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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reading this book is the next best thing to going!, August 31, 2009
This review is from: Kilimanjaro: A Photographic Journey to the Roof of Africa (Paperback)
This lovely little book has the knack of taking you right along on the trip with it. The author begins by explaining how he surprised himself by suddenly deciding to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro, while talking to an associate in London. He and his partner then canceled a trip to Portugal and started a fitness program to ascend the mountain instead.
Casually written and anecdotal, the account moves quickly through the trip preparations, the flight to Africa, and the jeep ride to the point of departure for the hike. For anyone considering the trip, there is useful information on the climbing history of Kilimanjaro, on the various routes to the top, and on the peoples of the region.
The hike itself is a tale of extremes: the exhausting conditions of terrain and weather, versus the sublime beauty of the tropical forest, the flowers and monkeys, the rock formations, the ice-fields, and the vistas from on high. Anyone who has ever climbed will recognize the unique peace and silence which attend the magical panorama of a mountain top.
The photographs are very carefully composed and full of interest. They illustrate the beauty of the mountain, the isolation of the tents and the camps, and most endearingly, the African trekkers who led the way, carried the gear, and made the meals.
Altogether, this is a splendid and alluring invitation to climb this legendary mountain, especially before the snows are gone forever. For those who will never climb Kilimanjaro, they will feel as if they have somehow been there instead.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Book for both Climbers and Armchair Travelers, August 24, 2009
This review is from: Kilimanjaro: A Photographic Journey to the Roof of Africa (Paperback)
This book is an engaging and reflective account of an American publisher, Michel Moushabeck, who at age 53 set out to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak and, at 19,340 feet, the world's tallest free-standing mountain. In spite of fighting mountain sickness during the final part of the ascent, Moushabeck persevered to the summit.
Although Kilimanjaro, three degrees south of the Equator, is a gradual climb that does not require mountaineering equipment, "it is a trek that pushes you to your limits, as your body battles exhaustion under sometimes unpredictably harsh weather conditions - heat, rain, fog, wind, snow - on a variety of challenging terrains: muddy, dusty, rocky, snowing, and icy."
Against the backdrop of these arduous conditions, the author never loses sight of the spectacular beauty of the journey and the sweetness of the African people. Accompanied by a brilliant selection of original and illuminating photographs taken by his partner, Hiltrud Schulz, Moushabeck's words transport us to the spot:
"I slowed my pace and let everyone walk ahead and then stopped. Now I could listen to the otherworldly sounds of the rainforest without the distraction of shuffling boots. I closed my eyes and listened to the different sounds and textures coming together. What I heard was an ensemble of an incredible variety of sounds - a natural rather than an artificial beauty - conducted by the slow up-and-down movement of tree branches in the wind. Against a drone accompaniment provided by the mild whisper of the wind I could hear the vibrato of a nearby stream and the faint ruffling melody of the tree leaves. A rhythmic element introduced by falling berries and drips of rainwater sounded like an African talking drum in the distance."
The book also equips the reader for the climb, by offering sections on trip preparations; the early European pioneers who, as early as 1861, climbed the mountain; and on the Kilimanjaro's people and geography, including a map.
But whether you want to make this climb or simply to enjoy it vicariously, this is a superb travelogue, replete with jewels of photographs, which weaves together the physical, spiritual, and technical dimensions of the author's journey.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An exhilarating read!, June 29, 2010
Michel Moushabeck's recent ascent to the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro, superbly chronicled in his book "Kilimanjaro: A Photographic Journey to the Roof of Africa," is a remarkable feat for a serious hiker with limited mountain climbing experience and none at high altitude. The arduous, eight-day trek to Uhuru Peak at 19, 340 feet covered about 60 miles and took the author through several astounding and challenging terrains, all beautifully photographed by Hiltrud Schulz, a freelance photographer--and also the author's wife and fellow climber. Each long day was an emotional and conditional roller coaster of rapture, debilitating exhaustion, frustration, harsh weather conditions, and occasional bouts of altitude sickness. Fortunately, all was recorded in remarkable and engrossing detail in the book, allowing us, the readers, while safe in our armchairs, to imagine we were experiencing the adventure as well.
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