Columbus Who? - Two New Continents in One Month

Maybe not new to mankind but certainly new to me...I will set my foot onto two continents this month: Asia and Africa! 

I never had any intention to go to Africa, but then I made up my mind to climb Kilimanjaro about a year ago. Many people I have spoken to in the last months don't share my excitement and think this is boring and easy. Just because it's popular doesn't mean it's easy. In technical terms it is, true. But many underestimate its height: 5895m. This is roughly five times higher than Ben Nevis.  

So imagine you climb Ben Nevis five days in a row. Add to that the lack of available oxygen which makes it all the harder. I have not yet experienced high altitude but I think that if we stick to the Ben Nevis picture you may double the weight of your backpack on each one of days three to five.
Doesn't sound easy to me. Does it to you? Put single figure temperatures and sleeping in tents onto that and you're far from declaring this a walk in the park.

I love challenges. That's why I picked Kili. It's hopefully just one of many more to come. Now that the organizer of the tour has sent over all documents and pretty much everything is set up I'm getting proper excited!
Got my vaccinations, meds, some peotein bars and powder, beef jerky is in the making and the order for missing gear with my favourite outdoor shop is being delivered today. Four season sleeping bag, some new water bottles, long-johns and winter gloves. New Thermarest sleeping mat is on its way too. I'm ready to go!!!!

But wait... instead of leaning back, relaxing, going through my pack list a few times fetching the last bits and bobs I'm going to India on a business trip for a week and a half. ARG!

Don't get me wrong, I always wanted to go to India. really. It's just slightly inconvenient now. I was supposed to go in March. That was postponed to August. Summer came and went and now all of a sudden I'm going. *tilt*

I'm flying out on Sunday Dec 7 and will be back late on Wednesday Dec 17. I have but ten days then to get ready for Kili before I fly down to Africa on Dec 27. Phew. 

Still, I'm looking forward to my time in Mumbai. Will work a lot during the first week, but I hope I can see a bit of that enormously big city (19.6 million inhabitants O.o).
One of my colleagues over there is free over the weekend and promised to show me around. There is the Karnala Bird Sanctuary - a nature reserve with a small hill - just 50km outside of Mumbai. Bet he regrets pointing me to their website. Now he has to take me there, hahaha.

If I can I will also try to see a bit of urban Mumbai. Being a single female European doesn't really encourage venturing around on my own, but taxis or even a driver for a whole day are ridiculously cheap, so I may do that while my colleague is recovering from our trek.

Stay tuned!