Sunset Over Kilimanjaro
February 12th, 2009 | Categories: Travel | 9 Comments
In May 2008, I went on a two-week trip to Tanzania with a group of kids from my high school class to volunteer at a nursery school we raised money for. In addition to working at the nursery school, we also went on a two-day safari, which is definitely an experience I will never forget. The entire trip was fantastic and working at the nursery school is one of the best things that has ever happened to me, but that deserves an entry of its own! Overall, the trip is one of the best memories I’ll ever have, and I have a few photos from my Tanzanian experience to share in the coming weeks.
This particular photo was the first glimpse I got of the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro. I went to Tanzania during the rainy season, so there was constant cloud cover blocking the view of Kili. I took this photo when my friends and I were playing a game of Ultimate Frisbee with some locals out in the fields one afternoon. We were all enjoying ourselves when someone shouted, “Look, look! You can see Kili! The clouds finally cleared!” We all scrambled around, trying to get a “closer” look as if we could magically move Mt. Kilimanjaro’s peak so that it was right above us rather than miles and miles away. And even though in this photo, the sunset’s rays prevent any of Kilimanjaro, whether it be the peak or the mountain, from being visible, I love the memories this photo brings back. The laughter, the throwing of the Frisbee, the easygoing, carefree atmosphere of that afternoon, and that rush of exhilaration when I saw the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro for the first time – it’s all part and parcel of an amazing trip that I am always wishing I could go back to.
Subscribe Feed (RSS)
Hi, I'm Manda. I'm a college student studying communications and languages. I like to read, shop, bake, and travel. I have a tendency to listen to my favorite songs on repeat for hours on end. Sometimes I catch myself thinking in a language other than English. 
That’s a lovely picture, and it brings back such great memories. I’ve never volunteered overseas before, but I think I’d like to change that soon. It’s a unique experience, knowing that you’re helping other people, especially in a country that you wouldn’t normally get to see. Tanzania sounds absolutely amazing. :)
Gorgeous picture. You have had some of the best travelling experiences!
Hey- next time perhaps you can see Kilimanjaro up close? Or stand on the peak?
I would love to climb Kilimanjaro! The purpose of my trip to Tanzania was not for climbing Kilimanjaro or other tourist purposes (although I did experience a short, but fantastic, safari adventure). I would love to go back to Tanzania, and if I get the chance to, I will definitely try to climb Kili. A few of my friends have climbed Kili before, and they all said it was a fantastic experience.
All of your trips sound so amazing. I’ve never thought about this before, but you really do get everything you can out of life Manda :) I really wish I could be more like you sometimes.
[...] the sunset’s rays prevent any of Kilimanjaro, whether it be the peak or the mountain, from being visible, I love the memories [...]
[...] at either The School of St. Jude in Arusha, Tanzania, or at the nursery school I volunteered at in May. When I volunteered [...]
[...] of the things I did when I went to Tanzania in May 2008 was go on a short safari at Ngorongoro Crater. I had a fantastic time, and it was brilliant to be [...]
[...] May 2008, I went to Moshi, Tanzania, with some members of my high school class, to volunteer at a nursery school that we raised money [...]