At an elevation of 19,341 feet, the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro is often called, The Roof of Africa. It is the highest point on the African continent. Trekking to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro was a bucket list item that I set for myself upon my retirement from healthcare management.
Our twelve hikers began at sea level elevation in the African jungle. We hiked fifty miles over seven days to reach the peak. On the morning we were to summit, my guide and I arose at 4:00am. I summited at 6:20am on January 21, 2014, the birthday of two of my grandsons. At nearly twenty thousand feet, we were far above the clouds. It was an awesome experience.