Trek day 1: Marangu Gate to Mandara Huts: 2,720m, 9000ft

The day has finally arrived when we start the trek. For the  next seven days we will relinquish the relative comfort of the Mountain Inn in Moshi for the ultimate adventure that is climbing Kilimanjaro.  We left the mountain Inn at 9:30 in a bus having finally packed our day sacks and porters sacks and left any remaining non-trek gear in bags at the hotel. The atmosphere in the bus was electric as we drove the 40km to Marangu Gate. We past many villages with their road side industry from goat tending through bed building to coffin making and had great views of the African plains as we climbed. But for some  it also gave the first view of Kilimanjaro  and that was electric. It's snow capped peak beckoned but it soon disappeared and it will be several days before we see it again but the brief glimpse was enough to inspire and motivate us all. Check in at the National Park gate took an  hour at 11:35 local time we were off. Todays climb was billed as a 'walk in the park' with a height gain of 1000m, mostly through jungle or rain forest that we are now supposed to call it. But with steep ascents and 100% humidity it was a hard slog. Rain forest fauna was strangely absent but anything that might be easily visible can also be eaten  so we should not be too surprised. A spectacular close  encounter with monkeys was to wait for later. We finally arrived at our overnight stop, Mandara huts, at 3pm. After a brief kit change, a cup of tea and popcorn and dispensing with our day sacks we were sufficiently liberated to visit the nearby Maundi Crater, not bad for Maundi Thursday. On return we were entertained by a family of seven Collorbus monkeys, some carrying young, playing 5m away in the trees by the huts. Needless to say the unofficial paparazzi turned out to capture the thrill. After an evening meal and joke telling (it's best you weren't there) we  headed off to prepare for the next day: another 1000m climb over 5 hours but that can wait for tomorrow.