Day 4 - Kibo Hut 4,700m

Breakfast as normal this morning. It's a beautiful sunny day and we all feel quite good. The first part of the walk is fairly easy as we follow the path to our destination, the kibo Hut. It does not look that far away, but as we find out looks can be very deceiving! It is only 300m higher than Mawenzi where we have just come from right and should be a breeze in the park? Wrong! We arrived in base Camp. the Kibo Hut, after 5 hours of slowly trekking across the lunar plain, again the heat was unforgiving.

My stomach feels better and I have drunk my 3 litre quota of water today although I keep peeing, but its clear so thats a good sign and shows that my body is accilmatising.

It feels weird camping at 100m below the summit of mont blanc. Have started to develop a headache as its so hot. We have 3 hours rest before dinner at 5.30. And then breakfast at 11.30pm.

After lunch Charles outlined the route and expectations. It's going to be bloody hard that's for sure.

Apparently their is a phone signal 50mins higher than camp, however, Charles recommends rest so as not to jeopardize the summit attempt, I hope rachel and the kids understand. I know Rachel worries if I have no contact.

The plan is to leave at midnight to give us a chance of reaching Gilmans point by 6am to see the sun rise over the crater rim, and then hopefully if we feel fit enough onto the summit by 8ish.

I am now in the tent. We have packed everything for the summit bid so hopefully no faffing around when we get up in a few hours and are wearing our clothes to sleep in! It is extremely cold again tonight and ice has already formed on our tent. It is going to be below zero when we leave tonight.

Time to try to sleep I am very nervous, this is it what we have come for and it is just in our reach. Within half hour I will be higher than I have ever been before.

Not sure whether will get much sleep and my fingers are crossed that I can speak to Rachel for that last bit of encouragement.