpected and amazing when a catalyst hits your life and changes everything, and I am finally at a point (days away from leaving) where I can be grateful for the experience that got me to this moment.

Yes, I'm Ready.

It has been quite a while since my last blog. I started writing this back in January, nine months before my departure date and didn't want to burn myself out talking about Africa. Also, quite frankly, there were no major moves towards my trip in the past three months. That has changed in the past few weeks. This Friday, July 1st will mark exactly two months until I leave on September 1st. Suddenly, things have become very real and no longer feel like a fairy tale I am telling about this far away mountain.

Lately, I have become a research machine. Topics I have become proficient in are: the diseases and suggested vaccinations for east Africa, gortex and polypropylene clothing, side effects of altitude sickness medication and the best ways to prevent and combat blisters. I go to the health department next week. Initially, I wanted the minimum amount of vaccinations, only those absolutely required. Then I read the common viruses of that region and my list grew. I have also learned that the most effective tool to cope with the high altitude is controlled breathing, so despite always feeling that yoga is boring it is going to be added into my life until I leave.

The most exciting thing that has happened in the past few weeks just happened today. I received an e-mail from the tour group sharing who else will be in my group. There are only four of us, A British couple in their 30's and an American active outdoors woman in her 60's. I got chills when I read it, I had this strange overwhelming feeling like I was a orphan child who just found out about her adoptive family. What do they look like? Will they like me? These strangers are going to be my family. I am going to need them, they are going to see me at my worst and we will never forget each other.

I will be blogging frequently over the next NINE weeks. Today this song has been stuck in my head, I relate it to how I feel about the journey ahead of me. I am inexperienced but open to learning all I need to know.  I am finally genuinely excited...and Yes, I Am Ready.

I Love My Friends

March 13 2011 was a very special day for me. It was the day of the Globe Salon Cut-a-thon. We raised over $2700 in six hours thanks to the hard work and generosity of those involved. That money all goes to the American Foundation for Children with AIDS and will help greatly with the services they provide in Africa. It was also a huge testament to the quality of people I am surrounded with. To those who gave up their day off to work and cut some hair, and to those who came out and donated. All because I said this is something that is important to me. Thank you, thank you.

Cut-A-Thon Time!

This Sunday, March 13 Globe Salon will be hosting a charity cut-a-thon. This event is a major part of my fund raising effort. I am humbled and amazed by the support I am getting from friends and co workers. It is a true testament to how good of friends I have and the integrity they possess when they are giving their unconditional support just because I said this is important to me. Back in November when I decided that this was the time to go to Africa, all I set out to do was plan a vacation. But the vacation took on a life of it's own and has become so much more than just that. I started researching different Kilimanjaro guided tour groups and decided upon SENE (Summit Expeditions and Nomadic Experience). I chose SENE because I was blown away by the man who created and runs it. Simon Mtuy grew up with his family living at the base of Mt.Kilimanjaro. They still live there and run two sustainable farms where I will be staying pre and post climb. Simon is an amazing athlete, holding most of the Guinness Book of World Records titles for anything having to do with Mt.Kilimanjaro. He is committed to Leave No Trace traveling and the plight for rights of the porters. For more on SENE: http://www.nomadicexperience.com/index.html
I then saw on SENE's website a link to charity climbs. There are many different non profit organizations that SENE partner with, and after researching a few I decided to enroll with the American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA). Their program Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up,http://www.climbupsokidscangrowup.com/index.html,  focuses on organizing different fitness events, in the United States and to Kilimanjaro, to raise money for the non profit. With the money raised,
AFCA provides critical AIDS medications, medical equipment, nutritional supplements and supplies that are requested by their partner institutions in Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe. I know this trip is going to be life changing and I did not want to go and take away such a great experience without giving something back to this part of the world.
Please join me this Sunday. Hang out in Downtown Las Vegas. Get a hair cut. East some sliders. 

The Roof of Africa

Mount Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania.

The highest summit, Uhuru Peak, is 19,341 feet above sea level.

When I first looked into this excursion about ten years ago I thought it is a obstacle that few could conquer, but as I recently researched about 40,000 people a year trek this mountain. It is the highest peak in Africa and the tallest free standing mountain in the world. It is a volcano, created from lava millions of years ago. The hike is started in a rain forest and ends in, what is left, of glaciers. I will spend a total of seven days camping on the mountain. Five days going up and two days coming down. The biggest challenge will be battling altitude sickness. As much as one trains and prepares, you will not know how your body will respond until you are there. The journey up is taken slowly in five days to give your body a chance to acclimatize to each new high altitude as much as possible. Headache, fatigue, nausea and disorientation are pretty much expected during most of the week I will spend on a mountain. Enjoy your vacation Samantha!
If you support me and the path I have chosen please donate on my behalf to the American Foundation for Children with AIDS.
http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/samantha-obrien/climb-up-kilimanjaro

I wish I was Mountain Size....

"You Want It All, But You've Got To Give"

My journey this year to get to Africa is so exciting, there are so many new things I am learning about and opening up to. To get there though, there are some things that I have to leave behind for now. Coachella 2011 is one of those things. In a perfect Sam World where time and money are expendable I would keep up this tradition that I love so much. Before I went to bed last night I read the highly anticipated line up just released and Facebook posts from excited friends. Then I laid in bed with visions of Spicy Pie and hippie dresses dancing in my head. I thought back to my first Coachella that I went to by myself. Driving alone to a place I had never been to before and having no idea what to expect....who goes to three day festivals by themselves anyways? Then I became fully aware, that as unconventional as "training" that Coachella was, it was a step in my journey toward Africa. Yes, I can go places by myself and have life changing experiences. I know that the type of people who trek to the highest peaks in the world don't usually count music festivals as their survival training, but it worked for me. I then fell asleep peacefully and woke up early to hike up a side of a mountain. Where I belong now.

Fistful of Mercy. Playing Sunday at Coachella. I may not be seeing them in person, but I will be listening to them on my trip across the world. Their music is beautiful and inspiring.

"Don't Set Sail Using Someone Else's Star"

That quote is a Swahili proverb. It was the title of my journal entry on October 27 2002. That was the day I read a Vogue magazine article (that this hoarder still has!) about the country of Zanzibar. I longed to go to this exotic land that I thought would satisfy my desires of the unknown. It made so much sense because I always knew, since I was a young girl, that when I first started traveling this world, Africa is where I would start.

The motivation of starting this blog is so I can share a very important journey in my life with the people close to me. I am setting sail, following my own star September 2011. Within the past few months I have come to realize that, yes I am ready...and now IS the time. And once that decision was made everything has come together more than I ever dreamed. My trip is more than a vacation and now has a purpose. I did not want to go to this part of the world and take all these amazing memories without giving something back to people that need so much. So.... I will be trekking Mt.Kilimanjaro as a part of a charity climb with the American Foundation for Children with Aids (AFCA). I came across their program Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up when looking for a tour group to join. I worked a lot with AIDS charity organizations when I was younger and it has been a part missing in my life. I believe in AFCA and the work they are doing,

This is a link to my fund raising page with AFCA: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/samantha-obrien/climb-up-kilimanjaro

 

Here is a video made by AFCA for their first Kilimanjaro charity climb in 2009, so you can get an idea of what I am in for!