Set off at midnight. Can see the snakes of light ahead, higher up the slope.Make it to 5270m by 4.15am but I feel disorientated and losing co-ordination. Altitude sickness. Reluctantly decide the only safe course of action is to descend.
Lose our way, briefly, on the way down, but reach the camp safely. After an hour I feel much better and we begin the descent to Mweka Camp.
Now we are out of synch with the crowds, it feels like we have the mountain to ourselves. It's so much more impressive with the solitude.We stop for a Coke at the High Camp (3950m) and make the camp by noon after 12 hours walking during which we have climbed 670m and descended 2,170m.
The rest of the group arrives later in the afternoon, having made the summit (even Jo and Sarah who'd been nursed up by Erghet, the assistant guide).
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