Kilimanjaro - Now a Dream, Soon Just a Memory

By Sylvain Thériault

I've done it at last - here's my first text on the blog. I've been thinking about it for a long time but always put it off. My colleagues know how much I love talking but, when it's time to write, I get stuck. My fingers aren't quick enough for my brain. Who knows why?

Once, when I was travelling in France with my daughter, she said "My legs don't want to go on". I replied "Tell your legs that it's not up to them to decide what to do. That's a job for your brain. Your legs wanted to be legs and they have a job to do - walk". She gave me a look and said "Dad, you're quite mad!"
Because my hands are so slow, I have to keep starting over as my thoughts change in the middle of a sentence. It never gets better. How many times do you think I've rewritten this text? Anyway, here's what I want to say....

Time goes too quickly. It's already 9 months since a team supper when we discussed our dreams, ambitions, travels. Three magic words for Manon, André and me. Three words - synonym for "climb Kilimanjaro". and that's how the KILI PROJECT was born.

There are only 14 months left before we can kiss the famous sign that welcomes us to Africa' s summit. For some that may seem too difficult but, together with the people I'm getting to know through the project, I believe that my dream will soon be just a memory.
So, the ice is broken. Because of the Kili project, I've ventured out of my comfort zone. And the further out, the more I like it.

Hi there, Kili, you're going to have visitors - get ready to give us lots of magical moments. In 14 months you'll be part of the story of my life.

            See you soon!

Translated by Pamela Gauvin

Team Kili-2012 leaves in September with Expé

By Isabelle Privé

Another step has been taken this week with the vote to choose our departure date and the company we're going with. The vote was democratic and won by the majority!

First, a drum roll.... .... ... ..

We hope to leave in the week of 2 September 2012 and we'll be travelling with EXPÉ.

(See the article 'One Step at a Time Towards "Day K"'  -  June 14 2011)

The exact date will be decided later, depending on available flights, etc.

Our journey will last 21 - 22 days and bring us (we hope) to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and into the African plains.

I don't know about you, but I get goose bumps just thinking about it!

Translated by Pamela Gauvin

Meet Pierre

By Pierre Gauvin

Hello,

I was drawn to the Kilimanjaro project because I wanted to travel differently - swap the suitcase for a back-pack and a good pair of boots. I've been up Mount Washington twice and developed a warm feeling for the mountains. My car engine had the same feeling but got a bit too hot. Ha! Ha! 

I'm not a great sportsman but I like to seize any opportunity for exercise - I devour stairs, the manual lawn-mower occupies my Saturday mornings and I adore moving rocks around in my back yard. Seven hours in front of a computer is quite enough inactivity.

I've been swimming at the Montreal YMCA in my lunch hour for years. It breaks up the day and helps to get the stress level down. I like racket sports so much that I even put them on my feet in the winter!

While creating strong and enriching relationships and making us leave our comfort zone to  rough it for a while, this type of travelling with a team allows us to realize how spoilt and fortunate we really are.

My father's death in 2009 woke me up to the fact that life is short and that we only have one chance to follow our dreams. So I say "yes" to life more often and that I try to make it as full and rich as possible.


Translated by Pamela Gauvin