Bluedome

Inventory of Personal kit
Sleeping bag 1
Trail mat 1
Boots (Mountain) 1 pair
Trainers (Base) 1 pair
Trekking poles 1 pair
Gortex jacket (Outer layer) 1
Mountain hat Cold and Sun) 1
Gloves (Inner and outer) 1 pair
Trek pants (Mountain) 1
Trek pants (Base) 1
Underwear (Optional !) ?
Socks 4 pair
Base layer tops 2
Mid layer tops 2
Bin liner or survival bag 1
Fleece jacket 1
Shorts (Optional) 1
Wind trousers 1 pair
Head torch 1
Plastic mug 1
Knife, fork, spoon 1 set
Mess tins 1 set
Water bottle 1
Wash kit and small towel (Mountain)
Large towel (Base camp)
Sunbloc and glasses
Camera and film (Optional)
Large carry all
Mossie repellent

Between Pairs of Climbers
Tent, pegs and poles
Stove and fuel
Food
Rucksack (Expedition and day)
Fuel bottles (Sigg)
Para cord
First aid kit
Toilet paper
Matches or lighter
Tin opener

Team Kit
4 Foot Slings 4
Karabiners 10
Waist harness 4
Half rope 11mm 2
Chair and spares
Spare expedition sacs
Trowels 2
Medipac
Communication/Film equipment
JVC Digital (Video) camera
Possibly Ricoh Digital (Still) camera
Laptop computer
Satellite phone
Spare batteries
Hand Cranked emergence generator
High powered radio transceiver (Base)
Hand held portable transceiver
Cables, charger units, antennas and probably the kitchen sink !

Diary of events

18th January 1998
Flight Out : Flying out from London, Heathrow on Sunday the 18th January and arriving Kilimanjaro the following day, Monday the 19th January, five members of the team, Jon, Derek, Mary, Mark and Peter, (see team members and their designated tasks) will form the advanced party of Project '98.

With a 3 hour time difference between the GMT and Jungle Drum African Time a temperature climb from typical winter UK temperatures of 5/10o Celsius to 35o Celsius, everyone will need time to acclimatise. We intended to ship out as much of the heavy/bulky expedition equipment as possible as our intention is to set up the base camp and be as self sufficient as possible "in- country". Based in Moshi and shadowed by Mt. Kilimanjaro the team will be able to set-up radio, phone and Internet links,
hopefully answer any E Mail, reconnoitre the "hill" and generally prepare the base camp for the rest of the team's arrival.

During this week there will be plenty of time to organise the required mountain guide, porters for the ascent and start the many
sporting, education and health programmes to be carried out by Project '98 which is one of its many objectives.

25th January 1998
Again, flying out on Sunday the 25th January and arriving Monday the 26th January, the remainder of the team will be given time to acclimatise and the final preparations will be made regarding the ascent.

28th January 1998 (Provisional)
Starting from the Marangu Gate, the official park entrance at an altitude of 1,860 metres (6,100 feet), and leaving Mary to run the base camp and base radio, Jon and the team will start their eight day world record attempt to be the first wheelchair athlete to ascend Mt. Kilimanjaro, the world's highest free standing mountain and to promote and heighten people's awareness of disabled sports and the British Wheelchair Sports Foundation prior to their 50th year celebration in 1998.

Carrying food, tents, hydration units, medical equipment and everything else necessary to be as self sufficient as possible, including satellite phone, lap-top computer, still and video digital camera's, the Project '98's final objective will commence.

During the ascent each base camp will have already been prepared by Jim Sowter and his team of porters. After hot food and a rest,
and an analysis of the days progression, specialists in the team will carry out their duties. Doctor Janet to the sick and wounded. Jon, Barry and Peter to their camera equipment and Peter to his computer to typing up the daily diary and down loading the digital photographs ready for inclusion on this Web Site. Pre-arranged audio interviews with the media and other bodies will take up the remainder of the time before an early nights sleep.

It is not possible to predict the rate of ascent accurately from this point, but those interested will be able to follow the progress of our ascent on a daily basis via the Internet Web pages. However, it is possible to give an over picture of the ascent broken down into
zones :-

The Mountain
Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Roof of Africa is located partly in the Amboseli Game Park, and at 19,341 feet is Tanzania's and Africa's
highest peak, part of the chain of volcanoes formed along the line of the Great Rift Valley. Standing only a few degrees south of the equator the main massif extends over an area of some fifty miles and has three main peaks The highest peak, Kibo, appears as a smooth dome from a distance but contains a crater almost one and a quarter miles across. Outside the crater glaciers descend to 13,900 feet. On the south west side Kibo links to Mawenzi, the second highest point. The third peak is Shira the lowest of the three at 12,800 feet.

To ascend Mt. Kilimanjaro is akin to taking a vertical trip from the Equator to the Arctic. The climb takes in desert, savannah, tropical rain forest and glaciated ice fields and for every 200 metres (656 foot) increase in altitude, the temperature drops about 1o C. Above the 1,800 meter (5,906 foot) contour line the whole mountain becomes a natural reserve.

In the highest summit region there are great climatic changes and little rainfall means that life is scarce. The southern slopes of the mountain are the most fertile receiving rain from the east TradeWinds.

Zone One : Lower Slopes
From about 800 - 1,800 metres (2,624 - 5,905 feet) the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro are used for the grazing of livestock and food cultivation. This is below the altitude of the Marangu Gate and apart from being able to take our last look at civilisation from the gate, our only contact will be as we drive/walk to our starting point.

Zone Two : Forest
Ranging from 1,800 - 2,800 metres (5,905 - 9,187 feet). This thick rain forest belt is the richest area on Mt. Kilimanjaro. Ninety percent of the water that falls on the mountain originates in this zone and because of its altitude and dampness of the forest and surrounding areas it is frequently covered in a dense cloud.

Zone Three : Health and Moorland
Described as the low alpine zone and ranging between 2,800 - 4,000 metres (9,187 - 13,120 feet) the forest zone eventually yields to groves of giant heather trees reaching up to 9 metres (30 feet) and dense tussock grass. This vegetation becomes more sparse
until it peters out at around 14,750 feet. After this point the terrain becomes truly alpine. The last water supply available on the mountain before we start melting snow (but not the yellow stuff!) is at Horombo Hut 3,810 metres (12,500 feet).

Zone Four : Highland Desert
In this area of the mountain day time temperatures can fluctuate between 0o Celsius (32o Fahrenheit) and 40o Celsius (104o Fahrenheit) and only the hardiest life survives. At night the temperature drops below 0o Celsius (32o Fahrenheit).

Zone Five : The Summit (Possibly 2nd February 1998)
Ranging above 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) can only be described as Arctic conditions. Oxygen is about half that of sea level and there is nothing to protect the human skin from the sun's radiation. Moisture at this altitude is locked up in snow and ice.

Especially at altitudes in excess of 3,000 metres (10,000 feet), all work will be extremely debilitating and should or WHEN we reach this point, we hope that British Aerospace and their power supply and the satellite phone, plus the E Mail over the Internet will still be at Jon's disposal to broadcast to the world that with team work and the will to achieve, anything is possible.

The Descent :Down Hill
With everyone hanging on the back of the wheelchair, the decent should go well and it is hoped that we will be back at base camp
by the 4th February.

The remaining time in country will again be used to fulfil our commitments to the local community sharing cultural, educational
and sporting activities with our host country.

Our return flight back to heathrow is scheduled for Monday 9th February

On our Return : Raise money for the charity. Give lectures and talks. Show slides and videos PLAN THE NEXT ONE!!